The Magic of Flowers at Work

I have a rule that I always have a blooming flower at my work desk. Or at least a bud with an impending bloom. I regularly tend to a little garden in my cubicle. Maybe you do too. If so, what’s your favorite indoor flower? I personally have a thing for re-blooming orchids, like the one pictured here, which is from my work window sill. Here’s why I find flowers at work to be absolute magic.

Positive Vibes

It’s really pretty simple. With potted plants and flowers in the manufactured office environment, I feel more alive, happy, and effective. It’s a little bit of wildness.

I’ve been cultivating blooms at work for about seven years. I’m easily motivated to “tend the garden”, because flowers are nature’s eye-candy, artwork, and therapeutic slow drip of well-being. Flowers close at hand nudge me to “joyfully nurture excellence”. They remind me that I can keep things vital, developing, and flourishing with a few good systems and a little TLC.

My Gardening Approach

I prefer flowering potted plants, especially orchids, as my method for keeping a constant stream of flower blooms in my workplace. I’m lucky to have a cubicle with a big window. I’ve gotten pretty good about keeping about five orchids alive by just following through on scheduled watering approximately once a week. I have a repeating “water plants” reminder on my calendar Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. But I only proceed with watering on the days I feel the plants actually need it.

How I Got the Plants

I do have several non-flowering plants at work too: a couple gifted cacti, a $4 umbrella plant, and a young avocado plant from a lunchtime avocado pit and parking lot dirt. My orchid plants didn’t cost much either. And I haven’t bought any new plants in about a year. As long as the old ones keep blooming, I’m happy. But when there’s a rare lull in the flowering action, I go buy another inexpensive plant. Usually an orchid in bloom.

I’ve also bought a lot of other people orchids as gifts. I enjoy the lavishness of giving something pretty and growing. Since I rarely buy orchids for myself, I think there’s part of me that can justify buying a plant, if I’m buying it for someone else. I get to possess it for a short time, until I give it away. And I like getting orchids as occasional gifts. All flowers and plants really. Especially potted ones, because I can keep them alive for awhile. Last Friday, a co-worker gave me an African violet, and I was absolutely delighted.

Current Stars of the Show

So now I have two actively blooming plants at work: the yellow and magenta orchid pictured here, and a light purple African violet. I also have another orchid with an eager shoot of buds that will be blooming soon.

It has been such a positive thing, keeping flowers consistently blooming at work. It makes me tempted to start a constantly flowering indoor garden at home. And you know, I probably will make that happen one of these days in the future.