Office plants are not what they used to be. And that’s great news because, in the past, your choices of indoor plants were fairly limited. Thankfully, that time’s behind us. A new age of indoor landscaping (interiorscaping) is matching the appeal of premier outdoor landscapes.
And it’s no coincidence that an attractive office space has never been more important with the difficulties of attracting and retaining top talent in many industries. Of course, we’re not implying that a job candidate is going to request a Bonsai tree during their interview. But today’s office workers are actively looking for ways to improve their well-being.
Now, you might be surprised to find out it only takes a few well-chosen office plants to enhance any workplace. And with the rising popularity of biophilic design, creatively blending office plants with natural materials can take your workplace aesthetics to new heights. The right plants can also help alleviate three specific health issues (noted below) common in most offices.
Office plants don’t just put a “pretty face” on your workplace. They also have important health benefits. The science on this topic seems to be mounting with each new study, which we think is exciting, as it highlights the number of upsides to creating a greener office environment. And office plants produce positive effects for employers too.
Employees and managers in every industry are seeking more access to mental health resources in recent years. Office plant services are an overlooked way to add such a resource since interior plants are proven to lower anxiety. Greenery in the office has a calming effect, needed more than ever as workers are plugged into screens for eight hours a day (or more).
Research shows being surrounded by natural plants enhances people’s moods. That’s incredibly impactful for office environments where job satisfaction can attract the best and brightest candidates. Good moods bring higher levels of team collaboration, too.
Time Magazine has recently reported a 15% productivity boost by adding office plants. If that seems an incredible lift, just think about it. Do you feel more energized when you’re at a scenic park or surrounded by a beige cubicle?
One reason office plant service has become an increasingly popular service - employees are reporting heightened concentration after plants are added to their workspaces. In today’s distraction-filled world, taking your concentration level up is like a mental superpower!
Perhaps some of the proven concentration benefits are due to office plants reducing workplace noise. With many companies using open-floor designs, it can be distractingly loud for employees trying to focus on their work. Strategic placement of greenery, especially green walls when possible, can cut down on noisy distractions.
If you don’t have space for a green wall, large potted plants are a good alternative for absorbing workplace noise. Quiet spaces have helped produce some amazing inventions (such as the laser, when the creator took time to sit quietly on a bench staring at azaleas).
Another reason companies are investing in office plant service? Biophilic design—a fresh approach that connects people inside buildings with nature by adding an array of natural elements to the building interior.
The entire concept is based on the fact that humans have an inherent desire to be near other living beings. We may not notice it when it’s there, but when there’s a lack of it, we are not at our best—a subtle but impactful feeling.
The best part of biophilic design is how it provides workers a visually pleasing environment while benefiting their well-being with biophilic elements. Those elements are not in short supply anymore, as you see in the following options used by many indoor plant services certified in biophilic design.
With this design philosophy gaining popularity, you might want to know which trends to investigate first. At Yellowstone Landscape, we believe living walls provide endless benefits and creative options. Hanging plants are also super versatile. As for plant dividers, these are a terrific way to separate sections of an office without using bland cubicle walls. Let’s go deeper on selecting biophilic elements, though.
An experienced office plant service should work with you to optimize your office plants. Look for expertise in aesthetic design as well as features and functionality. Reception areas are a popular place to begin adding biophilic elements, so we’ll start there.
Fiddle Leaf Figs are a trending choice for reception areas and entrances. These plants produce a warm, welcoming atmosphere for employees. And they make a bold impression on visitors, who will be unlikely to overlook this type of impressive office plant. An appealing plant container can make all the difference for plants in the reception area too.
Conference rooms have a different function than reception spaces. You still want an inviting feel, however, taller plants should be placed in corners. This keeps the meeting and attendees the focal points. Smaller potted plants can be more visible on the main table as long as they don’t interfere with views of the speaker or co-workers.
Lastly, individual desks are prime spots for smaller low-maintenance plants. Low-maintenance plants take into consideration factors like no foliage shedding that could bother a desk worker.
Vertical gardens hold endless possibilities, taking standard office plants to a new level. A creative interiorscape designer can show you possibilities you might never have imagined. All the while, not taking up valuable floor space.
Plant groupings stretch the creativity further. Expert interiorscapers blend various greenery to highlight depth and contrasting patterns.
Hanging shelves provide bonus opportunities to place unique plants in just the right spot (i.e., maximizing natural sunlit spaces). With today’s array of handsome natural shelving materials, you can extend the biophilic benefits to vertical spaces that were unused in the past.
