The Age of Great Geographical Discovery is a period thanks to which the concept of “houseplants” appeared, which allowed green pets to decorate a person’s home for centuries and delight him with the unusual appearance and beauty of inflorescences. Today, plants grown in pots and greenhouses decorate not only home windowsills. Indoor flowers at school are not only an obligatory element of landscaping, but an important component of the aesthetic education of children, their activity, physical and mental.
The benefits of landscaping in schools
- Very high noise levels, especially during breaks, are a big problem in school life. Plants can contribute to noise reduction and create acoustic comfort indoors. For subjective improvement of well-being, sound absorption, assessed by the average in the frequency range 250-4000 Hz, is of great importance. Scientists from the Educational and Experimental Institute of Horticulture in Essen have proven that it is in this frequency range that plants effectively suppress noise. So, for example, in a room of 30 m2 there are ten specimens of Ficus Benjamin, approx. 1.80 m can absorb up to 25% of noise. If we compare the soundproofing properties of ficus and curtains, then three ficus equals 5 m2 of curtains. Research has shown that decorating classrooms with plants plays not only an aesthetic role, but also a lesser-known sound-absorbing role.
- It is during the winter period that low air humidity in heated rooms can cause health problems for both students and teachers. As measurements have shown, air humidity in classrooms from October to March is 15-30%, while the optimal level should be 40-65%. In classrooms where there is a lot of talking, it is the influence of dry air that has a particularly strong impact on children’s well-being. When you inhale dry air, the mucous membrane of the nose and throat dries out and no longer retains viruses and bacteria. As a result, there is an increased susceptibility to disease, and some experience symptoms of allergies and asthma. Plants are able to evaporate up to 97% of moisture. Thus, non-flowering ornamental plants with a very high transpiration rate, such as nephrolepis, fatsia, cyperus, ficus, dracaena, hibiscus, create a comfortable level of humidity in the rooms in winter. ... on air quality.
- Scientists have been talking about the effect of plants on reducing harmful substances contained in indoor air since the 80s. Thus, Dr. Wolverton, as part of a NASA program to maintain clean air in closed life support systems, proved that some plants are able to filter the air, thereby improving its quality. Many volatile organic substances, such as formaldehyde, acetone, toluene, etc., from furniture and building materials enter the indoor air and can cause headaches, allergies, and skin rashes in humans.
School Color Options
“It’s a beautiful flower, I’d like to have one.” Most often, it is the type of flower that becomes the main motive when purchasing it. We will learn about the features, methods of care, and uniqueness of a particular representative of the plant world later. When buying a flower for your home, you can do this.
But when thinking about what flowers would be appropriate at school, you cannot be guided only by the pleasant appearance of the plant.
Before purchasing, you should study the information about the flower. When choosing a plant, you need to take into account information about the important properties of flowers.
- Safety of indoor flowers for children
You should make sure that the plant is not poisonous and cannot cause allergic reactions.
- Unpretentiousness of the plant and ease of care for it
Children are introduced to caring for indoor flowers at school. And the children, under the guidance of the teacher, happily water the plants, wipe them, and remove dry leaves. However, one cannot ignore that plants that are too capricious and require special care will not be able to get this at school.
- “Healing” effect on the atmosphere of the room
A classroom is a room filled with groups of children every day. Moreover, several such groups change during the day. It will be useful to plant flowers in the school that can have a beneficial effect on the atmosphere. Plants that affect:
- reduction of radiation from electromagnetic waves,
- increasing humidity levels;
- purifying the air from harmful substances released by various plastics;
- antibacterial treatment of the environment
“Green help”: how flowers clean the air
Useful indoor flowers for school
Plant growing conditions
When buying an indoor flower for a specific classroom, ask which side the office windows are facing, what is the lighting in the classroom, and whether nearby trees or neighboring houses are creating shadows.
Consider where the plant will be located. Please note that according to sanitary requirements and standards, nothing should be placed on the window sill of the classroom that will become an obstacle to natural light. This means that only the shortest flowers can be placed on the windowsill. For the rest, you need to prepare stands, hanging flowerpots, and find a place on the cabinet shelves.
Choosing a plant for a school office
A wide variety of plants can be placed in school classrooms. It all depends on the wishes of the class and the teacher.
Pelargonium royal: home care, photo
Mallow planting and care in open ground
Planting and caring for cornflowers in open ground
- Decorative foliage and flowering plants can be placed on window sills and flower racks. Look good in the classroom: Tradescantia, Dracaena, Crassula, Selaginella, Abutilon, Ginura, Impatiens, Saintpaulia, Pelargonium and other relatively unpretentious flowers.
- Ampelous (tradescantia, chlorophytum, philodendron, asparagus sprenger) and vines (cissus, ivy, scindapsus) are placed in special wall planters or wall boxes. Support for climbing stems can be a fishing line, a stretched rope, a trellis, or branches. Such devices look organic and do not interfere with the movement of schoolchildren.
- Succulents (cacti, agave, aloe, sansevieria, haworthia) look beautiful in special flower slides. You can buy them in the store or make them yourself. To do this, you will have to show your imagination; you can use large boxes, fill them with sand and stones, thereby simulating a desert landscape.
For clarity, plants can be divided into groups according to origin (habitat) or families. Hang signs on each plant or keep a file cabinet.
Features of growing unpretentious indoor plants
Despite all their unpretentiousness, any plants appreciate proper care and recommended agricultural practices. Therefore, first of all, take care of the correct fit.
- Prepare loose, breathable soil. Add any leavening agents: coarse river sand, vermiculite.
- Be sure to make drainage at the bottom of the pot from broken bricks, expanded clay, etc.
- Don't overfill!
