Happily Planted: How To Create A Garden For The Office

It’s no secret that time spent in nature leads to a healthier, happier existence. Here’s how to take the outdoors in-house.

With succulents, cacti, and spindly air plants that are near-unkillable, it’s not a question why many turn to the garden shop, corner store, or Amazon for a little bit of photosynthesis to liven up a desk.

And for good reason: there are proven benefits to adding greenery to your home away from home. Plants purify the air they’re in and make us happier (and therefore more productive). But how can we incorporate plants in our offices in inspired ways, and not fall victim to droopy, sad afterthoughts?

Nina and the architects at FLOAT are the chosen professionals behind the office designs of companies like Casper, Food52, and Glossier. For them, plants aren’t an add-on – they’re just as important as a piece of furniture or a wall.

Yet prior attempts and bad experiences can uproot the desire to purchase some green. Fear not, here are Etnier’s tips on how to revolutionize the office space with greenery:

Buy plants that have similar care requirements

This way if you decide to water them all at the same time you don’t have to worry about over or underwatering the rogue troublemaker that has different requirements than the rest. When in doubt, team up with your office’s plant whisperer to divide and conquer.

Plants, like humans, love natural light

Nowadays in newer office designs common areas like conference rooms, lunchrooms and lounges are the ones that have the windows, views, and light. Throw some leaves in there and watch your meetings become more enjoyable. If your office is only lit by bulbs and fluorescents don’t fret – plenty of plants do well in artificial light.

Rely on hardy, trusted favorites

ZZs

ZZ stands for Zamioculcas zamiifolia – a water-storing and lusty office mainstay. “They are hardy like a succulent but feel like a lush jungle plant,” says Etnier. ZZs can literally survive the worst owners of all time.

Succulents

“They are the easiest to sprinkle around the space without too much thought.” Succulents actually enjoy neglect and have a beautiful palette of greens, silvers and purples. Throw a few on your desks, conference tables, and bookshelves.

Yuccas

“They have a spiky, funky personality.” Yuccas can give your HQ a spark – which is very welcome on Mondays. They are desert plants that love light, so give them sun.

Philodendron

“There’s something really nice about having something organic take over an inorganic environment.” Crawling vines bring a certain presence to an office and a much-needed natural touch. Also, some species can even grow in just a cup of water (or that old coffee mug).

Fiddle Leaf Fig Trees

“Everybody is in love with fiddle leaf fig trees.” But be careful, these need a watchful eye. Don’t adopt one unless you have faith in your maintenance schedule.

Whether your ambitions include a single desk plant, or a verdant, lush office, the ultimate trick is to approach your office design as a creative work-in-progress. If your workplace feels too sterile and unnatural you’re not going to feel inclined to think of new ideas.

There’s psychology at play here. “You see a plant reacting to the environment you’re putting it in. You see the wear of a wood floor or a piece of furniture over time,” Etnier says. She calls this kind of beauty the “imprint of life in a space.”

That is – we want a workplace to evolve over time, and for that space to grow with us. Surround yourself with plants and flourish.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.