It is no secret that houseplants have all kinds of benefits to offer their owners. Beyond their cheerful demeanor, they provide many helpful assists, like increasing oxygen levels, helping stave off illness, cleaning the air, boosting healing, nudging creativity, and relieving stress – among other things.

So it comes as little surprise that the medical community is catching on – as evidenced by a GP practice in Manchester, England that is prescribing plants to help people with anxiety, depression, and loneliness.

Patients are given plants to care for, which are later planted in the surgery’s communal garden – a place that offers both the benefits of green space as well as social connections. Supported by the city’s health commissioners, the concept is a wonderfully holistic way to promote community involvement while improving wellbeing in the city.