The healing power of flowers: How they make us feel better

Research shows that flowers are good for your health and well-being. Ellna Yu Chun-ha loves flowers. They bring her joy and enhance the look of her home. "Just looking at a pretty arrangement relaxes me instantly, which is just what I need after a long and stressful day," says the safety instructor, who lives in Hong Kong. "And no matter where I place the arrangement, it has the effect of brightening up the space and making the area look more inviting." Most people buy flowers only on special occasions and for other people, but Yu buys them for herself and for no reason. When she was 19 and living as a student in Melbourne, Australia, she would walk to a nearby flower market once a week and pick out a colourful bouquet for herself and her flatmate. Since moving back to Hong Kong, she has continued to treat herself with flowers, spending as little as HK$100 (S$17.60) for a simple arrangement to thousands of dollars for something more elaborate. Her favourite blooms are pink peonies and purple and blue hydrangeas. Yu usually buys her arrangements at M Florist, a flower studio in Hong Kong’s Central business district. Owner Ken Tsui Kee-yiu, who started the business in 2016, agrees that having flowers in the home can have an uplifting and mood-boosting effect. "Whatever their colour or variety, flowers have a way of cheering us up and making us feel good," he explains. "I feel especially content and peaceful when I’m putting together … arrangements." Ellna Yu Chun-ha loves buying flowers. PHOTO: South China Morning Post But don’t just take Tsui’s word for it – the science backs his claim. A 2012 Harvard Medical School study found that people feel more compassionate towards others, have less worry and anxiety, and feel […]

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