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Feature 20 August | 2021 plant trends Living with Plants and Loving Life Currently, the fl oral industry is experiencing a trend, the popularity of which does not focus on the appeal, sales or uniqueness of any specifi c plant or fl ower. Rather, it focuses on the "love of life" by way of a connection with nature and the benefi ts such a connection provides. Author Sally Coulthard elaborates on the trend of "biophilic design" in her latest book titled Biophilia: You + Nature + Home (Kyle Books, 2020), which describes how to best incorporate the fundamentals of biophilia into everyday life. "Most of us feel good in nature," Coulthard asserts. "If you ask people to imagine a place where they feel happy and relaxed, many describe a warm sandy beach or woodland walk. Some might conjure images of camping under the stars, picnicking by a stream or pottering in the garden. Others talk of feeling the sun on their backs, listening to bird song or seeing a magnifi cent sweeping view. Whatever the nuances in description, we often talk about being in nature, looking at nature and interacting with nature." She continues, " at's what 'biophilia' is. It's the simple core truth that humans need a connection with nature to be content. It's the idea that people—since the beginning of time—must feel linked to their natural environment and the other living things in it not only to survive but also to thrive. It's a fundamental part of who we are." According to Coulthard, the word "biophilia" literally means love of life. She reports it was fi rst used in the 1960s by a social psychologist Erich Fromm in his book, e Heart of Man. It was popularized as a "love of nature" two decades later by biologist and conservationist Edward Wilson, after he observed "how increasing rates of urbanization were leading to people feeling a disconnect from the natural world." "For all their diff erences in approach," Coulthard suggests, "one theme emerged: the idea that people have an innate affi nity with living things and natural surroundings. It's a concept that's been tweaked and reinterpreted ever since by disciplines as diverse as architecture, psychiatry and neuroscience." Coulthard's book off ers three suggestions for consumers to "biophilic spaces": 1. Create a space somewhere that puts you in direct physical contact with nature, whether it's fi lling your house with fl owers and plants, enjoying a real fi re, or making sure your offi ce is awash with fresh air. 2. Embrace many diff erent things in your living space that remind you of nature. is can be patterns, colors, materials and textures. 3. Live in a way that connects to natural rhythms and outside spaces. is could be living in tune with the seasons, letting in more natural light and/or making the most of outdoor views. the "love of life" by way of a connection with nature and the benefi ts such a connection provides. Author 2020), which describes how to Begonia Mountain by Dummen Orange

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