The Dirt on Plants

The Dirt on Plants 

The Dirt on Plants, a blog site written by two passionate and dedicated plant lovers, focuses on the use of plants for design, food and medicine, and products in addition to the positive impacts and benefits that plants provide. Throughout the blog, there is a deep focus on the concept of biophilic design, an innovative concept that integrates nature with man-made elements with the goal of providing benefits to human health, productivity, and physical, psychological, and emotional well-being.

The blog section titled Plants as Design aims to educate on different design methods that use plants and natural elements in order to enhance a space. This includes various design types such as Xeriscape Design, Green Walls, Green Roofs, Botanical Gardens, and Mosaiculture. The Dirt on Plants explores how implementing these design techniques allows for a positive connection between humans and nature. 

Mosaiculture plant sculptures

The section Plants as Food & Medicine focuses on plants that are often consumed or cooked with in addition to plants that provide natural healing benefits. This section is broken down further into Growing Tips, where you can find tips on how to grow herbs, in addition to Recipes, which include delicious plant-based meal options. 

growing herbs

Lastly, Plants as Products encourages the use of products composed from plant-based material, such as Aloe Vera. Plant-based products contain sustainable and renewable characteristics, creating less of an impact on the environment compared to conventional plastic-based products. 

Aloe Vera

Learn more about The Dirt on Plants and their mission to spread the word on plants and their benefits: www.dirtonplants.com 

Biophilic Design Enhances Spacial Harmony: Social Distancing with Plants

  • Social Distance Using Plants

As we shift into a world where social distancing seems inevitable, biophilic design, an innate and genetically determined love for the natural world felt universally by humankind, plays an important role.

Adding plants and other natural elements to spaces in the built environment allows restaurants, bars, offices, and other public spaces to use lively, green barriers such as living walls or potted plants to ensure 6 foot separation. Plant-designed barriers act as aesthetic alternatives to plastic or concrete barriers, while also providing benefits to humans. For example, plants function as natural air purifiers, encompass psychological value, and boost productivity. 

TruVine Design specializes in vertical gardens, green wall design, and landscape design, adding value and innovation to both interior and exterior hospitality, commercial and residential spaces. By adding custom and moveable plant partitions to spaces based on their specific requirements, this reinforces feelings of safety and comfort for workers returning to offices and customers returning to sit-down restaurants and hotels.  Incorporating biophilic design in the built environment allows for sensory, emotional and satisfactory fulfillment while providing us with natural distancing, visual elegance and functional air purification.

Looking for a way to social distance with plants? Contact TruVine Design today.

Biophilic Design Flourishes Within The Workplace

  • Plants in Workplace

Although there is often a disconnect between nature and the workplace, many companies are opting for ways to change work environments through the inclusion of biophilic design. The presence of nature in a human-dominated workplace fosters a sense of beauty and aesthetic pleasure and at the same time, provides benefits to the individuals exposed to it. It is often believed that access to nature, such as live plants or animals, has one of the strongest effects on physiologies of individuals. As a result, companies have been evolving towards a more environmental-friendly workplace. 

The incorporation of nature in the workplace seems to provide several benefits as spatial design which evokes natural landscapes increases occupant health and well-being. Whether it is inclusion of windows, plants, or even images of nature, the use of biophilic design in the workplace sparks creativity and improves concentration and engagement. 

Productivity amongst employees tends to increase by about 8 percent. In addition, rates of employee well-being rises by approximately 13 percent. Retainment of staff and fewer cases of absenteeism are seen as aspects of nature and biophilia in the workplace attract individuals. 

The emergence of biophilic design in the workplace is crucial in employee happiness and success. It creates a more positive environment. Biophilic design brings offices to life. 

How To Choose The Best Plants For Green Walls

  • Exterior Green Wall Miami

Green walls, typically referred to as living walls, are unique, self-sufficient vertical gardens which are often attached to exterior or interior walls of a building. Green walls are diverse in the sense that they can be filled with so many different types of plants of varying colors, shapes and patterns. This allows for originality within each and every green wall design. However, in order to ensure plants will thrive on a green wall, the specific type of plants chosen for a living wall is vital.  

When it comes to selecting the type of plants for a vertical garden, the physical environment plays a major role. For example factors such as shade, sun, and rain patterns determine the type of plants that will grow best. In addition typical weather patterns and climate are also considered when choosing the type of plants to use. Different plants grow well in Florida compared to the type of plants that grow well in other climates such as in Colorado. When designed in full-sun and hot summer locations, green walls with vegetables and herbs do best. In dry and full-to-partial sun areas, succulents tend to do best. Furthermore, shady, bright light areas which are moist and cool during the night are perfect for green walls with ferns.  

As a result of weather and climate affecting plant growth and survival, successful plants for indoor green walls differ from outdoor ones. Indoor plants, or “houseplants,” are preferable for indoor green walls. Ideally, plants native to shady grounds of tropical rainforests which survive well in typical human-kept home and building temperatures are found on indoor vertical walls. Therefore, indoor green wall plants must be able to survive in low humidity and low light areas. In contrast, outdoor plants have less limitations as they can survive in higher humidity and higher sunlight areas. It is clear that when designing a green wall, strategy regarding the type of plants used is extremely vital.    

What is Biophilic Design?

Biophilic Design is fast becoming one of the most important design considerations of this century.”

Biophilic design stems from biophilia, “the urge to affiliate with other forms of life,” and the inherent human inclination to positively interact with nature, a concept introduced in the 1980’s. Biophilic design is an innovative way of connecting humans with the natural environment. Individuals grow from childhood through interaction with nature as a way to learn about not only the world, but also themselves, and as a result, nature plays a major role in everyday life. Nature evokes human emotion, and if put in a situation where individuals are unable to affiliate with nature, humans often feel trapped and deprived. Therefore, the use of biophilic design seems to have a positive impact on one’s physical and mental health and well-being. 

Plants at Poolside

In order to create an aesthetically appealing and ecologically sound environment, the incorporation of biophilic design in places where people live, learn and work is extremely vital. The inclusion of plants, greenery and even just views of nature are fundamental. Offices and workplaces which include aspects of biophilic design result in more productive environments. Furthermore, healing results are displayed at hospitals where patients have the opportunity to interact with nature. Overall, green design creates healthy, productive habitats for individuals worldwide. 

Visit our page on Biophilic Design to learn more. 

Indirect Versus Direct Biophilic Design

Biophilic design includes both direct and indirect attributes. While direct biophilic design includes a physical or living aspect of nature, indirect biophilic design offers an aesthetic feeling through an inorganic portrayal of nature.

Living in a home right in front of a lake house allows a direct interaction with the lake water and natural environment. In contrast, someone living in a city setting may have photographs or paintings of bodies of water hung around his or her apartment in an effort to experience a sense of indirect biophilic design. Direct interaction with water through touch, movement, sight or sound attracts individuals and often results in positive feelings. However, representation of water through images may allow humans to experience more of an emotional or intellectual satisfaction.

Direct Biophilic Design:

  • Sunlight
  • Air
  • Water
  • Plants
  • Animals
  • Weather
  • Natural landscapes

Indirect Biophilic Design:

  • Images of nature
  • Natural material
  • Natural colors
  • Naturalistic shapes and forms
  • Natural Geometries
  • Bio-mimicries