Plants and Greenery Can Help Your Learning

In 1986, Prince Charles famously told the world that he spoke to his plants. ‘I just come and talk to the plants, really – very important to talk to them. They respond.’ Twenty five years later, he was asked if he still did.  He said ‘No, now I instruct them instead.’  Before also commenting ‘You can’t make a joke, can you really, without people taking you seriously – it always comes back to haunt you!’

So whilst Charles might have found talking to plants useful. New research has found that plants and greenery can actually help students to learn. Research by Li and Sullivan, from the University of Illinois in 2016 (from the Landscape and Urban Planning Journal) found that students in high school will perform better in tests if they are in a classroom where they can see a green landscape, compared to being in a room where they can only see other buildings.

The researchers found that students’ attention increased by 13% when they had a green view.

They also found that the students with the green view recovered better from stress.  

They suggest that this increase in performance is due to the Attention Restoration Theory.  Li said. When someone focuses on a task, he or she must ward off other distractions, either those in the environment or the thoughts inside their head, all competing for attention. Doing so causes fatigue, and after a while, a person feels mentally drained.”

When someone is no longer focussed, they will focus on other things in an involuntary way. This involuntary focus does not require effort, so it gives the brain a chance to rest and restore, then refocus on the task. So if the student looks at the green view, they are effectively restoring their mental energy.

The researchers suggest that this should influence education planners and policy makers to ensure more greenery around schools and colleges.

But this does not have to just be about schools and colleges, whoever is working and requires focus on a task would benefit from a break in focus and reduction in stress, so having greenery around you can help you to rest and refocus.

So a useful tip might be, when you are studying, working, reading, revising or doing any mental task requiring concentration, take the odd minute to just stop and look at the flowers and plants around you.  

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