Plants & Flowers Foundation Holland (PFFH) and a number of industry partners have launched an initiative in the Netherlands to introduce living plants into secondary school examination halls. Students at four schools, in Amsterdam, Utrecht, Rotterdam and Breda, are sitting their national final exams surrounded by plants, with the aim of reducing stress and improving concentration.
From Stress to Focus in 40 Seconds
The examination period is widely regarded as one of the most stressful times in a student’s academic career. Yet the spaces in which exams typically take place — bare, sparse rooms with little or no greenery, are rarely designed to support wellbeing or performance.
Research cited by PFFH suggests that even brief visual contact with plants can produce measurable physiological effects. Within 40 seconds of looking at plants, stress levels can decrease, heart rate stabilises, and attention is restored. Plants also contribute to improved room acoustics by absorbing sound and reducing reverberation, a practical benefit in examination halls where quiet and concentration are essential.
“Plants have a positive and measurable effect on how people feel and perform. Especially during exams, when students are constantly ‘switched on’, a plant offers a moment of mental rest. A glance, a breath, and then back to work,” said Mariska Werring, interim director of PFFH.
Greening the Gym Hall
Examination halls at the Amsterdams Lyceum (Amsterdam), St. Bonifatiuscollege (Utrecht), De Markenhage (Breda) and Wolfert College (Rotterdam) have been fitted with a green plant wall, positioned to be clearly visible to all students. The plants were selected for their air-purifying properties, colour and form, with the goal of promoting calm and concentration rather than distraction.
After the examination period ends, the plants will either be given a permanent place within the school or offered to students to take home.
Well Received in Consumer Media
Ahead of the initiative, PFFH issued a consumer press release that generated significant media attention in the Netherlands, with coverage by NOS, Qmusic, JOE, RTV Utrecht and Radio Rijnmond. This visibility contributes to broader awareness among young people, teachers and parents, and supports the positioning of plants as a functional product within the context of wellbeing and performance.
Activation Aimed at Education and Retail
To extend the initiative’s reach, participating schools have received informational materials on the effects of plants, along with a practical care guide. The sector is also encouraging consumers to give a plant, framed as a “study buddy”, as a gift to students sitting their final exams. Florists and retailers can access promotional materials through the websites of PFFH, the Koninklijke Vereniging Bloemist Winkeliers (VBW), Plantion and Tuinbranche Nederland.
Prelude to Structural Greening
PFFH and its industry partners see the initiative as a first step toward more structural integration of plants in educational environments. The foundation hopes the project will inspire schools to incorporate plants not only during examination periods, but also in classrooms and other learning spaces on a permanent basis.
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