Innovative planter designs can complement your attractive office plants. Terracotta is a popular choice among professional office plant service providers. Don’t overlook certain wood types for planters, though. Unique grain patterns can add to a company's branding. Need a little more energy in the office? Consider color-rich containers.
Top Plants for Office Spaces
Don’t worry. We’ve got faux plant options later in this article, in case you aren’t ready to invest in live plants. As for our list of the best live plants for offices, three of our favorites are Snake Plants, Pothos, and the always-on-trend Peace Lilies.
What are the highlights of those ideal office plants?
Snake Plants
Pothos
Peace Lilies
*Download our full list of best live office plants here*
Whether you’re interested in artificial office plants because of their near-zero maintenance or you don’t have enough natural light, modern faux plants give you creative options. New manufacturing techniques are producing lifelike colors and patterns—even down to the micro foliage veins! Faux plants don’t need watering, pruning, or pest monitoring. Light dusting and cleaning should be the only need.
Three trending artificial interior plants used by office plant services are Eucalyptus, Ficus Trees, and Monstera (see features below).
Eucalyptus
Ficus Tree
Monstera
The hidden bonus? Faux greenery has shown similar positive psychological benefits as living plants. Similar to how looking at a painting of a tree has positive effects on people.
Comprehensive Office Plant Services
Now that you’ve read about the upsides of adding attractive office plants to your workplace, you might want to find out exactly what office plant service includes, right?
Well, two things property owners may not think about when investing in enhanced interiorscapes are pest control and plant health checks.
A professional service provider will monitor your plants for pests and look for unhealthy signs on every maintenance visit. They’re trained to spot signs of pests and take immediate action. If they don’t, an infestation could break out.
All the affected plants would have to be replaced because it’s not possible to spray control applications inside a building for pests, as you would outdoors. Avoiding chemical pest control measures is for the safety of everyone in your workplace. This is one reason many Yellowstone Landscape clients use our office plant service. They depend on our pest control expertise built up with nearly two decades of integrated pest management training and certifications.
Watering outdoor plants has become efficient due to automatic irrigation systems. Indoor irrigation? That’s a different story. It’s much safer to perform hand-watering for office plants and interiorscapes.
You’ll lower the risks that come with an irrigation leak inside your workplace. Plus, hand-watering is a precision way to ensure plants get the exact volume of water needed. Remember, a variety of office plant species makes for the highest-quality aesthetics. So, each species has its own water requirements. Hand-watering makes this easier to get right consistently.
Quick tips:
The need to add nutrients to your indoor plants can complicate plant care. However, it’s crucial to learn the right levels and types of fertilizers needed for each species of plant you install. Plants are a lot like people—they feel, look, and perform better when fed proper nutrients.
The good news? Many organic fertilizers are now available. They’re better for the environment, with some new products designed specifically for office plants. If you work with an office plant service, ensure that the company is up-to-date on industry topics like safe fertilizers for indoor use.
Yellowstone clients benefit from our nationwide resources. Our services are mapped out months in advance. This way, we have every variety of plant and flower available even during major seasonal events (i.e., poinsettias during Christmas and other winter holidays).
Also, our clients don’t have the worries that come with maintaining office plants themselves. Since we take a comprehensive approach to landscaping (indoors and outdoors), the office plants we care for look their best year-round. And when plants look amazing, it’s because they’re healthy. This means less worry about replacing plants when comprehensive maintenance is used.
With over 17 years of commercial landscaping experience, we understand all the threats to plant health. From pests to microclimate changes to fungal diseases. This experience has informed many of our strategies for providing the best office plant services available. Much of the credit goes to our certified interiorscape professionals who are excited to stay updated on innovative ways to enhance office environments with greenery designs.
Whether you plan on hiring a provider or not, we encourage you to invest in adding at least a few more office plants. We believe it matters a great deal to your employees (and other people who visit your workplace). While it may seem like a small thing, adding an indoor tree as a focal point is one of those little actions that make employees more content with their workplace.
It’s hard to fathom a workplace adding vibrant flowers but finding their employees preferred their old cubicle walls. After all, who doesn’t want an office with less noise and cleaner air?
It’s not just the employees who enjoy the fruits of installing more indoor plants. Managers are looking for higher job satisfaction as well. And being in charge of employees can be a stressful responsibility. The natural calming effect of plants (even faux ones) makes managers’ days a bit easier and improves their mood along with everyone around them.
Are there challenges to keeping office plants healthy and looking their best? Indeed. Yet, those challenges are easily overcome by partnering with an experienced office plant service. And to take your interiorscapes to a new level, look for a provider with biophilic design experience.
Contact Yellowstone Landscape if you’re interested in creating a greener, healthier, more relaxed office environment.