Plants To Boost Your Mood This Winter

As winter approaches and the nights really start drawing in, it’s hard not to feel a little gloomy.  The lack of sunlight and spending less time outdoors can have a real impact on our mental health, resulting in the increasing rise of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

Nature can provide a welcome respite, and studies have shown that spending time among plants and trees can really help boost your mood, increase concentration and lift your spirits.  Spending time in your own garden, or bringing nature into your own home with a pot plant or two can have a huge impact on how we feel.  As well as helping to reduce anxiety and stress, plants can also benefit us physically by helping to lower blood pressure, absorbing toxins and producing fresh, clean air.

  • mood boosting plants

Indoor plants are a simple addition and help create a soothing home environment.  Their colour, textures and scents can be really uplifting at any time of year and with a little TLC, indoor plants can help to create a welcoming, indoor oasis.

Outdoor plants can provide a welcome splash of colour all year round, but particularly during the winter months when deciduous foliage and summer flowers are dormant.  Choose evergreen shrubs and hardy bedding plants to inject personality and a pop of outdoor winter radiance.

Here, we’ll talk about how plants – both indoors and outdoors – can really boost your happiness during the colder months.

Indoor plants

There are plenty of easy-to-grow plants that liven up your home – and not just at this time of year. They’re green and luscious, have unique or interesting textures, and provide a welcome burst of colour on dark winter days.  Here are a few of our favourites:

Spider plants

This green and white trailing plant not only looks great, it’s also really easy to grow and look after. It thrives in bright (but not direct) sunlight, but is equally happy in semi-shade.

Peace lily

This low maintenance plant produces elegant white flowers. Easy to care for, they’re well-known for cleaning the air of and brightening up any room they’re in.

Boston fern

This fluffy-looking plant prefers indirect light in a humid environment – like your bathroom or kitchen – so it’s important to keep the soil damp.

Succulents

Lots of plants fit under the succulent umbrella, and they all have thick, fleshy leaves. They grow best in bright but indirect sunlight, and only need a small amount of water.

Herbs

A joy to grow (and eat!), herbs like basil, rosemary and thyme can be grown on your kitchen windowsill. They look beautiful, add a fresh aroma to your home and are easy to cook with.

How to care for indoor plants in winter

Each plant type will have its own preferences when it comes to watering and feeding, so it’s important to find out what yours needs.  Here are few good rules of thumb:

  • Water regularly (but don’t overwater as it can kill plants)
  • Keep them warm and out of draughts (many are from tropical climates)
  • Make sure they get plenty of indirect sunlight (direct sunlight can scorch them)
  • Prune regularly
  • Repot when needed
  • Feed regularly with good-quality fertilizer or plant food
  • Look out for any pests in the soil and on the foliage.

When it comes to herbs, make sure you regularly pick them so they keep their shape and stay healthy, and don’t let their soil get too cold as it will affect them.

Outdoor plants

While many plants are dormant during winter, there are lots of hardy annuals and perennials that will brighten up borders, planters and pots.  Easy to grow, they make excellent bedding plants, and add colour and texture to stone planters, troughs and urns.

Here are some of our favourites:

Heather

With evergreen foliage and bright purple flowers, this plant is perfect for tempting bees into your garden.  It thrives in open sunny areas, as well as in moderate shade.

Winter roses

Also known as hellebores or Christmas roses, they come in a range of colours and species.  Easy to care for, these beautiful plants are resilient – and can even flower in the snow.

Pansies

Perfect for borders as well as containers, pansies bloom all year round and thrive in cool temperatures.  Their bright petals give a pop of welcome colour during colder months.

Cyclamen

This hardy little pink flower brightens up any garden.  Flowering during winter, they prefer shady areas and look stunning planted with other early-flowering plants.

You can purchase all of these hardy plants online and in good garden centres (which have remained open during lockdown), where they’re usually in bloom.  That means they’ll add colour and interest to your garden as soon as you plant them.

Primroses

Often flowering from late December, this plant comes in a variety of colours, including pale yellow, red and pink. Hardy and adaptable, they’re easy to grow.

How to care for outdoor plants in winter

Here are a few tips for looking after your outdoor plants:

  • Plant at the right time (always check the instructions with each plant), and don’t plant in the depths of winter when the soil will be too cold and impenetrable to delicate roots
  • Use good-quality fertilizer or soil and mulch (it keeps in moisture and protects the plant from frost)
  • Wrap delicate plants and shrubs in a protective plant blanket or fleece
  • Deadhead and prune in autumn (always check the guidelines for each plant) as this helps plants conserve their energy over the colder months.

If you’re planting herbs outdoors, make sure you choose species like rosemary, thyme, oregano and sage that will be able to withstand the colder temperatures and potential frosts.

Plant herbs in borders, or containers and planters and make sure you regularly pick them so that they keep their shape and stay healthy.  And keep an eye on them during the winter: damp, cold soil may not be best for them as they usually prefer full sun and well-drained soil.

  • Haddonstone Victorian Trough and Support

Choosing your planters

Whether you’re growing them indoors or outdoors, it’s important that your plants are kept safe and can be easily cared for.

Planters and urns are great containers for your plants, whether you have a large garden or a small outdoor patch.

We have a wide range that are perfect for your winter blooms, so contact our friendly team today to discuss the options and find the ideal container for your plants.

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