When it comes to creating a thriving, productive workplace, many Australian businesses are asking themselves a crucial question: should we invest in buying plants or explore indoor plant rental options? It’s a decision that goes far beyond simple aesthetics, touching on everything from employee wellbeing to long-term financial planning.
The truth is, while purchasing plants might seem like the obvious choice initially, the hidden costs, maintenance challenges, and flexibility limitations often make plant hiring or leasing a far more strategic investment. Let’s dive into the real numbers and explore why do we use plants in our offices, and more importantly, how plant hire delivers measurable returns that buying simply can’t match.
The Hidden Costs of Plant Ownership
When calculating the true cost of buying office plants, most businesses only consider the initial purchase price. However, the average annual maintenance cost of indoor plants depends on the type and number of plants, and for many businesses, outsourcing that care makes solid business sense.
The reality of plant ownership includes expenses that quickly compound:
Initial Investment Costs:
- Premium quality plants: $50-$200 per plant
- Professional-grade planters and pots: $30-$150 per container
- Quality potting soil and drainage materials: $15-$30 per plant
- Installation tools and equipment: $200-$500 for basic setup
Ongoing Hidden Expenses:
- Staff time for plant care (averaging 30 minutes per week per plant)
- Replacement costs when plants fail (typically 30-50% within the first year)
- Professional intervention for pest problems: $150-$400 per incident
- Seasonal plant rotations and refreshes: $1,000-$3,000 annually
For a typical 50-person office with 20-30 plants, these costs can easily exceed $8,000-$12,000 in the first year alone, with ongoing annual expenses of $3,000-$5,000.
Plant Hire: A Smarter Financial Model
Indoor plant rental operates on a fundamentally different economic model that eliminates financial risk while maximising value. Plant hire typically involves a low initial setup cost and is billed as a manageable, fixed monthly fee, making budgeting easier and reducing financial risk.
Typical Plant Hire Investment:
- Small office (10-15 plants): $150-$300 per month
- Medium office (20-30 plants): $300-$600 per month
- Large office (40+ plants): $600-$1,200 per month
These fees include everything: premium plants, designer planters, installation, maintenance, replacements, and seasonal rotations. When you compare this to the hidden costs of ownership, the savings become immediately apparent.
The Productivity Dividend: Measuring Workplace Impact
Here’s where the ROI calculation becomes truly compelling. Research by Dr Craig Knight from Exeter University concluded that employees were 15% more productive when workplaces were filled with just a few houseplants.
Let’s put this into perspective with real numbers:
Small Office Case Study (25 employees):
- Average salary: $65,000 per employee
- Total annual payroll: $1,625,000
- 15% productivity increase value: $243,750
- Annual plant hire cost: $3,600-$7,200
- Net ROI: 3,300-6,700% annually
Medium Office Case Study (75 employees):
- Average salary: $70,000 per employee
- Total annual payroll: $5,250,000
- 15% productivity increase value: $787,500
- Annual plant hire cost: $7,200-$14,400
- Net ROI: 5,400-10,900% annually
Even if we conservatively estimate just a 5% productivity improvement (one-third of the research findings), the ROI remains extraordinary, delivering 1,100-3,600% returns for small offices.
Maintenance: The Make-or-Break Factor
Plant maintenance isn’t just about watering; it involves monitoring light levels, pruning, pest control and replacing plants when they’re past their prime. The expertise required goes far beyond what most office staff can provide.
Professional plant hire services include:
Weekly Maintenance Visits:
- Health assessments and early problem detection
- Precise watering based on individual plant needs
- Leaf cleaning and pruning for optimal appearance
- Pest monitoring and eco-friendly treatment
Seasonal Care Adjustments:
- Light and temperature adaptation strategies
- Fertilisation schedules matched to growth cycles
- Humidity management during extreme weather
- Proactive plant rotation to prevent stress
If a plant deteriorates under professional care, it’s replaced at no additional cost, helping avoid further capital expenses. This guarantee alone can save businesses thousands in replacement costs annually.
Flexibility: Adapting to Business Evolution
Change is a constant in the corporate world. Organisations scale up and down, relocate and pivot with more frequency than ever. Plant hire offers unmatched flexibility that owned plants simply cannot provide.
