By Heather Viera, FamilyLivingToday.com

       Plants provide so many benefits to humans, it’s unsurprising that people are looking for more ways to incorporate gardening and plants into their homes. Plants reduce stress, improve concentration, increase happiness, and can even potentially help treat major mental and physical illness.

       Most people are familiar with traditional backyard gardens and indoor potted plants. Here are five other ways you can incorporate plants into your home environment: 

1. Hang plants from the ceiling.

Running out of places to put potted plants in your home? Hang them from the ceiling. Hanging plants can complement or substitute wall art. The best hanging plants are those that will spill out of their container so their leaves are on display, such as Grape Ivy or a Spider Plant.  

       It’s best to hang plants in corners, along walls, and away from doorways where people will not be likely to bump into them. 

2. Arrange plants on a wall. 

Like hanging plants, a plant wall is another space-saving way to incorporate plants into your home. You can put one or two plants on a wall alone or with art. You can also go the more dramatic route and dedicate an entire wall to plants. A full plant wall is especially eye-catching in the entryway or living room.

There are multiple options for affixing plants to the wall. Plants that require less water and fit in smaller containers, such as succulents, are common choices for a plant wall. Plants can be set on shelves attached to the wall, or hung from hooks. Attaching a peg board to the wall allows you to easily reconfigure your plant wall set-up without having to drill new holes.

3. Grow a container garden.

A container garden is an excellent choice for someone who doesn’t have enough room for a garden in their yard, or wants to plant a garden without disturbing their lawn. A container garden is exactly what it sounds like--a garden grown in containers. Using large pots, you can grow flowers, vegetables, or other plants from your patio, porch, or deck. 

4. Keep a kitchen herb garden.

If you have a window sill in your kitchen, that is the perfect place to start an herb garden. Sweet Basil, Rosemary, Cilantro, and other herbs can line your window sill and provide added flavor to your meals. Simply water them regularly and snip off a few leaves here and there when it fits what you’re cooking. 

5. Sprout beans, seeds, and nuts.

Sprouting is another way to bring gardening into your home. Research has found that sprouting increases the nutritional value of seeds, beans, and some grains. You can easily grow sprouts within days using a mason jar and some sunshine. Note that keeping sprouts properly rinsed is important to avoid the risk of bacteria growth.

These are just a few ideas for incorporating gardening and plants into your home environment. We’d love to read other ideas you have in the comments!

Bio: Heather Viera is a lifestyle expert and researcher for FamilyLivingToday.com. She is dedicated to achieving a balanced lifestyle, even with two small children and a full-time career. In the little free time she has, she enjoys hiking with her partner and taking her dog to the beach.