Flowers boost our moods and can help reduce stress.This might be why information resource About Flowers found that 27 percent of people purchasing flowers are doing so for themselves. To see what all the hype is about, start with some easy ways to surround yourself with fresh blooms, plants and nature. Here’s a round-up of simple and cost-effective ways to bring more nature into your home.
Start a Container Garden
Whether you're short on space, or just want to infuse more greenery and flowers around the house, start planting a container garden. Grab an old wine crate and line it with newspaper or burlap before planting herbs, lettuce, arugula or your favorite flowers. Place your plants in the window or on the deck or rooftop apartment.
Check the growing instructions of your items in advance to ensure proper regulation of light and water. Most plants require upwards of 16 hours of light each day. And while they need lots of sunlight, go easy on the watering. According to the Farmers Almanac, more plants die from over watering than anything else.
Plant Blossoms for Butterflies
Head to your backyard or rooftop garden and plant a garden with butterflies in mind. Choose flowering plants and blooms native to your geographic region, to help butterflies get the nectar and foliage required to blossom into adults. Color matters to butterflies, much like humans. They're usually attracted to red, yellow, pink, purple and red. To keep butterflies around, stagger your plants so that when one stops blooming, another one starts.
It may feel counter-intuitive, but skip the insecticides that could harm or kill off butterflies and use caterpillar food like milkweeds. Worried about damage to your leaves? Most butterfly caterpillars don't munch on leaves and destroy them like tent caterpillars and gypsy moths do.
Create a Greenhouse
It doesn’t take much space or supplies to put together a small greenhouse. Buy a kit at Lowes, or make one yourself. Use PVC pipes and clear plastic sheeting and place it in a well lit room. Put glass shelves in a window frame and place your plants on the shelves for a simple and easy-to-remove greenhouse. For flowering greenhouses, start with orchids.
Build a Home for Bees
You can plant a garden for bees just like you can plant one for butterflies. Create a space with clean water in a shallow container with pebbles for bees to land and drink when thirsty. Like your butterfly garden, pick native flowers and also select single flower tops like marigolds. Double flowers are harder for bees to draw pollen. Designate an area of your garden in a brightly lit spot for bee burrowing with extra soil. But not all bees like to nest in the ground. Pile pieces of wood and bamboo sections for your wood nesting bee friends.
Get Flowers on Demand
Not everyone has the time, or desire, to launch a DIY garden project. Instead, set-up regular deliveries for unique and professional arrangements straight to your home. Find wreaths for your front door, a bonsai plant for entryway, stargazers to brighten your kitchen, or magnolia tree to dress up a room that needs a boost of decor. Try a flower delivery service to get ideas for every room in your home.
Start Composting
Now that you’ve brought more green and colorful blooms into your home, what should you do with them once they die?Start a compost bin and throw in your old stems, blooms and leaves along with discarded fruit, coffee grounds and grass clippings among others. Use the compost to add to your gardens and indoor plants and watch them flourish.
Reposted from: http://realtytimes.com/consumeradvice/homeownersadvice1/item/30961-20141002-boost-your-mood-by-bringing-nature-into-your-home
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