Improve Your Mood With Green Plants

Presence of green plants at home or office not only adds beauty to the surroundings but also can have a positive impact on person's lifestyle and thought process. These plants can make our mood pleasant and increases our potential of working. According to landscape architects plants such as aloevera, schefflera, rhoeo discolour, pelargonium etc. affect our mood positively and also relieve us from stress.

Increases our capacity to work

As per one of the survey made by a professor of Washington State University, it has been revealed that if plants are also included as part of the decoration of the interior of the house, it keeps the family members stress free since green surroundings directly affect our mood. Similarly using plants in office also can benefit the employees. According to researchers, presence of plants increases our potential and capacity to perform better at work by 12%. Those suffering from high blood pressure can observe lower level of systolic blood pressure if they are surrounded by green plants.

Circulates fresh air

New buildings and walls look really attractive with bright colours but because of this element called volatile organic compounds (VOCs) get assimilated in the air. As a result of this person develops different types of allergies and respiratory problems. One of the researchers of NASA has stated that in above-stated condition if person keeps green plants in newly constructed buildings, it helps in circulation of fresh air and also deactivates the VOCs present in the air. Thus, they purify the air.

Reduces noise pollution

According to result of a survey done by University of Washington, in case plants are kept properly in an office premises it helps to reduce the noise level in the surrounding. Experts feel that indoor plants restrict the way of sound waves, thereby reducing the level of noise. Green plants in a retail outlet not only add to the beauty of the place but also impress the customers. Thus it helps sales executives in achieving their targets and make profits for the company.

Act as air purifier

Several ornamental plants such as orchids, epiphytic bromeliads, and succulents consume the carbon dioxide present in the atmosphere and release oxygen. It is insisted upon that in a house or office compound of 100 square feet, two-three green plants should be kept. At the same time one should also keep plants at a distance of 6-8 cubic feet from their bed, television or computer. This will provide a good and soothing atmosphere while working on computer or relaxing. Several nursery owners also insist on keeping mint, ginger or lemon grass and similar herbs rooted in pots. The presence of these herbs affects the environment and surroundings in a positive manner and fragrance of these herbs relaxes human mind.

Eases out tension and stress

It is said that presence of plants at home relieves a person from mental stress and tension and thus relaxes his mind. As we all know green colour has positive affect on person's psychology and eases out tension. Thus, if a person is tired, in a bad mood or undergoing stress, then sight of these green plants can uplift his mood and relaxes his mind, body and soul. Sight of green plants and colourful flowers makes a person's mood better in few seconds. Fragrance of flowers helps in reduction of stress hormone in a person whose undergoing stress.

Lowers down temperature

One more known benefit of indoor plants is that they help an important role in reducing the humidity level in the atmosphere. Presence of green plants at home keeps the temperature low. Higher level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is one of the important reasons for increase in temperature. Environment experts state that increase in temperature leads to rise in number of lizards and insects like spiders at homes.

Plants - Your New Roommate

There's a lot of talk about green living nowadays, and bringing green plants into your home can be a wonderful decorating idea. You can create lush indoor landscapes relatively easily, without spending a lot of money.

People have been bringing plants into their homes and using them as part of their decoration schemes for thousand of years. That makes sense, because people simply feel closer to nature with plants nearby.

Plants require some attention, of course, but they can be therapeutic, especially during the winter months, giving gardeners a regular "plant fix" until the weather breaks in the spring. There are also other health benefits to having plants in the house, as well. They emit oxygen and remove pollutants from the air, thereby improving air quality inside the home.

From a decorating standpoint, houseplants provide both color and texture to a home's decor, and can be used to either augment a color scheme or to cover areas that aren't particularly to your liking. For instance, trailing plants such as English ivy can be used as wall or window treatments by installing a high shelf that allows the ivy to cascade downward. Enhance the stunning effect with a plant light to keep the plant happy.

If you prefer a tall plant to create an effect in a room, consider the classical Kentia palm. which tolerates small containers and tolerates the soil drying out a bit. An excellent choice for an interior palm. the Kentia prefers some direct light through a window, but doesn't need bright light. Kentias, available in both tall and bushy varieties, create a dramatic focal point to a decorating scheme. Add an uplight, and you've created a dramatic effect with exotic shadows.

Plants can also be hung in planters from the ceiling and allowed to cascade. One popular plant for creating that kind of effect is the spider plant, which develops long tendrils. Such plants can be quite lovely when suspended near large windows as part of an overall window treatment.

Choosing various textures for your planters can also add drama and accent to your home's decor. You can find planters made of many different materials; ceramics and clay are the most common, but a clay planter can be wrapped in jute, hemp, or other material to give it a strikingly different look. You can also use different types and colors of material to suspend your planters, giving you even more decorating options.

You can even use small potted plants as accent pieces on kitchen counters, on a mantle in the living room, on the coffee table in the family room, or on a bookshelf in the den. Wherever you choose to use them, plants can provide extra drama, warmth, texture, and color to your home's decor. Plus, plants keep your indoor air fresh while connecting you to nature.

Why Are Plants Green?

With the exception of those few species of plants that have leaves of a different color, most plant are green. From the smallest kid to a mature individual, if you ask what color are plants, the answer will be, unanimously, that plants are green. Still, why are plants green and not blue, or red?

The color green comes from the cells in leaves (and sometimes stems), which contain chlorophyll, a large molecule that absorbs certain colors of light. This light allows the plant to do photosynthesis: with the energy provided by the light, the plant converts carbon dioxide and water into food. Chlorophyll uses red and blue wavelengths of light, and reflects the green wavelengths, thus the plant appears to be green.

