Good Nature by Kathy Willis review – flower power

A scientist’s deep dive into the extraordinary health benefits of getting close to nature

If you’re a stressed-out office worker, one of the simplest things you can do for yourself is to buy some flowers. A study conducted by Chiba University in Japan found that employees who had a vase of pink roses on their desk became physiologically calmer, even after just four minutes. The smell of roses is so soothing that it has been shown in experiments to make people better drivers: slower, more relaxed and less likely to crash. Another study, which used an EEG to measure brain activity while participants were looking at flowers, found that yellow ones were best for boosting productivity and creative thinking.

Kathy Willis is professor of biodiversity at Oxford, and her new book on the emerging science of how nature can improve our health is filled with practical tips, showing how increasing our exposure to plants by even small amounts can make a significant difference. Willis became interested in these surprising effects while working as director of science at Kew Gardens; she came across a 1984 paper published in the journal Science that found patients who had undergone gallbladder operations recovered faster when they could see trees, rather than a wall, from their hospital window. In a similar vein, research has shown that when school or university students can see greenery through their classroom windows they perform better and feel less stressed.

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