In the post-Christmas period, it's time to stay indoors and make our homes as beautiful and green as we can. Without a Christmas tree in the house it can feel sort of lifeless and sad. Use plants to bring life to the home. They clean the air too, as many studies have shown. We sell an ever-changing selection of indoor plants, from tiny succulents to big foliage plants. We also have a fabulous selection of indoor pots, pot holders and saucers, as well as speciality feeds and potions. Here's a selection of plants from our shops.
A jade plant / money plant (Crassula ovata). These plants can live for years and barely need any looking after... you can forget to water them for weeks.
Succulents such as Echeveria are excellent plants for sunny windows.
Air plants such as Tillandsia exist on air and moisture. Soak them in room-termperature rainwater once every week or two. No other care is required. These little magnetic pots make excellent air plant holders.
One good thing about Cacti is that they only need very occasional watering; remembering to water seems to be an issue for some people. What's more, they grow fairly swiftly, and can produce colourful flowers. Cacti are good plants for children and young people, as they are easy to look after. Planted in terracotta pots ensures they don't get waterlogged and allows the roots to breath.
A slipper orchid looks exotic and complicated, but ours re-blooms each year on our kitchen windowsill.
We generally have a selection of orchid species in stock, including these delicately fragranced ones.
This particular air plant is also a Tillandsia: commonly referred to as 'Spanish moss'. Best in a steamy room such as bathroom, or in a cooler, damper, older house.
A Kentia palm (Howea) in our old home office - right next to me as I typed into the computer in the foreground. I used to think of this plant as a bit of an 'office plant', but have grown very fond of its shape and texture. They're also forgiving of their environment, and can cope with relatively low light levels and low temperatures. Don't be afraid to remove brown or yellow shoots, and be careful to allow the compost to be dry to the touch between waterings, especially during the colder months.
A collection of ferns at the top of the staircase in our old home. Many fern species can cope with a relatively bright location, but are best out of sunshine. Some ferns, such as the Maidenhair fern, prefer a darker spot.
An easy and pretty succulent called Senecio 'Everest'. The gorgeous blue-green foliage is interestingly arranged. Best for a bright spot, requiring infrequent watering, especially over the winter.