Plants can help increase productivity

and volatile chemical compounds (VOCs). Plants can capture these via small pores in their leaves, by diffusion through plant cuticle on the leaf surface and via the activity of soil micro-organisms.

Varieties of dracaena (a small shrub), ficus (figs), nephrolepis (ferns) and syngonium (vines) have the potential to remove the largest quantities of these compounds.

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HOUSEPLANTS can also help improve productivity along with people’s perceived wellbeing; the exact mechanisms are not known but it is believed that a variation in plant shape, size and colour within planting schemes elicits positive responses. Therefore a mix of plant species in a room, some flowering and some leafy, is likely to have a positive effect.

They boost your mental health

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GREENERY is pretty, and tending for plants can give you a great sense of purpose and reward, too. Try succulents or orchids or include large ferns for drama and impact.

■ FOR more advice on getting the most from your houseplants, visit the RHS Urban Garden Show on October 27 and 28, where expert growers will exhibit and sell the best tropical houseplants, seasonal blooms and spring-flowering bulbs. Surrounding yourself with flowers at home or work can help you work harder and feel better