The fact that chlorophyll absorbs green more than other colors might be a result of the evolution of plants. As the sunlight is not evenly distributed across the spectrum, certain wavelengths, especially in the red and blue regions, are stronger than others. It is possible that chlorophyll dominates, because it absorbs energy more efficiently where it is the strongest. In the case of some plants that have developed other mechanisms for absorbing light, it is likely that chlorophyll was more efficient.

Chlorophyll is the most visible compound in leaves, but there are also other compounds that give plants their color. In temperate regions, some other pigments can be seen in the fall, because when light and heat are reduced, photosynthesis becomes less efficient and the plants stop making chlorophyll. Once a plant quit making chlorophyll, the red, yellow and purple of other pigments in the leaves start being visible.

Photosynthesis is the process used by green plants, as well as some bacteria and algae, to produce glucose from carbon dioxide and water. The term photosynthesis, translated literally into "building with light", is used because the energy for the chemical reaction comes from sunlight.

Therefore, in the majority of plants, green is the defining color because of the chlorophyll that dominates over other color spectrums. And we have become so accustomed to plants being green that nobody ever questions why it is that they are green, they just are. It is the soothing and fresh green look of plants that has come to define them, and it would be hard to imagine a world less green. Just think of a lawn with any other color but green, or a Christmas tree, or a large park or botanic garden that does not abound in all shades of green. would it be the same?

Types of Green Flowers

Add value to your colorful flowers with the combination of green flowers to create a lush surroundings. The beauty and landscape in your garden becomes more attractive with vibrant colors presenting some varying sizes and shapes of green flowers and other kinds of flowers with different colors.

You can be more than happy and totally satisfied when you see them in vibrant blooms together with your other plants planted alternately in between each plants.

To give some ideas which to plant in your garden as a green flowers combination, below are the different types of green flowers for your convenience.

1. Limelight Hydrangea. Is a green flower types which blooms during summer with a lime-green colors. It grows to a height from 6 - 8 feet. It can be planted as a border plant because of its striking green flowers and large green leaves. Limelight hydrangea thrives best in any well-drained type of soil, but requires total sun exposure and partial shade to give a good possible growth performance.

2. Anthurium Midori. Considered as among the distinct plants of the anthurium family, it has a large petal-like spathe with glossy texture. Its flowers are healthy green in color. Anthurium is popular as a cut flower, since it will last for a couple of months placed in water.

3. Green Roses. This type of plant produces a cluster of informal apple green double blooms. It tolerates in humid conditions and well-drained fertile soil.

4. Hellebore. It grows to a height of 5 feet tall, this plant has an evergreen flower with pale green blooms. Its foliage consists of light green with blue and white splashes all over the leaf blade. Considered as a hardy plant, since it tolerates in cold and open temperatures.

5. Chrysanthemum Shamrock. Most popular for flower arrangement, this plant produces a light and creamy green flowers which consists of a hundred petals per flower. This plant thrives best when grown inside a greenhouse, especially during dry climate. Flowering of chrysanthemum starts at the midst of summer until the mid-part of the autumn condition.

6. Rock Correa. Also called as a bell flower, this plant produces light green shade colors formed in cylindrical shell that opens outward forming like a bell, hence, it's called the bell flower. A native of Australia, Rock Correa starts to bloom in mid-spring, summer, and winter.

7. Bells of Ireland. It's considered as summer tolerant flower plant and grows up to 3 - 4 feet in height. It grows well in full sun open field to partial shade location in a well-drained and fertile moist soil.

8. Zinnia. Produces a light green and double 4-inch flower heads, Zinnia grows to a height of more than 2 feet. This plant is resistance to any kind of disease, hence, it called a hardy plant. The Wisconsin Master Gardener Program warns that green zinnias may fade to yellow in summer heat.

Healthy Green Plants - What Does Chlorophyll Do?

Photosynthesis is the process by which your plants convert hydrogen, oxygen and carbon molecules into basic sugar structures and later, by breaking these down, create a source of energy and food for themselves. Chlorophyll is a combination of two pigments which make the entire process possible.

Chlorophyll is a green pigment, which is actually a combination of two individual pigments; chlorophyll and chlorophyll B. Other aquarium plant pigments exists, carotene for example is an orange pigment whereas xanthophyll is a yellow pigment. These kinds of pigments are not actually involved in photosynthesis and are normally disguised by chlorophyll, although it is possible to see them in variegated plants. In plants which do not receive light, the resultant sickly yellow appearance is a reduction in the green pigment of chlorophyll, meaning that the yellow pigment is displayed more prominently. As Iron is essential to chlorophyll, Iron deficiencies commonly result in sickly, yellow-looking aquatic plants.

When chlorophyll is exposed to light, it makes the process of photosynthesis possible. After photosynthesis has taken place, respiration means your plants will take in oxygen and produce heat energy and carbon dioxide. It is important that you aquarium has a dark period long enough for your plants to respire and levels of Co2 in the aquarium will rise during periods where there are no lights. Higher concentrations of Co2 and light will increase the activity of chlorophyll, which for many plants (including algae), results in more growth in shorter spaces of time.

Research into the various different species of plants which could be kept in the aquarium is essential to be able to understand how much light and darkness they will need. Depending on the origin of the plants, they may have different needs relating to how much time they should spend under lights and the time that they should be given afterwards to respire. If not enough light is given, or not enough time is given for the sugar structures to be broken down, the plants will become sickly or growth will be stunted.

The need for a specific amount of incoming light and time to respire is another reason why plants with similar needs should be kept together. In a biotope aquarium, due to the plants originating from the same geographical location, ensuring that they do is likely to be less of a problem. Attempting to mimic the natural environment of what you intend to keep in the aquarium is largely always advisable.