Be calm. Be green. Do yoga

June 21st marked International Yoga Day, where people around the world celebrated a mind-body practice that has been around for centuries. What better way to enjoy the physical and mental health benefits of yoga, than a session among healing plants and greenery. According to Deloitte Global's annual Millennial Survey, almost 48% of Gen Zs and 44% of millennials said they regularly feel anxious or stressed as they struggle to find balance in life. Fortunately, the importance of managing stress through mindfulness and a focus on emotional wellbeing is well recognised - in fact, 94% of Zennials agree that taking care of your mental health is just as important as taking care of your physical health.

This is where the importance of nature and routines such as yoga, which connects the body, mind and soul, come in. As we celebrate International Yoga Day, Candide, the free gardening app, is calling on all yogis to be surrounded by green! Nature has long been known to have a positive impact on our mental functioning, social relationships and physical wellbeing, which is why yoga in your garden or green sanctuary is so beneficial.

Green is good for you: Green is a vibrant symbol of the environment and healthy living. Psychologists' research into 'restorative environments' shows that we get mental and physical restoration from nature - even a glimpse of nature from a window helps. By doing yoga in a green space, you combine the health benefits of a centuries old practice and nature, two potent forces for improving mindfulness and relieving stress.

Even if you're not into sun salutations and downward dog, you can still feed your wellbeing by bringing plants into your garden and home.

Green living spaces: A big interior design trend is biophilic, which is about bringing the outside indoors. Introducing plants into your living spaces not only naturally brightens moods and enhances the overall appearance of the room, but research has also found that exposure to indoor plants brings about numerous health benefits, both psychological and physiological.

If you want to banish winter blues … Some indoor plants are known as calming plants because they boost mood, productivity and creativity, help to reduce stress and fatigue, absorb toxins from indoor air and produce oxygen - and are quite simply therapeutic to care for!

Colour your bedroom … If you're adding greenery to your bedroom, choose a plant that is known to help improve sleep. Lavender for example, is good for deeper sleep, while jasmine is ideal for relaxation.

In your bathroom … Most plants like moisture … so the bathroom is a perfect tropical oasis for plants that prefer humidity and indirect lighting, like the beautiful moth orchid or the flowering evergreen peace lily.