Interior Decoration

[S Tu Pi Fi Ed]

Physical discomfort may be reduced in the presence of interior plants


Summary.

This experiment was designed to examine the role of plants in people's responses to physical discomfort. Subjects were randomly assigned to a treatment room with plants, colorful objects, or nothing added. Each was asked to place his or her hand in ice water and remove the hand if it was uncomfortable. Subjects were also asked about their perceptions of the treatment room







We found that more subjects were willing to keep a hand submerged in ice water for 5 minutes if they were in a room with plants present than if they were in a room without plants. This was found to be true even when the room without plants had other colorful objects that might help the subject focus on something other than the discomfort. Results from a room assessment survey confirmed that the room with colorful, non-plant objects was as interesting and colorful as the room with plants present, but the presence of plants was perceived as making the air in the room fresher.

 

[Cosmo]

Interesting, but not surprising. I used to be a big indoor plant person but, alas, have switched over to inanimate objects I cannot kill. Maybe it's time to get a few living things again. I did see this extremely cool PINK leaf plant the other day. I think I'll go buy it tomorrow.

 

[Jay]

I have lots of house plants...sometimes I have to throw one away, and it saddens me, but I get over it.


Cosmo...did you pick up that plant?

Plant suggestions that require little care.

Jade trees (poisonous, if your cat or dog eats plants this one is not for you)

Christmas cactus is another good one.

Take an orange seed, (or a lemon, or a lime) Plant it in a small container containing soil…water as needed, and in about two - three weeks up comes a tree. The orange tree I have is about 11 years old now…

 

[Reverend Blair]

I have something we call the Monster Plant. I have no idea what its real name is. It likes the shade and refuses to die under any circumstances. It produces one new branch with one large leaf every month, Every so often it gets too big and attempts to take over the room with its huge leaves and suckers that wrap around everything, so we chop it off. It just grows back.

 

[Jay]

Fig trees are also common, hardy little plants.

If you have two in a pot, you can twist (braid) them together. Looks cool when they start to get larger….

 

[Cosmo]

Re: RE: Interior Decoration

Cosmo...did you pick up that plant?

Take an orange seed, (or a lemon, or a lime) Plant it in a small container containing soil…water as needed, and in about two - three weeks up comes a tree. The orange tree I have is about 11 years old now…

No, Jay, didn't get the plant yet. But I definitely will today. We can start a pool on how long it takes me to kill it. Not really ... I used to have a house like a jungle. Your remark about the plant being poisonous to Moche (the fur kid) is part of the reason I am researching plants first. She eats plants. We were walking through Pea's amazing garden and Moche is running like a maniac, biting the heads off the flowers along her path. A bit unnerving since Pea grows all kinds of exotic things ... like foxglove 8O You oughta see that garden!! I will get some pix next sunny day and post them.

I'll try the orange tree idea. I have a great balcony with perfect morning sunshine. Might even try an avacado tree ... I had one of those for quite a while once too. How big is your orange tree? I guess it can't produce fruit without pollination, right? Pea has this cool fig tree with 3 figs on it right now. Of course here that's an outside plant.

Rev ... I used to have a Monster Plant too! When I was younger, I moved 18 times in 2 years ... and the Monster Plant just kept growing despite being hauled back and forth across the province in the back of a truck or stuffed in the back of my little Austin Healy Sprite (when it still fit) numerous times. I have no idea what kind of plant it was but the stocks got about an inch thick and even the cat I had then using the soil for a litter box didn't affect it. I think it must have been dropped down from the Mother Ship like the one in "Little Shop of Horrors".

I did learn, back then, that if you dump your Johnny Walker Scotch into a dieffenbachia, the leaves grow out pure white in a few days. Wasn't my drink that got palmed into the plant, but an amateur who was visiting and trying to keep up. :lol:

If anyone cares, I do know a website that lists all the plants poisonous to dogs. Let me know, I'll dig it up and post it if anyone wants it.

 

[Jay]

Re: RE: Interior Decoration

I'll try the orange tree idea. I have a great balcony with perfect morning sunshine. Might even try an avacado tree ... I had one of those for quite a while once too. How big is your orange tree? I guess it can't produce fruit without pollination, right? Pea has this cool fig tree with 3 figs on it right now. Of course here that's an outside plant.

My orange tree is about three feet tall. I keep it indoors and have trimmed it several times. No oranges though...neat thing about those trees is they produce a rather large sharp thorn that should be trimmed to protect childrens and pet eyes....if the thorn is dried, you could sew leather with it...ouch.

