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" The fact that your garden is in a deep winter snooze doesn&amp;#039;t mean you can&amp;#039;t enjoy nature: It&amp;#039;s actually even more crucial to surround yourself with plants in dreary months. A study at the University of Michigan found that when people were around greenery, they could remember more and had better focus. Beyond that, being surrounded by nature may satisfy a basic human need. &amp;quot;Many experts believe that we&amp;#039;re wired to be attracted to things that are alive and vital,&amp;quot; says Toby Israel, Ph.D., author of Some Place Like Home and a design psychologist who creates spaces that feel emotionally satisfying. Reap the benefits of planting with these easy yet innovative tips: 1. Make potpourri. Give a droopy rose bouquet new life in less than five minutes by drying the flowers in a microwave to preserve their color. Place a cup of water in the microwave, then put roses (with stems cut off) in a separate bowl, uncovered. Heat on High for about 90 seconds. Remove; mix in a few drops of mood-boosting essential oils like bergamot and rosemary for an aromatic pick-me-up. 2. Uncork your green thumb. Turn used wine corks into botanical magnets. The how-tos: Glue a magnet to the back of a cork (lengthwise), then carve out a hole on top. Add a bit of potting soil, then nestle in a sprig from a succulent plant. Water with an eyedropper every one to two weeks \u2014 or even less. Your minis will grow for months. RELATED: The 13 Houseplants You Can&amp;#039;t Kill 3. Enjoy flowers (nearly) year-round. A cult favorite with indoor gardeners, fragrant winter-blooming jasmine is built for this time of year. Transplant three four-inch pots into a 10-inch hanging planter or set pots on a humidity tray filled with pebbles (wet dirt makes plants rot). Put in direct sunlight away from heaters. Try Maid of Orleans (about $10 from hirts.com, which will ship jasmine with heat packs to ward off freezing). 4. Add spice to your life. Who needs herbs from a jar when you can grow them so easily? Rosemary, sage, thyme, and basil are hardy, so they&amp;#039;re great for beginners. Place in well-drained soil on a sunny windowsill. Delish! 5. Turn plants into art. The hottest horticultural trend is the vertical garden. Hang a self-watering living wall planter (or a group of them) filled with tough-to-kill indoor draping plants like philodendron, grape ivy, and creeping fig. Your paintings will be jealous \u2014 promise. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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