Houseplants for Everyone..
A pair of manicured box trees is always a smart addition to welcome visitors to your front door and there are endless options when it comes to attending to your borders. But what about indoors? Even small-space gardeners with perhaps a sunny kitchen window can still indulge in their passion for feathery ferns or beautiful miniature roses. But where do you start? Which plants are most suited to our centrally heated homes? And which are the easiest, low-maintenance houseplants for those without green fingers? Here are a few ideas on how to enhance your home with plants that suit your space and lifestyle…
Low-Maintenance Houseplants
If you’re a total plant newbie, we have good news: there are plenty of gorgeous houseplants that require very little upkeep, while still looking great in the home. We believe anyone can transform their home with plants – however big or little their space – and it only takes one.
The first of our picks is the snake plant.[1] Perfect for gardening novices, the snake plant thrives in medium to bright indirect light and can handle waterings as little as every two to three weeks, which is ideal for anyone adjusting to a new watering schedule. As well as looking gorgeous, it purifies the air in your home, filtering out toxins such as benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene and toluene.
Dracaena[2] is another plant that loves light, but is best kept away from direct sunlight. Another air purifier, it removes benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene and xylene[3] from the atmosphere – ideal if you live in a particularly polluted area.
If you are worried about your houseplants dying, the Rubber Tree[4] might be the right one for you to start with. It copes very well if you forget to water it, but make sure you give this plant lots of space and plenty of bright light – a good choice if you have the space of a conservatory or larger living room. In addition to its elegant appearance, the rubber tree does a good job of removing carbon dioxide from your home.
Sunny windowsill houseplants
A sunny kitchen windowsill can be completely transformed with the addition of a few succulents. If you have south-facing window sills, try aloe vera[5] and cacti, as they are best suited to direct sunlight[6]. Both are easy to care for, only needing watering once a fortnight. What’s more, aloe vera is known for its healing properties – aloe vera juice is both anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial, and can help a number of skin conditions including small burns.
Hack: cut open a leaf from your aloe plant and pop it in the freezer; the cooler temperature of the juice will soothe minor burns in an instant.
Houseplants for the bathroom
Bored of your bathroom but not ready to fork out for a refit? Why not turn it into a tropical oasis with these humidity loving plants.
Polly is an eye-catching plant that thrives in humid conditions and will sit perfectly in your bathroom. Its proper name is ‘Alocasia x amazonica’ and is identifiable by its bold veined leaves.[7] This gorgeous plant will bring life to any dull bathroom.
The venus fly trap is another plant that loves the humid conditions of a bathroom, as it mimics its native subtropical habitat of North and South Carolina. This plant is a real conversation starter and brings a unique aesthetic to any bathroom. For optimum growth results water with rainwater only.[8]
The Unusual Plants
Looking for something a bit different? Brighten up your home with the lipstick echeveria, a striking plant that will bring a pop of colour to any indoor garden, or utilise the unusual pattern of the zig zag cactus in an otherwise plain room.
An adorable addition to your collection, the rabbit succulent is apt as we step into spring with its bunny ear features.
But the most unusual, we think, is the bat flower. An entirely black flower within the orchid family, it is certainly one of a kind and creates intrigue both inside and out of the house.
The Plant Everyone Needs in Their Home
It is subjective, but we think the Monstera, also known as the Swiss Cheese plant, is a must-have for anyone delving into the world of house plants. A tropical plant from the Araceae family, Monstera’s name comes from the Latin meaning “abnormal.”[9] That doesn’t stop us from loving it, however, and we think it looks stunning in just about any home. It is worth noting that this plant does need a lot of space, so if yours is limited, try snipping a few stalks off and pop them in a separate vase – they still make a statement and look absolutely fabulous as a table centrepiece. Water once a week and watch out for crispy yellow leaves as this is a sign that your Monstera has had too much sunlight.
With so many house plants to choose from – and many even offering attractive health benefits – it’s time to get those gardening gloves on and pick your favourite. Which one will you be incorporating into your home?
Sources:
[1]https://www.thesill.com/products/snake-plant-laurentii?utm_campaign=314743&utm_medium=affiliate_link&utm_source=shareasale.com&variant=blush
[2]https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00U6Q7V0K/?linkCode=ogi&tag=womenshealth-auto-20&ascsubtag=[artid|2140.g.26610281[src|[ch|[lt|
[3] https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/g26610281/best-indoor-plants/
[4]https://www.thesill.com/products/rubber-tree?utm_campaign=314743&utm_medium=affiliate_link&utm_source=shareasale.com&variant=sonora
[5] https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/gardening/g19682442/aloe-plant-care/
[6] https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/eight-houseplants-to-grow-on-a-windowsill/
[7] https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/eight-houseplants-to-grow-on-a-windowsill/
[8] https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/eight-houseplants-to-grow-on-a-windowsill/
[9] https://www.gardenista.com/posts/gardening-101-monstera-deliciosa-tropical-plant-guide/