Innovative Greenspaces: Infusing gardens into your everyday life
While we continue to advocate for a conservatory and botanical gardens in Missoula, we want to help our community have access to more nature and greenery in their everyday lives in the meantime.
Why do we want more green spaces? For a more detailed discussion on this, check out our recent blog post. But here’s a quick breakdown of the benefits studies have shown time spent in green spaces can do:
boost mood and provide other mental health improvements
reduce stress and anxiety
lower heart rate
improve concentration, memory recall, and overall mood
may lower levels of depression and aggressive behavior
promote social cohesion because they are a place people can meet and gain a sense of belonging
Below, we’ve listed a few innovative ways to infuse more green space into your daily life.
Businesses
An office environment is a perfect and underutilized space to add more greenery.
Because of all the reasons we listed above, office environments are a perfect and underutilized place to add more greenery. It certainly couldn’t hurt to reduce stress, and improve productivity and mood at work!
Retail spaces, service providers, and restaurants are also wonderful places to include greenery to give patrons a more calming and rejuvenating atmosphere.
Here are some ways businesses can add more green to their spaces:
living plant wall installation (yes, we have local shops that do this!)
potted plants near the doors, in seating areas, on shelves, etc
plants as table or counter centerpieces
vining plants affixed to the wall and climbing up pictures, railings, or simply hooks you’ve attached to the wall
plants in windows (even in the bathrooms!)
if you have a large window, make a whole display out of it
for outdoor areas, potted plants, ladder boxes, hanging flower pots, trellises, and window or raised boxes
partner with local plant shops or greenhouses to host events! For example, live music and yoga.
We have so many knowledgeable local plant stores that can help you decide what will best work for your space. Don’t be afraid to ask!
Residential
A windowbox of vining plants and colorful flowers give homeowners the benefits of greenery both outside (for them and their neighbors) and inside (when viewed out the window).
In the home:
Obviously, we adore having plants in the home to make it feel like we’re in our own private conservatory. We’ll put them anywhere and everywhere they will survive ;)
We also love:
potted plant gardens on patios, decks, or balconies (hint: use vertical planters to get the most out of your space)
classic outdoor gardens, whether in the ground, raised beds, and/or a greenhouse
fence gardens (aka vertical gardens, hydroponic gardens, or plants as your fence)
your car! (just kidding, your car would probably get too hot or cold, but we saw a car strew with fake plants the other day and it was so fun and whimsical that we had to mention it)
Once again, if you need help finding the perfect plant for your space, any of our local plant shops are incredible resources!
Areas you can advocate for gardens in your neighborhood:
apartment building rooftops
street corners
parks and designated greenspaces
community gardens
school gardens
meridians
Have another creative idea for neighborhood greenspace? Share it in the comments!
In Conclusion
We hope this blog has inspired you to think out of the garden bed for ways to increase your access to green spaces and the benefits that come with them, whether that means adding more plant-life to your own personal space or advocating for more in your office, shops, or neighborhood.