I don’t like indoor plants, especially in the office…..It dredges up images of half dead palm trees in a faux terracotta pots placed into any available corner.

They say it will feel more like home. I don’t have plants inside at home most probably because I have visions of my Grandmother wasting afternoons wiping the dust off the leaves of her indoor plants with spry bottle and a blue chux cleaning cloth. The once glossy green leaves now smeared with evidence of a dusty residue and wipe marks.

They say ‘it’s bringing the outdoors in’ but I’m sorry you can have as many pot plants dotted around the place but nothing will ever be as good leaving one’s desk and actually taking a walk outside on a glorious spring day. Because it’s that relaxed atmosphere you’re really chasing, the warmth of the sun on your skin, the softness of a balmy breeze across your face and knowing that above you is the vastness of a huge endless blue azure sky. That’s being connected with nature. It’s not by looking up and seeing a green pot plant perched precariously amongst manila files of paperwork. This sad little plant with it’s soil so dry because someone keeps forgetting to water it that when ever its knocked it spread debris across your desk, another thing you will get around to cleaning up once you get through that growing mountain of filing…….

Now there is a new version of the indoor plant created for this century, these living walls. And many would argue the associated eco issues. But it still looks to me as if a florist has set up a stall in the back corner of your office.

We designers like things to look clean and considered, there is order, form and control. I’ve seen many examples of late where designers are trying to show that plants can have a place in the office. Formal rows of minimalist black rectangular planters filled with river stones and evenly spaced succulents and even I will say ‘yes’ it ticks the boxes in the looks department. but it only works because there is control. But this is a minimal zen look and within 5 years it will be considered passé and reflected back on as being a tell tale look of an era and in the end it will not satisfy those ardent pot plant loving staff that move among us. Usually those who plaster their workstations with motivational posters and pictures of cats……….oh alas that’s entirely another blog altogether………