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55| O akville B eaver | T hursday,M ay 17,2018 insidehalton.com 4361 Harvester Rd, Unit 4 , Burlington 905-335-3733 jansawnings.ca Are you looking forforf a shade solution forforf your home? Jans Awnings offers a complete range of shade and shelter products including retractable awnings and canopies, patio roofs, roofs, roof ollshutters, and patio rollscreens. Since 1966, Jans Awnings has expertly provided a unique array of shade and shelter solutions to homeowners whowant to enhance their indoor or outdoor space. Reach out to Jans Awnings today to explore exciting new possibilities forforf your home. We'vegotyoucovered In today's busy world, we're continually searching for new ways to slow down and unwind. This has led more people to discover the calming benefits of gardening and how incorporating plants into decor provides a way to reduce everyday stress. Studies have shown that indoor plants clean the air by removing 87 percent of airborne toxins in 24 hours, and can make people more relaxed. In fact, the very act of planting and maintaining a garden provides relaxing stress relief in today's busy world. With such pronounced benefits, there are many reasons people who live in crowded cities and spacious suburbs have taken up gardening. For a closer look, green industry experts at RISE (Re- sponsible Industry for a Sound Environment) offer these five ways gardening can help you create a stress-relieving sanctuary at home. Add a fiddle leaf fig to your living room With large, waxy green leaves that look like a fid- dle, the photogenic fiddle leaf fig adds a stunning pop of green to any living space. The trees thrive in bright to medium light and prefer room tempera- tures. Water them only when the surface of the soil is dry or when the leaves start to wilt; you'll know your tree is happy when its leaves are perked up toward the sun. Caring for the tree energizes your mood and in turn, its healthy green leaves liven up your home. Grow an herb garden in your kitchen Home chefs and foodies alike know how impor-Home chefs and foodies alike know how impor-Home chefs and foodies alike know how impor tant it is to have fresh herbs on hand. Rosemary, mint, sage and basil thrive in small terra cotta pots on your sunny windowsill. They not only add the finishing touch to a meal or a refreshing drink, but tending your herbs helps to relieve daily stress while enticing you to experiment with new healthy recipes featuring your homegrown harvest. Monitor the air quality with aloe vera plants Most people know about the medicinal proper-Most people know about the medicinal proper-Most people know about the medicinal proper ties in aloe vera plants. Most of us have slath- ered some on after getting a sunburn. In addition, they're great for purifying the air. They can also serve as a monitor of air quality because they will display brown spots if something isn't quite right. Aloe vera thrives in sunny spaces and at room temperature, so make sure to position it near an inte- rior window to help maintain a healthy plant. Put a snake plant in your office or wherever you're most busy Offices and cubes can be some pretty sterile spaces, which can make it hard to stay motivated or feel con- tent during the work day. There are a million and one reasons for putting a plant in your office, and because you need to focus on the work at hand, you need a stress-free plant. When it comes to caring for a plant, it doesn't How gardening and plants can reduce stress Home and Garden Continued on page 56