Experts have known for decades that gardening improves our health, making us fitter and happier. Now a public experiment is to be carried out to try to find out exactly which plants have the biggest impact on our mood. Using facial recognition technology, it will monitor the reactions of 150,000 visitors as they look at different plants at the Chelsea Flower Show in May. Happiness test: Using facial recognition technology, the experiment will monitor the reactions of 150,000 visitors as they look at different plants at the Chelsea Flower Show in May (file picture) It is hoped the results will determine which varieties of plants make people the happiest, according to their age and gender. The findings will be used to influence the work of charities which use gardening as therapy for those with disabilities. TV gardener David Domoney of ITV show Love Your Garden, who is designing the Chelsea project, said: ‘It’s amazing how much sense of well-being and happiness the sight of a plant can bring. ‘We’re hoping to identify the best-loved plant, be it the sight of red roses on Valentines, a field of sunflowers or even the magic of a Christmas tree. Plants lift our hearts just by the sight of them. We think there will be real differences between age groups and gender. It’s a fascinating experiment and a real talking point.’ The exhibit, which is being run with gardening charity Thrive and the Horticultural Trades Association, will feature 20 popular plants chosen by an online survey. Cameras will monitor eye contact, physical gestures and facial emotions to gauge visitor reaction to each plant. It is hoped the results will determine which varieties of plants make people the happiest, according to their age and gender. Above, daffodil 'Georgie Boy' named after Prince George . Doctors have long known of the impact of gardening on health. Last November a Government health adviser even suggested that doctors should start prescribing gardening courses on the NHS. Dr William Bird, who advises Public Health England on physical activity, claimed every £1 spent on access to community outdoor schemes could save the health service £5 in other treatments. Dr Bird said: ‘We are programmed as humans to be hunter gatherers, to live outdoors, we are not really adapted to urban life. A dose of green space, really connecting people back to nature, can make a huge difference. ‘Blood pressure reduces, muscle tension reduces, all of these happen within moments of going into a park or a garden. Even indoor plants have been shown to have a beneficial effect on mental health.’ To vote for your favourite ‘happy plants’, visit http://www.daviddomoney.com/happy-plant-top-100/ .
Experiment will be carried out at the Chelsea Flower Show in May . Using facial recognition technology it monitor reactions of 150,000 visitors . It's hoped results will determine which plants make people the happiest .