My good friend Floyd Sayers and provider of my Sit-Stand Desk, has been talking about the virtues of having plants in the office for a long time. Up until now, I'd followed his advice to a point, I had 1/2 a dozen plants in my office. The benefits of having real living plants in the office (or home) go way beyond the aesthetic benefits. They can reduce your stress, increase your productivity, boost your mood, help you sleep and help purify the air, just to name a few. 

Sunday morning I woke up thinking about more plants in my office. As it's in the eves of an old coach house in our garden, it doesn't lend itself well to shelves and furniture generally. I decided a planter screwed to the wall to create a bit of a living wall would be just what I needed. I then found myself browsing Amazon, and finding something suitable for £35. I was about to click buy when my conscience reminded me that I'd reflected on our consumerist lifestyle and my desire to reduce my own. So I had the idea of building my own box. 

Not only would this be satisfying, but it could also be a valuable life lesson for our foster daughter (known from now on as D).