Amid the hustle and bustle of city life, indoor gardening connects city dwellers to nature, provides them a respite from the digital lifestyle for a moment and makes a fine hobby. And it does not have to be expensive.

For Kim Ji-hyon, a 29-year-old office worker, growing a small garden on a windowsill at home has become a crucial part of her life over the past year. 

“When I water the plants and take care of them, it gives my brain a time-out from stressful office life,” said Kim, who visits wholesale flower markets almost every weekend. “It gives me a sense of achievement and stability that I am successfully growing something.”

But there are more practical reasons to turn to indoor gardening, as houseplants make a fantastic addition to almost any interior at affordable prices.

“I first bought plants to decorate my house last year. There is nothing like using houseplants as quick decorating tools,” said Kim, who now has some 15 big and small houseplants at home.

Health-conscious Koreans are seeking to grow houseplants amid mounting worries over air pollution inside and outside homes, eyeing those that can clean the air indoors, raise the humidity level or reduce harmful effects of radio waves emitted by electronic devices.

Lee Sun-mi, a 38-year-old teacher, is one of them.

She began to grow plants at home in 2008 after she moved into a house located in front of a garbage incineration facility. Instead of buying electronic air purifiers, she put houseplants in her house to cleanse the air of pollutants, dusts and allergen in sealed environments.

“As I have gotten more plants at home, I am less worried about the sick building syndrome and my nasal inflammation got much better, too,” said Lee, who has spent more than 1 million won ($852)so far creating her own indoor garden. “By looking at the plants bud and bloom, I also get mentally more stable.”

The sick building syndrome is a phenomenon that affects building occupants who claim to experience acute health effects apparently linked to time spent indoors. Air pollution indoors is also known to heighten the risks of heart diseases, cancer and breathing problems, and numerous studies show the benefits of growing plants for human health.

According to a 1989 Clean Air Study by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, plants are effective at removing toxins from the air and alleviating the sick building syndrome associated with new, energy-efficient buildings.

“The plant root-soil zone appears to be the most effective area for removing volatile organic chemicals. Therefore, maximizing air exposure to the plant root-soil area should be considered when placing plants in buildings for best air filtration,” the study said.

Reflecting the health-conscious trend, Sanseveria Stuckyi and tillandsia, known to remove indoor pollutants, have been best-selling items for the past year in the country, a flower shop owner said. 

“As many Koreans keep their doors shut and live with indoor pollutants, they come to buy plants that can clean the air without much effort,” said Bang Min-hwa, who is in her 50s and runs the shop in Namdaemun Flower Market in central Seoul.

“The plants are popular particularly among the young generation. Most of them seek houseplants that are hard to kill, easy to grow indoors and are not in need of much sunlight or water,” she added.

A culture critic, Ha Jae-keun, said the growing trend of indoor gardening is attributed to Koreans in search of relaxation from the competitive urban life and rising interest in pursuing an eco-friendly life.

“South Koreans started to rediscover the value of nature in search of healing and consolation as they got busier and mentally exhausted,” he said. “The increasing number of single households also contributes to the trend as they take more interest in doing something inside their homes such as decorating their homes and sharing such tips with others online.”

By Ock Hyun-ju (laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)