- Succulents are easy to propagate by cuttings - break off a shoot or leaf, place it in the ground and cover with a bag or plastic bottle until rooting.
- Deciduous plants can be propagated when transplanted by dividing the bush. Chlorophytum reproduces by rosettes.
Decorative - foliage flowers for the school office
Haworthia . Haworthia belongs to the Xanthoreaceae family. Her homeland is South Africa. This unpretentious succulent has become widespread among indoor plant lovers.
Chrysalidocarpus . Chrysalidocarpus belongs to the Palm family (Arecaceae). Homeland: Comoros and Madagascar. Like all palm trees, it is grown as an ornamental foliage plant. Growth form: single- or multi-stemmed rosette trees.
Pomegranate . Pomegranate belongs to the Garnet family. Naturally grows in subtropical areas of the Mediterranean and Asia.
Plectranthus. Plectranthus belongs to the Lamiaceae family. Naturally grows in Africa, Asia, Australia and the Pacific Islands. In terms of growth form, they are creeping herbs, but some species grow like shrubs.
Syngonium. Syngonium belongs to the Araceae family. The homeland of this decorative foliage plant is Central and South America. It is a climbing vine.
Sanitary standards regarding plant placement
The younger generation spends a lot of time at school. That is why the premises in which children are taught must meet a number of requirements:
- Houseplants should not be placed on window sills
. The fact is that they block sunlight. After all, children need good lighting so that they can write in a notebook or read textbooks without straining their eyes; - Sanitary rules state that plants must be in portable flower boxes
. They can also be transplanted into hanging flower pots and hung on the inter-window walls; - Containers for flowers should not be heavy and filled with plenty of soil
. After all, when cleaning the classroom, students should effortlessly remove flower pots to wipe the leaves.
Ampel flowers for the school office
Flowering ampelous plants are considered the most spectacular, but there are many ampelous plants with beautiful greenery. The names of the most common “dangling” flowers are presented below:
- Begonia is known to everyone. This flower is colored coral or red and looks like a small chrysanthemum. Ampelous begonia can be placed in a flowerpot, hanging flowerpot or in a window box.
- Pelargonium is better known as geranium. There are many varieties of this variety, with different inflorescences and shades. Pelargonium is one of the most unpretentious ampels; it can withstand strong winds, heat and long-term lack of watering.
- Lobelia will decorate both the sunny and shaded parts of the window. But this ampel needs nutritious soil; it does not grow in loams and sandstones. Another important point is regular watering.
- Dichondra is one of the green plants that does not have flowers. Dichondra lashes reach a length of one and a half meters. It is used to cover paths and fill the space between tiles or stones.
What flowers should I put in the classroom?
Sometimes teachers, wanting to decorate their favorite classroom and please their students, bring a wide variety of potted plants from home. Some rooms are beginning to look like real flower beds. Window sills, corners are filled with plants, and even flowers hang above the board.
Teachers must be sure to familiarize themselves with the official Sanitary and Epidemiological requirements for the conditions and organization of training in general education organizations (SanPiN 2.4.2.2821-10).
Of course, the classroom needs to be decorated. But this must be done in moderation and choose plants that, according to certain characteristics, are better suited for educational institutions:
- Chlorophytum
. It is considered the best natural air purifier. It actively absorbs toxic substances and releases oxygen into the surrounding space. Chlorophytum also synthesizes phytoncides, which destroy harmful bacteria. It will wither only at a temperature of 10°. It is unlikely that the air in the classroom will become so cold. Chlorophytum is unpretentious, it will feel great in any soil. Even if the flower is not watered for about a month, it will only turn yellow and droop, but will not dry out. Although it is still better not to bring it to such a state; - Sansevieria
. Another plant that would look great in the classroom. Sansevieria absorbs certain types of chemicals released by new flooring or furniture. Therefore, this flower should be placed in a classroom that has recently been renovated. The plant has dense and long leaves that are easy to wipe. Therefore, you can safely entrust its care even to primary schoolchildren; - Lemon Tree
. It will fill the air not only with oxygen, but also with the light aroma of essential oils. These components improve mood and brain activity. It is better for the lemon tree to have a separate corner and enough space to grow in height. After all, even the smallest varieties can grow up to 1.5 meters; - Indoor violet
. Decorate the interior of the classroom with its bright flowers. Their important advantage is that they do not provoke allergies; - Dracaena
. A plant with a slightly unusual shape and yellow-green leaves. Dracaena not only refreshes the air in the room, but also increases its humidity.
What flowers should I give to the school?
Some parents themselves want to decorate classrooms with certain indoor flowers. This is a fitting gift for the school to show appreciation to the teachers for their hard work.
When choosing a flower, you should consider a number of important nuances:
- There is no need to give exotic flowers that require complex and regular care;
- It is better to give plants that are not yet at school;
- There is no need to give flowers with a developed root system. The fact is that they will have to be replanted often. This is an additional waste of the school budget and teachers’ time;
- Plants should not be too large. The optimal size of the given flower is no more than 40 cm;
- You should not choose plants in pots that could break if dropped and cause harm to students with the fragments. The best container for flowers is plastic or other safe material.
What plants should not be placed in the classroom?
The following plants cannot be placed in the classroom:
- Having a pungent odor
. This not only distracts children from studying, but can also cause allergies; - Poisonous
. For example, many people keep spotted dieffenbachia at home and don’t even know that its juice is poisonous. Children, especially primary schoolchildren, can try to bite its leaves out of curiosity. The result will be swelling of the larynx; - Prickly
. Students may accidentally prick themselves on such plants.
In this video, decorator Elena Protasova will tell you which colors have no place in a school classroom:
