The bedroom

Everyone enjoys a good night’s sleep. That’s why it’s so important to have a bedroom that creates the best possible conditions for rest. A lot of people are sceptical about having plants in the bedroom, but there’s no reason to be. Healthy, living plants are good for indoor air – unlike dying plants, which reduce air quality.

In fact, there are plants that are particularly suitable for the bedroom because they produce oxygen at night. Better still, they remove toxic substances (volatile organic compounds/VOCs), such as trichloroethylene and formaldehyde, from the air while you sleep. They do this by absorbing the toxins through their leaves and into their roots where the VOCs are neutralized and converted into plant food. This combination is ideal for creating an indoor climate in which to sleep – plants cleaning the air and producing oxygen at the same time!

A particularly good choice here is mother-in-law’s tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata) and aloe vera. These are plants that are fairly resistant to temperature fluctuations, which are quite common in bedrooms (with airing and open windows at night). Another good alternative is lavender (Lavandula), even if it isn’t exactly a houseplant. Lavender gives off a pleasant and subdued scent known for its calming effect, while at the same time it’s one of the easiest garden plants to grow indoors, as long as it gets plenty of sunlight.