House plants guide: How to bring nature into your home during lockdown
House plants do more than just look good. Here's what to pick and how to care for them
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Your support makes all the difference.As we continue to live in lockdown, with potentially weeks ahead of us, one way to keep spirits lifted is to bring the outside into our homes with house plants.
Their impact goes past just being aesthetically pleasing, as they have been found to have a whole host of psychological benefits too.
According to The Royal Horticultural Society, house plants have the ability to improve your mood, reduce stress and increase productivity. Even taking a few minutes to care for them can be calming.
One study, from the National Center for Biotechnology Information, found that when patients were in hospital rooms with plants and flowers displayed, they experienced less anxiety, pain and fatigue.
Freddie Blackett, founder of Patch told The Independent: “Plants can provide a big boost to your mental health. A space with plants is more relaxing, and taking just a few minutes a day to care for your plants can really help to calm your mind.”
The coronavirus outbreak is causing detrimental problems for the horticultural world too, so now has never been a better time to turn your home into a jungle.
It’s estimated that the value of lost plant sales in the UK will be £687m by the end of June and if it continues. As plants are perishable, it also means many growers are facing a major stock write off, that comes with a huge loss of income.
But if you’re new to any type of gardening and house plant caring, or are limited on space and time, here are our top tips on getting started.
You can trust our independent roundups. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections. This revenue helps us to fund journalism across The Independent.
Low-maintenance plants
The lockdown may not have given you any extra time, in fact if you’re juggling working from home, homeschooling kids or caring for a vulnerable person, you’re busier than ever.
Which is why opting for a low-maintenance plant will suit you best. Minimal effort, but maximum positive impact on your surroundings, Blackett recommends a Chinese money plant. “It has lovely big round leaves and only needs watering when her soil is totally dry.”
One way of getting kids involved with cultivating an indoor garden is to teach them how to look after their own plants, such as a kentia palm or parlour palm. “They look really impressive and don’t need very much attention. They do both like to be sprayed with a mister every few days as they absorb water through their leaves as well as their roots,” says Blackett.
This prayer plant from Beards & Dasies made our IndyBest roundup of the best house plants, standing out for its distinctive leaves and how low maintenance it is. Our reviewer noted that this is "perfect for people new to plant parenthood or with busy lifestyles, as they require minimal light and watering."
This will do best in indirect light in humid bathrooms, and check the soil once a week for watering.
Plants for small spaces
If you don’t have a garden or a balcony to get your gardening skills up to scratch, that doesn’t mean you have to miss out.
According to Blackett, even the tiniest space can be cheered up with plants. Look to the walls and windowsills for inspiration instead. “Hanging plants are a terrific way to introduce some greenery without using up any floor space at all. You can hang them from the ceiling or put them on a high shelf.”
He recommends a lipstick plant, that has cascading green leaves and if looked after, blooms with red flowers in springtime. It will need misting every few days, so you can stick it in your bathroom and it’ll thrive.
Patch has a 30-40cm lipstick plant for £16, but you can check other online garden centres and nurseries that are still delivering too in our guide, for more inspiration.
Or opt for a golden pothos from Hortology, which can be trained to grow up a wall, in case you live somewhere where you can’t put up shelves or hook it to a ceiling. It only needs infrequent watering and you can prune back sadder stems with clean scissors to keep it looking smart.
An indoor plant stand is another solution, that can double up as a chic and colourful accessory to your home. This copper plant pot stand, featured in our IndyBest on indoor plant stands from Not On The High Street is handmade in Brighton and will tarnish naturally over time to add a rustic appeal.
Cacti are also an obvious choice and there’s many mini varieties available to buy in sets to decorate a desk or dinner table with. Etsy has this vibrant set of succulents and cacti from six all the way up to 20 if you want a bulk order, starting from £13.99. Keep near sunlight and water once a week.
Pet-friendly plants
“If you have a pet that likes to nibble on your plants, it’s best to choose ones that are pet-safe,” says Blackett.
Animal charity, The People's Dispensary for Sick Animals, has an extensive list of plants that are dangerous for domestic pets, that vary from season to season. For spring it includes daffodils, geraniums, hyacinth, tulips and rhubarb.
Bloombox Club has a pet-friendly collection of plants for £40, complete with three different types of indoor plants that rotate seasonally such as crispy wave fern, Chinese money plant and a large calathea.
The best books on looking after plants
Swot up on tips, tricks and information to avoid plants dying an early death by reading up on the expert advice on maintaining your own indoor plant studio.
How not to kill your houseplant by Veronica Peerless is our go-to. It’s packed with practical advice and covers the basics from buying, potting, watering and dealing with pests as well as recommendations on what plants will suit particular spaces, such as a home office, living room or bedroom.
Elsewhere, My tiny indoor garden by Lia Leendertz is an insightful guide into combining craftwork and gardening through tutorials on how to make terrariums and a peek into the green spaces of expert gardeners.
The Little Book of House Plants and Other Greenery by Emma Sibley also ranks high on our list of recommendations that we’re sure will inspire you to add plants to your next online shopping list.
In it, you’ll find a colourful index of 60 different varieties of cacti and succulents, with accompanying care information and tips on positioning and pet-friendly plants.
Read our guide on how to do up your garden here and our roundup of all the online garden centres and nurseries still delivering here