🏁 Axios Finish Line: Let it bloom!

Plus: Beginner's plant | Wednesday, July 13, 2022

Open in app View in browser     Axios Finish Line By Mike Allen, Erica Pandey and Jim VandeHei ·Jul 13, 2022 Jul 13, 2022 Welcome back. Join us at finishline@axios.com. Smart Brevity™ count: 397 words ... 1½ mins.     1 big thing: Bring nature inside Illustration: Natalie Peeples/Axios   Our house plants don't just look nice. They make us happier and healthier. Why it matters: Many of our jobs keep us indoors — away from nature — and the pandemic magnified that problem. But it turns out being around nature is essential to health, Axios' Anna Braz writes. Here are just some of the perks: Interacting with plants can increase life satisfaction, reduce anxiety and stress, spark creativity, boost productivity and even mitigate symptoms of PTSD and dementia, studies have shown. And certain plants are natural air purifiers for your house. "When we have plants in our home or take a hike, we see decreases in anxiety and stress," says Melinda Knuth, a horticulture professor at N.C. State. "Just being around a plant can decrease the cortisol levels in our saliva." Humans get a subconscious positive jolt from the smell of flowers, the chirping of birds and the sound of rushing water. What's happening: Plants sales soared during the pandemic as Americans coped with being stuck inside by bringing nature into their homes. Plant nurseries in the U.S. saw sales jump 10%-15% in 2020, according to a Garden Center survey. Many of these sellers were small, mom-and-pop shops that are now thriving due to our revived interest in plants. 89% of consumers owned at least two houseplants in 2021, according to a Floral Marketing Fund report. Zoom in: Watering and tending to plants and then watching them bloom is great for our minds. A key sign of poor mental health is losing interest and pleasure in activities. Plants can curb that by bringing passion and routine into our lives, says Justin Puder, a psychologist in Florida. The bottom line: Consider buying a plant from a local nursery to brighten up your home — or add to your collection if you're already an avid plant owner — and reap the benefits. Share this story.     A message from Axios Axios Smart Brevity Book     Learn how to communicate more effectively with Axios' new book, Smart Brevity: The power of saying more with less. Axios' co-founders share their secret sauce on the power of saying more with less to get people to pay attention to what matters more to you. Pre-order today and get an exclusive Smart Brevity video.     🌵 The beginner's plant If you're looking for a forgiving plant to start with, consider a cactus or a succulent. They'll retain water, and they're quite hard to kill — or damage in any significant way. "[T]hey will tolerate your terrible behavior for years and years, and then they will surprise you with flowers when they get growing again," NBC's Sophie Lee writes.   Thanks for reading. Invite your friends to sign up here. Are you a fan of this email format? It's called Smart Brevity®. Over 300 orgs use it — in a tool called Axios HQ — to drive productivity with clearer workplace communications.   Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. If you're interested in advertising, learn more here. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Axios, 3100 Clarendon B‌lvd, Arlington VA 22201   You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from Axios. Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.   Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get Axios in your inbox.   Follow Axios on social media: