This GardenAdvice Houseplant and mindful and well-being workshop is designed to help you explore how caring for houseplants can support mindfulness taking place on the
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A workshop and leaflet from GardenAdvice, focusing on the connection between houseplant care and mindfulness practices. The core concept is that tending to houseplants can be a valuable tool for reducing stress, improving well-being, and promoting a state of mindfulness. The documents outline practical tips for houseplant care and explore how engaging with plants can encourage present moment awareness and offer insights into the natural world.
Download the GardenAdvice Houseplant care and mindfulness Leaflet
- Houseplants as a Tool for Mindfulness:
- The primary focus is on using the act of caring for houseplants as a way to cultivate mindfulness, which is defined as “your ability to be present in the moment, aware of where you are, and conscious of the place and thing that you are doing.”
- The workshop aims to demonstrate how “the simple acts of watering, nurturing, and observing your plants can foster a sense of peace, reduce stress, and enhance well-being.”
- It promotes the idea that caring for plants requires focus and can interrupt the constant distractions of modern life. The workshop suggests that “when watering and cleaning your house plants it’s hard to think of anything else and that’s mindfulness.”
- Practical Houseplant Care:
- The workshop covers a wide range of practical plant care advice, starting with how to “choose the right plants for your space, watering and light requirements”
- Plant Selection: The importance of understanding what conditions a room offers is stressed, stating “Every position or room in your house or office has a suitable house plant.” Guidance is offered for different types of spaces, such as humid bathrooms, dark corners and sunny living rooms.
- Watering: The document explains that plants require “different levels of moisture” and that “the key is an even water supply.” It notes the benefits of using terracotta pots in helping to achieve this, by “soaking up the water and releasing it over a couple of days.”
- Light: It points out that “plants have different requirements for light and some can be more tolerant of darker positions than others.” Understanding where plants grow naturally can help find the right place in the home.
- Temperature and Airflow: Plants need “a constant environment” and should be in “a nice well ventilated space but without cold drafts, smoke and air pollution.”
- Feeding: “Different plants need different types of feeds” and “a good plant food to start with is liquid tomato feed which contains lots of potash.”
- Compost: The workshop advocates avoiding peat-based composts, citing environmental concerns, and suggests “a soil based compost called John Innes.”
- Plant Grouping: The leaflet introduces the concept of plants communicating and supporting each other, stating “Plants grow better in groups where they communicate, swap notes and support each other with nutrients and water” and that “This relationship between plants and fungi is symbiotic”
- The Scientific Basis:
- The leaflet references how plants can “improve air quality and boost your mood”
- The document references a NASA study that shows that “house plants remove toxins and indoor pollutants, such as benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene, toluene, and ammonia, from the air”.
- It explores the use of an Apple Watch to track changes in heart rate variability when engaging in mindful plant care, noting that “when you are relaxed or in a mindful state regardless of your heart rate the period between your heart beats is variable.”
- Developing a Mindful Approach with Houseplants:
- The document expands on six ways to use houseplants to develop mindfulness:
- Savouring “Plantness”: This involves observing the form and nature of the plant. As “Mindfulness expert Joan D. Stamm” says, “We simultaneously contemplate how flowers mirror our own unique and life-affirming essence, and teach us the great lessons of patience, humility, and the beauty inherent in impermanence”. The associated exercise is to “Set aside a time to appreciate your plants.”
- Rejoicing in New Growth: Being aware of plant changes like new leaves or flower shoots is highlighted: “What an amazing feeling it is to nurture something and have it respond.” The mindful exercise is to “look for signs of new growth” weekly.
- Deep Breathing: The air purifying properties of plants are mentioned to support breathing exercises.
- Engaging with Nature: Connecting plants to their natural habitats is promoted: “Plants help remind you of different ecosystems on earth.” The suggested exercise is to “Research where your plant comes from”.
- Connecting with Living Things: The importance of the relationship is stated, noting “It’s a nice feeling to walk into your home and be greeted by the spiky “welcome home” from a snake plant”. The exercise here is to “Relish the small acts of caring for your plant.”
- Discovering Enjoyment in Doing Nothing: This point mentions the concept of ‘Wuwei,’ or “doing nothing but allowing the plant to exist, thrive, grow—all without your help.” The associated exercise is to “Take a moment every day to slow down and enjoy the moment of having a plant.”
Key Quotes:
- “This workshop is designed to help you explore how caring for houseplants can support mindfulness…”
- “Life is available only in the present moment,” – Thich Nhat Hanh
- “We simultaneously contemplate how flowers mirror our own unique and life-affirming essence, and teach us the great lessons of patience, humility, and the beauty inherent in impermanence: cycles of beginning, maturing, ending, transforming.” – Joan D. Stamm
- “Caring for your plants should put you in a focused state. When watering and cleaning your house plants it’s hard to think of anything else and that’s mindfulness.”
The documents advocate for the use of houseplants not just as decoration, but as living tools for promoting mindfulness and well-being. By engaging with plants in a conscious way, participants are encouraged to connect with the present moment, reduce stress, and appreciate the natural world within their own homes. The combination of practical care advice and mindful exercises makes the concept approachable and actionable for both beginners and experienced plant owners. This workshop and leaflet highlight the power of incorporating small, mindful actions into our daily lives to achieve a greater sense of calm and well-being.
