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Don’t have green fingers? No worries!
As a general rule, indoor plants do not take the gardening skill that some outdoor greenery does. However, they can offer just as much sensorial joy.
Not only do they provide an enhancementof style and aesthetics, but the boosted ventilation, air cleansing and overall ambiance they offer are a positive addition to your indoor areas.
Succulents are the easiest plants to maintain indoors during winter as they require less overall care and are more tolerant to variations in shade, light, heating and ventilation.
Here is a simple room-by-room breakdown of the best indoor plants to place around your home, according to Lyndall Keating, a horticulturist at Garden Society.
Devil’s ivy
Bedroom
A small table top planter for the bedside table with a broad leaf plant, such as ‘polly’ amazonica (alocasia lowii), is perfect.
Bathroom
Devil’s ivy (epipremnum aureum) and goosefoot plant (syngonium podophyllum) are ideal bathroom plants to cope with high moisture prevalent in the bathroom climate.
Kitchen
To cope with the frequent change of temperature or low moisture in kitchens, the hardy jade plant (crassula ovata ‘gollum’) is an ideal plant choice.
The silver snake plant (sansevieria ‘moonshine’) is also able to cope with temperature fluctuations. For best effect, pop a cluster of these plants against a plain splashback or place a few on the windowsill to create texture in the room.
Jade plant
Entrance hall
When potting within high traffic areas, consider aesthetics and space limitations. If there is enough light available, the giant white bird of paradise (strelitzia nicolai) or dragon tree (dracaena marginata) are excellent options here.
For a hardy, low maintenance indoor plant, the candelabra tree (euphorbia ingens) is an architectural, low-watering, succulent cacti perfect for thriving in all seasons.
Office
For air filtration to enhance clarity and focus, an indoor office plant is both beneficial and attractive. A small table top plant such as mother-in-law’s tongue is a hardy option providing clean lines to avoid clutter in any workspace.
Mother-in-law’s tongue
Lounge
Generally, a larger space can tolerate a larger plant so in the dining or lounge room look into bird of paradise (strelitzia) as an option. It’s an ideal floor to ceiling option providing striking volume.
For a larger-scale pot plant, try a rubber plant (ficus elastica ‘burgundy’). This beautiful tree sports thick, lush leaves in shades from burgundy through to black. Tolerant to cold, it doesn’t need much sun and can thrive indoors or out.
Dining room
Tabletop planters used as a centerpiece incorporating interesting foliage and texture can be striking.
Alocasia lowii (also referred to as polly amazonica), zanzibar gem, (zamioculcas zamiifolia) or the rhipsalis species are ideal.
If a centerpiece of flowers in a vase is preferred, ensure taller flowers are kept stable in a suitably wide vase.
Bird of paradise
Once you’ve chosen the right plant for your room, remembering these tips will ensure you maintain happy and healthy greenery.
1. Timing
In winter the indoor temperature is often moderated and fabricated for personal comfort levels, making it the perfect time of year to pot indoor plants!
If, however, you do miss the winter planting period, spring is only around the corner, so plan for next winter with a perennial planted between September and December.
2. Location
Location and positioning of your indoor plants are a prime consideration. Take into account the amount of shade, light, ventilation and space required, as well as how much maintenance you are prepared to give it as some require greater care than others.
3. Size
If your living space needs something on the grander scale of greenery, tall floor plants may be the best option.
However, be sure to shop only the best quality, most nutrient dense soil based options. Choose a soil with a slow release fertilizer and opt for a soil with a wetting agent to promote moisture levels and ensure better long-term health and well-being of plants.
When selecting a pot or planter box, consider whether the pot is appropriate for the surface it will be placed on and more importantly, whether it provides adequate drainage.
When selecting floor pots for personal spaces, choosing a pot you love that suits your style and taste is important.
However, as a larger plant is a living piece of furniture in your home, the scale must compliment – not overcrowd – the space.
