Whether you live in an area surrounded by nature or you’re in the midst of a major city, it’s important to connect with nature as much as possible to boost your mood and lower stress levels. Even if you don’t have access to a lush botanical landscape, you can still enjoy everything nature has to offer in your own home. An indoor plant wall gives you the opportunity to connect with the natural world without ever having to set foot outside the home. This fun project will not only add beauty to your space, but will also cultivate a love and appreciation for caring for plants, and for the environment.
Why we should connect to nature
It’s not just important to connect to nature because we live in it. Spending time in nature has a positive impact on our mental and physical health. Here are some reasons why it’s so vital to stay connected with the outside world
Better health. Nature has positive impacts on health in many different ways. Connecting to the natural world can actually have healing effects on the mind, body, and spirit. When you spend time in a natural environment, it may lower your blood pressure and heart rate, creating a calming effect on both the body and the mind. Going outdoors promotes healthy exercise, which can increase muscle mass and lower body weight over time. It may also help to boost your immune system by providing your body with a natural source of vitamin D.
Greater spirituality. In addition to the physical benefits, connecting to nature also promotes spiritual enhancement. Just taking a walk amongst plants and animals can remind you how we all play a vital role in the world, and how we connect together as one. When you’re outdoors, take a moment to soak in the sights, smells, and sounds of nature. This is a wonderful way to appreciate nature’s many meditative properties and give yourself a spiritual cleanse. You’ll also gain a new appreciation for the world and all that it has to offer.
Higher sense of wellbeing. Spending just a few minutes each day outdoors or around nature can help you “reset,” giving you a fresh and new sense of optimism to take on your day. Taking in the environment around you will improve your psychological well-being and help you to de-stress. Studies have shown that connecting with nature can help with conditions like depression and improve cognition. You’ll start to develop a positive outlook and feel calmer as you make and strengthen your connection to nature.
The Human-Nature Connection Relationship
In many ways, the modern world has altered the human-nature connection. However, by developing a deep appreciation for nature, humans can restore the respect that the environment deserves. By fostering a healthy relationship with nature, you’ll also develop a better understanding of how plants and animals live, and how they depend on humans to protect their safety and well-being. From humans’ evolutionary biology and psychology to the economy, everything is directly connected to the natural world. Developing a strong bond with nature will give you an opportunity to appreciate just how deeply everything is connected together.
Benefits of a living wall
Ornamental plant decoration for vertical garden
There are many benefits to designing a living wall or vertical garden in your home
Living walls can make you happier. When you see greenery or flowers inside your home, it will instantly boost serotonin levels, making you feel happier within just a few minutes.
Plants absorb carbon dioxide, which can help to clean and purify the air inside your home. Add a lush green wall indoors and you’ll get better air quality and cleaner, safer indoor air.
A plant wall can reduce the temperature in your home, creating a cooler climate that may even lower your energy bill. Since plants absorb sunlight, it can make the room feel cooler while reducing the need for your air conditioner to run constantly.
Place your living wall where you need a little more peace and quiet. Your houseplants can absorb the noise, giving you a much quieter, calmer place to relax.
Just looking at your plants can reduce stress. Fill your plant wall with your favorites so you’ll feel calm and happy every single day.
Since plants have a positive psychological impact, they can also boost your productivity. Add a living wall to your home office and watch your productivity levels increase.
A lush plant wall adds value to your home. Consider adding one to the inside and outside to improve curb appeal, reduce energy costs, and make your home more visually appealing.
How to create a green wall
Here are the steps needed to create your very own living plant wall at home.
Plant selection. Start by choosing a variety of plants for your living wall. The type of plants you choose may vary depending on your local climate, how much sunlight they’ll get, and how difficult they are to care for. Research a variety of indoor plants to help you find the right ones for your indoor vertical garden. You may go through some trial and error until you find the right combination of plants for you.
Location. Choosing the right location for your green wall is key to a healthy and lush indoor vertical garden. Place your living wall in a part of the home that will get ample natural light. If your home doesn’t have a lot of sunlight, you may need to supplement with grow lights to keep your plants happy and healthy.
