Whenever you put plants in buildings, things get better. I’ve spent the last 30 years finding out why.

I know a lot about indoor plants and interior landscaping. As a result, I can help interior landscapers, interior designers, architects and the owners and operators of buildings make buildings better places to be by the meaningful use of greenery and all the other elements of biophilic design. Have a look at my services page to find out more about my consultancy and training work.

I currently work with companies and organizations in the UK, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, North America and India and have experience working with interior landscapers all over the world. If I can help you, get in touch.

I have been involved in various aspects of research about the benefits of interior landscaping and biophilic design since 1995. This has included:

• Member of the advisory board of a new multidisciplinary research project: “Retrofitting for the Future: Nature-Based Solutions for Climate Adaptation” (Swansea University)
• Adviser on an ongoing PhD research programme (University of Birmingham and the RHS) on the benefits of green walls in educational settings
• Working closely with university academics on pioneering research projects into what really makes a workplace work (University of Exeter, University of Surrey, Oxford Brookes University)
• Designing programmes to improve colleague engagement, sustainability, customer satisfaction and staff capability.

This started as a result of asking an innocent question: why do we put plants into buildings? What is it about bringing these seemingly ephemeral objects, which take up space, that makes buildings better places to be in?

That led to a voyage of curiosity encompassing:

• the physical effects of plants on the indoor environment
• their effects on behaviour and perceptions of comfort and wellbeing
• how and why plants reduce symptoms associated with discomfort
• why different people have different preferences, and
• why some planted spaces seem to work better than others.

It soon became obvious that the effects of indoor greenery weren’t wholly to do with plants’ innate characteristics. The effects seemed to be much, much more to do with organizational culture. What is the intent and motivation behind enriching working environments?

As well as that, I have been involved in product development, innovation, and research into all aspects of interior landscaping and indoor horticulture including:

• pest management
• watering systems
• light
• fertilizers
• plant species
• growing media

I have developed industry-leading training and development programmes for colleagues and also architects and designers through well-regarded CPD programmes.

I also represent the UK interior landscaping industry as chair of Plants@Work – the UK trade association. I am an occasional contributor to The Journal of Biophilic Design and have also appeared on television and radio and presented at several international conferences, including:

• Cultivate’20 Virtual. American Hort’s 2020 trade show and conference delivered on-line due to Covid-19 pandemic
• BRE Wellbeing and Biophilic Design Symposium, Watford, 2019
• Future Offices New York, 2019
• Workplace Trends, London, 2018
• 100 percent Design, London 2018
• IFMA World Workplace, San Antonio, 2014

My expertise has developed as a result of learning as much from colleagues and collaborators as I could. They were an eclectic mix of psychologists, horticulturalists, pest controllers, inspirational business leaders, trainers and even marketers.

Get in touch, or subscribe to my Mailchimp audience to get information about my services and offers. You can also learn more about my career history and expertise on LinkedIn