Shelley's Says Bring Joy, Oxygen Inside With Houseplants

BRANFORD, CT — The Lung Institute says an areca palm, a snake plant, a money plant and the lovely gerbera daisy are among the houseplants that increase oxygen in a home.

As we face quarantines because of COVID-19, and as many of us as are able are staying at home or close to home, there’s a few reasons we see why adding plants now is a good idea, the increased oxygen one, but two, the “joy” they bring and lastly, Shelley’s in Branford is open. And has been for 69 years!

The Chambers family started the business in a parking lot almost 70 years ago. In a faded news clipping from 1961, the businesses 10th anniversary year, Norman and Marion Chambers, said the family’s goal was to “serve the public with the best on the market at reasonable prices.” Now the family, John Chambers - who grew up in the garden center and spent weekends selling corn from bushels beginning when he was just 7 - his wife Yvette and daughter Taylor Chambers-Scussel run the business that is a Branford fixture.

A reporter looking for some joy to bring home stopped by Friday and was greeted by the family and fresh herbs, towering rosemary plants and pansies and more pansies. Inside, robust hanging plants and a hot house filled with succulents. It’s too early to plant outside, but bringing a plant inside is perhaps a good idea.

Like Taylor said, "plants make your home beautiful and they oxygenate, they’ll bring joy inside.”

This reporter did just that.