Houseplants brighten up a room by bringing colour, shape and sometimes even fragrance to a living space. But did you know that plants can also brighten your day by making you feel better?

Over the years, plenty of research has looked into the health benefits of plants, with organisations ranging from Harvard to NASA, as well as UK flower delivery [http://www.florist2florist.com/] experts, investigating how indoor plants can improve health and wellbeing. Every piece of research reaches the same conclusions too - that living with plants in a room reduces headaches, fatigue, heart and circulation problems and decreases the amount of common colds suffered. That's why space shuttles often take off with plants on board.

Of course, some plants are 'healthier' than others, although most plants will do you proud. The top ones to look out for include:

Areca palm

Boston fern

Dracaena

Dwarf date palm

English ivy

Peace Lily

Reed palm

Rubber plant

Sword fern

Weeping fig

Decorating a room with the right plants will help to keep the air clean too. Indoor air quality is important to our general health, so the NASA discovery that houseplants removed up to a staggering 87 per cent of toxins from the air in the space of just 24 hours, is one to keep in mind. Mind you, to achieve these sorts of results it would take plenty of green-fingered dedication, with 15 to 18 plants in 15cm diameter pots to keep a house free from toxins including carbon monoxide and benzene. A few plants here and there will help though.

With houseplants around the house you'll feel calmer and more optimistic, according to other research results. In fact, a study in Chicago showed that hospital patients who face a window with a garden view recovered more quickly than those who had to look at a wall.

Other research includes a Norwegian study that showed indoor plants can reduce fatigue, coughs, sore throats and other cold-related illnesses by more than 30 percent, partially by increasing humidity levels and decreasing dust.

With the bright colours of flowering plants making you smile and foliage plants bringing nature's almost architectural shapes to living rooms, no house should be without plants - especially given the added health benefits.