Mindfulness with plants

Mindfulness with plants: why it works

Mindfulness is all about being fully present in the moment, without judgement. By practising this consciously, you can learn to cope better with stressful situations and let go of negative thoughts. It helps you experience more calm, focus and stability.

Plants can genuinely help with this, especially if you’re just starting out. They move slowly, require attention and encourage observation. That’s exactly what makes them so perfect for practising mindfulness: you naturally slow down and become more aware of the moment.

Mindful plant care

Plant care and mindfulness go hand in hand. By tending to your plants with intention, you bring yourself back to the here and now.

Choose a quiet moment and really take your time with your plants. Move from one to the next step by step, paying close attention to what you’re doing while spending time with your green companions:

• Look at the leaves and notice the details
• Remove dust and/or dead leaves
• Water where needed
• If your plant needs more space or a different spot, repot or move it

By doing this without distractions, you train yourself to be fully present in the moment. Put your phone aside and focus on what’s happening right in front of you. Caring for plants has a calming effect and helps quiet your mind.

How to get started

You can practise mindfulness with the help of plants. You don’t need a specific plant to practise mindfulness. In principle, you can do this with any plant.

Some plants are especially suited to these kinds of mindful exercises because they’re visually striking or stand out due to their size. One example is the Alocasia. With its large, eye-catching leaves, this plant invites you to truly look and discover the finer details.

By consciously observing a plant, you begin to notice more and more: veins, colour variations and shapes you may never have spotted before. This makes it a wonderful exercise in awareness and stillness.

Plants that help you relax and bring on that holiday feeling

Some plants naturally have a look and feel that instantly creates a sense of relaxation. Think tropical leaves, lush shapes or an atmosphere that reminds you of faraway destinations. These plants really do transport you somewhere else.

Bringing these kinds of plants into your home is an easy way to create an environment that feels like a little escape from the daily routine. You can enhance this by grouping plants together in a green corner or creating a small “green sanctuary” at home.

You can also take inspiration from plants that evoke a holiday feeling. Think lush plants or flowers that remind you of a jungle or tropical setting. That way, you quite literally bring a sense of relaxation and freedom into your home.

A few examples of plants that can truly get you into a holiday mood:

• Gloriosa (Flame Lily)
• Strelitzia
• Banana Plant
• Yucca
• Anthurium

Mindfulness in the garden and outdoor spaces

You can practise mindfulness with plants outdoors too. The garden or balcony is the perfect place to unwind and consciously enjoy nature. Working with outdoor plants helps you slow down and feel more connected to the natural world. Surrounding yourself with greenery encourages you to slow down, feel more connected to nature and relax more easily.

For example, you could:

• Grow your own vegetables or herbs in a (mini) kitchen garden
• Fill your balcony with plants and flowers
• Create a green wall or vertical garden
• Take time to sit outside and observe what’s growing
• Turn your garden into a true paradise bit by bit, until there’s nowhere else you’d rather be

Make mindful living a green habit

Mindfulness with plants really doesn’t have to be complicated. It can simply be a small daily moment where you pause and give attention to what is growing and alive around you. Caring for your green housemates brings structure and routine. By giving plants a fixed place in your daily life, moments of calm naturally begin to appear. Whether it’s indoors, on your balcony or out in the garden: plants help you slow down and live more in the moment. In short: plant care is self-care.

Need more mindful inspiration?

Discover how to create a harmonious Japandi interior with calming houseplants, natural materials and clever styling. Or, equally mindfully, build a zen outdoor space and embrace the Japanese garden. Learn all about 'plantfulness' and how it can help you unwind, and explore which plants work best in the calmest room in the house: your bedroom.