Scaling Scenarios:
Business Growth:
- Easy addition of plants for new employees or expanded spaces
- No capital expenditure required for expansion
- Professional design integration maintains aesthetic coherence
Office Relocations:
- Plants transition seamlessly to new locations
- No transport costs or plant mortality risk
- Fresh design opportunities in new spaces
Seasonal Adjustments:
- Holiday displays and special events
- Climate-appropriate plant rotations
- Maintaining visual interest year-round
Downsizing Flexibility:
- Immediate reduction in plant quantities and costs
- No disposal or rehoming challenges
- Maintained professional appearance during transitions
The Professional Design Advantage
Professional plant hire services include expert consultation to ensure plants suit the light, layout and style of your workplace, with everything tailored to your business aesthetic.
This design expertise delivers value that extends beyond plant selection:
Space Planning Integration:
- Plants positioned for maximum visual and psychological impact
- Traffic flow considerations and safety compliance
- Acoustic benefits through strategic placement
Brand Alignment:
- Plant and planter choices that reinforce company culture
- Colour schemes that complement existing décor
- Sophisticated arrangements that impress clients and candidates
Innovative Solutions:
- Modern plant hire services offer unique features such as moss walls, grid walls and hanging plant installations
- Custom planters and vertical garden integration
- Technology integration with automated watering systems
Small Business Considerations: How Many Plants for Personal Use
For smaller businesses wondering how many plants for personal use or individual offices, plant hire scales beautifully to any size requirement. A single desk plant hire can start from as little as $15-$25 per month, while comprehensive small office packages typically range from $150-$300 monthly.
The beauty of plant hire for small businesses lies in its accessibility – you can start with just a few statement pieces and expand as your business grows, with no upfront investment or long-term commitment concerns.
The Environmental Sustainability Factor
Plant hire providers often partner with local nurseries, use recyclable pots and practice sustainable sourcing, keeping plants healthy and replacing them only when necessary, reducing waste.
This sustainability approach offers both environmental and financial benefits:
Circular Economy Benefits:
- Plants are rehabilitated and reused rather than discarded
- Planters are refurbished and recycled rather than replaced
- Reduced transport emissions through local sourcing
Corporate Responsibility Enhancement:
- Demonstrates commitment to sustainable business practices
- Contributes to green building certifications and ratings
- Attracts environmentally conscious employees and clients
Making the Smart Investment Decision
When you analyse the complete picture — from hidden ownership costs to productivity improvements, and maintenance expertise to design flexibility — plant hire emerges as the clear winner for businesses serious about creating thriving workplaces.
The numbers speak for themselves: even conservative estimates show plant hire delivering ROI figures that would make any CFO take notice. More importantly, plant hire transforms the plant investment from a risky capital expenditure into a strategic operational expense that delivers measurable, ongoing value.
For Australian businesses ready to embrace the future of workplace design, indoor plant rental isn’t just a cost-effective choice – it’s a competitive advantage wrapped in lush, green packaging.
Contact Gaddy’s Plant Hire today for a comprehensive consultation that’ll show you exactly how plant hire can transform both your space and your bottom line.
Reference List
- Indoor Plant Solutions. (2025). The Business Benefits of Hiring vs Buying Indoor Plants. Retrieved from https://indoorplantsolutions.com.au/the-business-benefits-of-hiring-vs-buying-indoor-plants/
- Frenchams Group. (2025). Top 9 Reasons Why Hiring Indoor Office Plants Beats Buying Them. Retrieved from https://www.frenchams.com.au/top-9-reasons-why-hiring-indoor-office-plants-beats-buying-them/
- Direct Garden Landscaping. (2025). Should I Buy Or Rent Office Plants? Retrieved from https://directgardenlandscaping.com/plants/should-i-buy-or-rent-office-plants/
- Knight, C. & Haslam, S.A. (2010). The relative merits of lean, enriched, and empowered offices: an experimental examination of the impact of workspace management strategies on well-being and productivity. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 16(2), 158-172.
- Harvard Business Review. (2010). What’s the Hard Return on Employee Wellness Programs? Retrieved from workplace wellness ROI studies.