Are you a hip Lower East Side kid? This is the place for you. The Sill in NYC has a lot of air plants and succulents—i.e. those plants that are very very difficult to kill (although I’ve managed to do it once or twice) but make you look very cultured and stylish in their little pot on your desk at work. The Sill’s director of marketing, Erin Marino explained their eco ethos.

What’s your specialty? Think low-maintenance and apartment-friendly. Our mission is to inspire people to bring more of the outdoors in, and to make owning and caring for houseplants fun and accessible. It’s impossible to pick a favorite, but right now I’m really digging the tropical Rattlesnake Calathea. It has the most beautiful foliage that almost looks painted on (and only looks rare and hard to care for). It also exhibits a phenomenon known as nyctinasty—the rhythmic circadian movement of plants in response to the onset of darkness. Definitely worth looking up a time-lapse video of, it’s incredible.

What should a plant champ get? That’s a tough one—there’s so many awesome plants out there—but probably a Tillandsia, or ‘Air Plant’. These epiphytic plants don’t require any soil to thrive – instead they use their specialized leaves to absorb water and nutrients from the air and sun. They also need a bit more care to thrive indoors: like bright, indirect light and daily misting to keep humidity high (in addition to a weekly soaking).

Why should people get plants at all? It is estimated that we spend a crazy 90% of our indoors (according to the EPA). And indoor air, especially in offices and apartment buildings, can contain more pollution than outdoor air. (This is generally a consequence of toxic emissions from synthetic building materials, airborne mold, viruses, and pollutants—along with energy efficient construction, like making spaces as airtight as possible, which reduces the circulation of air.) And it’s no surprise that poor indoor air quality can directly contribute to poor mental and physical health. Indoor plants are not only decorative – but they are also a simple and sustainable solution for improving indoor air quality. They naturally clean our indoor air of toxins and chemicals, and consequently improve our overall well-being. So they don’t just look good—they make us feel good, too.

This online only store based out of Japan specializes in plants sourced from Africa. They carry succulents, cacti, and ferns among other things, and sell each piece in architectural bowls you can keep. The prices range from 3,600 yen (about $36) to 50,000 yen ($500). If $500 feels steep for a plant, well, it is. But the plants at the top of the price range are unbelievably special looking. And you’ll certainly be the only person you know that owns a Sarcocaulon Crassicaule.

Plant by Packwood in Fitzroy, Australia is owned by a couple, Bayden and Charlotte, (musician and actress, respectively) and housed in a functional greenhouse. While they carry the same air plants and leafy greens those of us in the Western Hemisphere are used to, their shop has a distinctly tropical feel to it that could only come from their being so very Australian.

Favorite plant? Our favourites are tropical Central and South American plants, and we are always on the hunt for rare varieties of monstera and philodendron, which we’ll often propagate and raise privately with experienced growers as they’re so tricky to get in Australia. We are also well known for our terrariums, and similarly use a lot of Central and South American plants as part of our vessel designs.

What should a plant neophyte get? A terrarium! They are self-sufficient little ecosystems that need very little care, and almost no watering at all. Bayden makes each one by hand, so they are all unique little landscapes perfect for people who don’t remember to water their plants but need a little bit of green for their space.

Why should people get plants at all? Humans are meant to live amongst nature. There’s a sense of peace that can be found in a space full of leaves, you just feel better with plants around. Bayden is the green-thumb of our team, and before meeting him Charlotte had a totally plant-free house (like most of us, she was afraid of killing them!). We’ve both now really discovered how much of a difference to our calm and creativity it makes to have things growing and breathing in our home, and it doesn’t matter if a leaf browns or yellows now and then – the point is to reconnect to the natural world with all it’s beauty and imperfections.