No garden? No problem! There’s no stopping you from creating your own indoor jungle that will transform your home into a lush, rejuvenating space.
If you’re a city dweller or live in an upmarket apartment with no garden space, it’s hard not to feel left out. But, just because everyone else is enjoying the fruits of a lush garden, blooming with greenery and colour, it doesnt mean you can’t.
We’re big fans of indoor plants! They bring cheer, colour and life to any indoor space, and they make for a healthier, happier you.
Studies have shown that indoor plants boost your mood, productivity, concentration and creativity. They also reduce stress, fatigue, sore throats and colds and help clean indoor air by absorbing toxins, increasing humidity and producing oxygen. Most important of all, they’re therapeutic to care for.
A key design element in any room, plants contribute warmth and style to any space. They provide architectural elements and anchor spaces in an organic way and, no matter your personal design aesthetic, a dose of green is a universally chic colour choice.
While there are very few set rules when it comes to decorating with plants, it is important to choose plants that will adapt and thrive in the light that’s available. If you nail this, then the possibilities become endless.
You can group several plants of varying sizes together on your table or put a collection of small plants on the window sill in your bathroom; create vertical interest by installing shelves and placing some vining houseplants and small upright plants next to your books and treasures; or ransform an awkward corner with a large, lush plant.
Top-trending indoor plants…
Ferns Ferns are considered a great bathroom plant, and generally do well in hanging baskets because of their natural bushy and droopy form. They appreciate frequent watering and need bright indirect light, so position near a sunny window for optimal light absorption.
Mother in Law’s Tongue This trendy evergreen plant, also commonly known as the Snake Plant or Viper’s Bowstring Hemp, is a really easy house plant! They are tolerant of low light levels and irregular watering, two of the many reasons these shapely plants are so sought after by house plant lovers around the world.
Pothos Also known as Devil’s Ivy or Money Plant, the Pathos’ trailing habit and variety of colours, together with its ease of maintenance makes it a firm favourite amongst plant newbies and gurus alike. It’s yellow, green and variegated varieties are beautiful in any space. If you are one to neglect watering, Pothos is your plant! They like their soil to become slightly drier between watering, and appreciate bright indirect light. They look beautiful in bedrooms, atop floating shelves, library shelves, shelves in studies and cascading down cabinets or fridges in the kitchen where their positions takes advantage of the beautiful trailing leaves. They also enjoy humidity and will adore living in your bathroom.
Chinese Evergreen Part of the Arum family, the remarkable thing about the Chinese Evergreen is its ability to absorb benzine, formaldehyde and carbon monoxide from the air – one of the many benefits of indoor plants. It is also a great plant for beginners because of its ease of care. Watering is required every second week in winter, once a week in summer and low light is very well-tolerated. Bedrooms, darker studies, offices and TV rooms or even lounges with no direct sunlight are perfect spots for this indoor plant.
ZZ Plant Also known as the Zanzibar Gem, Zuzu Plant, Emerald Palm and the Eternity Plant, the ZZ plant has become a favourite indoor plant around the world. It can handle low light, has low water requirements and is very tolerant of occasional neglect – all of which makes for a great, easy-care indoor plant!
String of Beads Also known as String of Pearls, this quirky-looking creeping succulent vine with its bright green ‘beads’ makes a striking addition to any home. It looks fabulous in a hanging planter with its ‘strings of pearls’ trailing out over the edges, requires little care and its water-storing abilities allow it to be watered infrequently.
Delicious Monster With its sculptural leaves and glossy green colour, the Delicious Monster is one of our all-time faves. Its leaves can grow to 30cm in length, with the plant itself able to grow 3m in height and, as a heavy feeder, it requires sufficient fertilising to grow to its fullest, lush best. Water well once a week in hotter months and reduce watering in cooler months.
Peace Lilly Commonly known as Spath, the Peace Lilly can grow to great sizes with very little effort. Their creamy-white flowers appear in spring and sporadically throughout the year, given enough light. Indirect, filtered light is best for these plants, and potting in a large pot will enable more water to be retained, so it can be watered once a week. With the ability to increase room humidity, these plants not only remove toxins from the air but are an excellent natural humidifier in any bedroom.
