The supposed psychological benefits of house or office plants have been well documented over the years and it’s easy to see why – in my experience even the grottiest Withnail-esque student hovel can be transformed into a calming nirvana with the addition of a few strategically positioned plants and flowers.

Besides the obvious aesthetic benefits, principally distracting the eye from the stacks of unwashed plates and discarded beer cans (maybe I’m caricaturing student life a little here), there are also numerous scientifically established physical and psychological benefits associated with importing a bit of greenery into your living space. For a start it’s often claimed that the presence of a few house plants will help clean and purify the air by filtering out carbon dioxide and harmful toxins. You could say that house plants are effectively performing an ongoing environmental detox in your home – so sod shots of wheatgrass and weekly enemas - just get in a few plants.

There is also growing evidence to suggest that the mere presence of plants in a room goes some way towards reducing feelings of anxiety, stress and anger and who wouldn’t benefit from introducing a bit of Zen-like calm into their study space. There’s been a lot of scientific study centered on the notion that plants are a psychologically beneficial addition to the office environment (see the Plants for People website) and the same goes for those working or studying from home.

So before you all dash off to the nearest florist here’s list of house plants that come particularly recommended for ease of maintenance and environmental benefits:

Lady Palm (Rhapis Excelsa)

For students not quite ready to embrace a green-fingered life Lady Palm is one of the easiest house plants to care for. It’s resistant to attack by most plant insects and is relatively easy to maintain. It is also one of the best plants for improving the quality of air in your home.

Peace Lilly (Spathiphyllum)

A good all rounder, the Peace Lilly is both attractive – it produces beautiful white spathes – and has excellent air purifying qualities, removing alcohols, acetone, trichloroethylene, benzene and formaldehyde. It’s also a fairly hassle-free option requiring little attention to flourish.

Rubber plant (Ficus Elastica)

The rubber plant is bred for toughness and endurance so, again, won’t need the attention of a devoted horticulturalist to survive. It has also been recognized as the best ficus for removing chemical toxins from an indoor environment.

Oxford Students have teamed up with Interflora Flowers (where you can find a number of attractive house plants) to offer readers free next-day delivery on flowers. Simply visit the website and enter the promotional code “web123” when ordering.