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any of us know that being close to greenery and nature brings a sense of calmness and ease to our surroundings.

Houseplants are a stylish way of bringing a touch of the outdoors into our homes.

Not only do they help improve air quality and lift mood, plants also have specific health benefits of their own.

Dobbies Garden Centres have partnered with leading nutritionist Lily Soutter to give the low down on the top plant picks to keep you feeling merry and bright.

Here are the top five houseplants you must have in 2019:

Aloe Vera – soothes wounds, minimises infection.

Try snipping off an aloe leaf close to the stem and then rub the gel end on the area you want to treat. You can also try splitting the leaf lengthwise and scooping out the contents with a spoon to make the most of the gel.

Lemon Balm – calming, stress and anxiety reduction

Lemon balm leaves have been used in traditional medicine for more than 2000 years and they can be easily be incorporated in teas, pot pourris, cocktails, cooking, salads, cocktails and anything you think will benefit form a herbal lemony flavour.

Lavender – stress reduction and sleep

Before bed, simply take a few deep breaths, inhaling the relaxing floral scent of your lavender plant for a calmer more restful nights sleep. You can also try drying some lavender buds to make pot pourris, you can then add to a cotton bag and leave on your pillow for scented sheets. Chillies – pain relief

Once your chillies are harvested, you can also freeze or dry them for use at a later date. Chillies make a perfect replacement for salt for a flavoursome punch to your food. Try adding to soups, curries, stews, dressings or top on your avocado toast. Peppermint – digestion

Whilst most of the research around peppermint has been conducted on concentrated and extracted peppermint oil, fresh peppermint tea can still provide the minty menthol scent and be a refreshing hot drink to soothe the stomach. Try steeping peppermint leaves in hot water for five minutes for a warming beverage. Alternatively infuse cool water with peppermint leaves overnight.