Maintenance. Make sure you understand how to care for all of the plants in your green wall. Ideally, they should all have the same or similar amount of sunlight and watering requirements. If the plant’s needs vary too much, some plants may not be healthy, while others will thrive based on how much light they get and other factors. Look into the care of your plants to make sure that the living wall is something you can easily maintain.
Display options. Think about how you want to display your living wall, whether it’s a tall shelf with a lot of pots or a sturdy tall frame that holds several containers of dirt. Some green walls become permanent fixtures, while others can be moved around as needed. Explore a few options before you decide which one will work for you so that it’s easy to care for and cultivate your plants while adding an attractive aesthetic to the room.
Lighting. Some plants require full sun, while others only need partial or dappled sunlight. Check where the light comes into your home, and place the green wall in a part of the room that will get enough of it throughout the day. Low-light plants (like pothos or snake plants) can thrive without a ton of sunlight, so these may be best if you live in an apartment or a place without a lot of windows.
Irrigation. Your plants need water to stay healthy, so make sure you have a good irrigation system in place. Self-watering planters can be helpful, but you may also need to soak your plants from time to time. Just be sure that your irrigation system won’t create a mess of water and soil all over your floors. A watering can make it easy to do some quick watering of the topsoil, while a small tube irrigation system can help you water all of the plants’ root systems at once.
These are pretty easy tasks you can do yourself and even make it a fun family activity, remember you can always choose the have the professional service of a handyman to help you install hanging shelves or lighting to build your perfect plant wall.
Reasons to add a plant wall to your home
Whether you want to lower stress levels or just add a striking new feature to your decor, here are some important reasons to add a beautiful plant wall to your indoor space
Increase curb appeal. An outdoor plant wall is an attractive feature for buyers if you’re planning to sell your home. It can also create interest indoors by boosting your home’s resale value and curb appeal.
Break up a white wall. Beautiful greenery and colorful flowers add texture and visual interest to a bland and boring white wall. Use your green wall to enhance a living room or den so it helps to visually “break up” the space.
Create living art. Having a variety of plants is a wonderful way to create your very own living work of art. As the plants grow and change, your art will change to create a unique accent piece in your home.
Add a garden without losing floor space. Designing a vertical garden gives you the opportunity to enjoy gardening without taking up too much floor space. This can be especially beneficial if you live in a small home, condo, or apartment and want to reap the benefits of gardening without taking up too much precious room.
Create a space for calm. Your green wall will give you a peaceful vibe that promotes feelings of calm. Use your green wall to enjoy the benefits of plants and nature inside and make this part of your home a space for calmness, meditation, and reflection.
Add an accent wall A feature wall or accent wall can give any room a fun touch. Use your green wall to create a cool accent wall that’s sure to be a conversation starter whenever you have guests over.
Add life to your home Plants will add vibrancy and life to your home that standard wall art simply can’t replicate. If you live in a place where you can’t have pets, a living wall is a wonderful way to care for another living thing as you watch it flourish and grow.
As you can see, building a plant wall has a wide range of benefits not just for your home, but also for your health and well-being. Plants clean the air, add beauty, and promote feelings of rest and calm in the home. With a living green wall, you can cultivate your connection with nature while enjoying a new and beneficial hobby that will enhance your life.
Guest Blog Post By: Rocio Espinoza with Porch | Find the Best Rated Local Home Improvement Professionals
All About The Curves. 2019 will be all about the curves and soft angles, giving sofas, arm chairs and tables a more fluid shape. The hard lines of the past are being traded in for soft curves. Crescent silhouettes and graceful curved corners will be taking over both furniture and accessories in the homes this year. Go ahead and get rid of the ridged lines and welcome soft corners, round edges and billowing lines.
TextureTexture is such a big thing this summer. You will see furniture that has a more natural handmade feel such as rattan and wicker. Textiles with lots of embellishments will be irresistible to the touch. From textural wall patterns to baskets texture is everything! Woven furniture, lighting and accessories offer a visual interest without being impactful in color. I feel texture makes a home warmer, lived in and welcoming. 
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