There was a time...
too many years ago to count, that I was known for being somewhat of a tree-hugger. Actually, I still find myself inspired now and then to climb a tree as an homage to my youthful spirit. And I must confess to having worn Patchouli Oil (in moderation mind you!) and Birkenstock Sandals back in the day. OK, I still wear Birks, but without those crazy thick wool socks any longer!
What I'm getting at is, while I may need to hold my inner-hippie persona a little further at bay these days (and finding a good tree to climb isn't as easy as it used to be), my nature-loving self must now seek more subtle ways to appreciate the magnificence of the great outdoors. Plus, because I tend to find myself stuck inside more than outside while at work, I've found it necessary to fulfill my need to experience the natural world in less conventional ways.
One simple but effective way I've gone about it, is to surround myself with potted plants. Not only do hanging or free-standing pots make me feel better about living and working amidst the Urban pavement, but they clean and freshen the air that I breathe as well as add texture and life to what can otherwise seem a bit one-dimensional and stale.
Something I always encourage my clients to do is: Get some plants. And not just small ones, but go big and hire a 'green thumb' to select and care for them. Plus, a little known factoid is that dirt is a fantastically inexpensive sound absorber. So for all those who find themselves working in the trendy 'open-plan', consider strategically placing groups of large floor or hanging planters to help deaden those ever present distracting noises. If done right they can look cool acting as partitions, but if done poorly they could seem out of place or an understatement.
So before you get started, just be sure to get inspired by searching online for ideas. Here's a link to my Go Green Pinterest page to get you started: http://bit.ly/1H8FYfh And if you want to learn more about how Biophilic Design impacts the workplace on a global scale, check out these resources: http://humanspaces.com/ and http://greenplantsforgreenbuildings.org/
Creating indoor plant-scapes and preserving a bit of nature within walls, is just one small step toward maintaining our instinctual human connection with an undeniably significant ally and force to be reckoned with, Mother Nature. But if you're not quite ready to embrace interiorscaping and make an entire wall of plants, try adding a few select plant groupings at a time and eventually - you too will be most likely to turn green.