 

[peapod]

Cosmos foxgloves are not exotic, more like weeds, they re-seed all over the place 8O its so easy to impress you

 

[Reverend Blair]

Cosmos foxgloves are not exotic, more like weeds,

They are weeds. I've killed many them. A rod-weeder works well.

 

[Cosmo]

No need to say it twice

 

[Cosmo]

Cosmos foxgloves are not exotic, more like weeds, they re-seed all over the place 8O its so easy to impress you

Pea, your garden is extraordinary! Weeds or not, the things you grow are beautiful. I'm not that easily impressed when it comes to gardening ... not my area of interest ... but walking through your little corner of Eden is peaceful and interesting. You have some very cool growing things!!

Plus, the foxglove is very pretty.

 

[peapod]

Okay...you just gots to butter me up once Well yes I do love gardening, it is my "church" 8O All things are answered in the garden. And ehm....I don't have weeds...I garden the lasagna way. Amazing! I will have to tell dexter about that one. Jay do you have a garden???

http://www.lasagnagardening.com/

 

[Twila]

My cats love plants.....every plant I have has been tasted.....eaten...and has the chew marks to prove it.

 

[Jay]

do you have a garden???

Yes, we have 6 or so different gardens on our property. Mostly they came with the house. We recently bought the house (three years ago) and have only added small parts of our own personality to them. My wife promises to get to them this year, when schools out.

I had to take out some evergreen shrubs that were ruining the wooden fencing around the property...what a job. (She leaves all the heavy gardening to me).

To make up for removing shrubs, I planted a white pine last year.

 

[peapod]

Your wife is lucky she has her own mule to do the hard labour :lol: :lol: You should post about your garden in the hoe de hoe thread..dexter is also a avid gardener...you know I have decided to name a certain part of my garden "dexter sinister" Vanni pointed out once that it was latin for dexter left...sinister..right...bwhahahhaha I really like that! I like odd things in my garden...so I am making a little sign to put in amongst my hosta collection...the dexter sinister...

http://www.skyscript.co.uk/aspects.html#sd

 

[galianomama]

ah yes, now i can get back to my exterior decorating schemes...somewhat late this year, but still i love gardening! we didn't prune the grape vine late winter this year, and the grapes on it are bloody huge!!!! hmm, maybe that is telling us something. although, the weight of it is causing a few structural problems.

tomatoes look 'okay'. i am not overly pleased with them, i didn't have enough time for the little blighters, hopefully they will be filling out soon.

our oak tree is way too big...we only planted it two years ago and it is taking over. i thought oak trees were slow growers. it might have tapped into our underground spring. who knows, but it needs to be pruned fairly drastically.

enough rambling, jay that's great that you guys garden so much, you should post some pics.

 

[Reverend Blair]

I had to take out some evergreen shrubs that were ruining the wooden fencing around the property...what a job.

Is that one of split rail fences they used to build around there, Jay? There are a few things I miss about Ontario and those fences are right up there with barns that have boards going the wrong way. I also like the stone fences, but I'm glad I never had to build one.

 

[Jay]

Is that one of split rail fences they used to build around there, Jay?

I'm not sure....it’s just an older fence with posts, 2/4 between the posts, and plank nailed to it.

There are a few things I miss about Ontario and those fences are right up there with barns that have boards going the wrong way. I also like the stone fences, but I'm glad I never had to build one.

I'm going to have to pay more attention when I'm out in the country next time. If I notice anything strange regarding fences and barns...I will snap a pic or two.

PS...we have more to miss than that :lol:

 

[Jay]

jay that's great that you guys garden so much, you should post some pics.

I'm in love with oak trees...and I too thought they took forever to grow...there is one down the road from me...it has to be one of the largest girths on a tree I've ever seen. Never planted one though. Once I get that house and 14 acres in the country, I will.

The gardens are in some sort of disrepair at the moment, and we just don't have the cash to do what we really want...but rest assured when I get the time and money, I will post some pics.

 

[Jay]

Your wife is lucky she has her own mule to do the hard labour :lol: :lol: You should post about your garden in the hoe de hoe thread..dexter is also a avid gardener...you know I have decided to name a certain part of my garden "dexter sinister" Vanni pointed out once that it was latin for dexter left...sinister..right...bwhahahhaha I really like that! I like odd things in my garden...so I am making a little sign to put in amongst my hosta collection...the dexter sinister...

http://www.skyscript.co.uk/aspects.html#sd

That's a cool link, Pea.

And it's neat to know where Dex got his handle from....I thought he was just "sinister"....

I have a funny feeling I'm no match for you two in the gardening dept.

You know though, one of the cool things about the church I attend (when I get there) they have plant sales, and they will sell hostas and such for $2.00 instead of the $20.00 they charge in the shops….

Thanks for the link.