Plants don’t just have to live outside. Creating your own indoor Garden of Eden is quick, simple and relatively low maintenance. Before you set off for your local garden centre, pick a spot inside and make sure you are aware of the:
– Light levels (both natural and artificial
– Size of space you will be using
– Usual temperature of room
– Foot traffic/potential disturbances
– Draft sources from windows, doors and air conditioning
If this is your first attempt of keeping something other than yourself alive and well, start small and trial what you like and what grows well in your home.
– Sansevieria Trifasciata, also known as snake plant or mother-in-law’s tongue, is one of the most low maintenance house plants available. It’s moderate in size, growing up to one metre tall, so is perfect in the corner of a room or on a low table. They can go for a month without water (although they might appreciate the odd drop every two weeks). When purchasing a snake plant, go for one with darker green leaves as it shows it’s a healthier plant.
– Dracaena Marginata or Madagascar dragon tree is a larger, fuller indoor plant but equally low maintenance. These can grow up to three metres tall, so you will need a spacious area. Again, this plant requires minimal water, just add some when the soil begins to feel dry. Please note that some species of Dracaena can be toxic with cats and dogs, so check before you buy if you have pets.
– Pothos or Golden Pothos is a hanging plant with large flat leaves. This plant needs reasonable space to hang from, as it’s vine can grow up to three metres long. They don’t require a lot of sunlight or watering so is perfect for a busy person in an apartment.
– The Prayer Plant or Maranta leucoreura is a much smaller and prettier. Its beautiful leaf design and colour are on proud display during the day, but cleverly fold up at night time – like they are praying! This does require some more TLC to stay alive, although it could manage in a darker room, it does prefer a sunny space. The soil should be kept moist (not soggy) so water with warm water every two weeks.
Indoor plants are great to soften the decor in your home and contribute to cleaner air. Enjoy pottering in your indoor garden!