A house plant for every room in your home
With house plants still one of the biggest gardening trends, Malvern Spring had plenty of inspiration to offer
Green up your living space by bringing the outdoors in with these perfect indoor plants. We even tell you the best rooms to put them in, what more do you need?
Seventies revival
This 1970's favourite is a spectacular and easily grown plant. The Swiss Cheese plant (Monstera deliciosa) needs plenty of space to expand its dramatic perforated leaves. Given time this plant will climb – so attach it to a moss pole and stand back.
Likes: place in light shade, keep moist but not wet, mist spray regularly to maintain humidity. Keep above 10c.
Good room: warm bathroom or lounge if kept humid.
Smaller but perfectly formed
A smaller growing cousin of the traditional Swiss Cheese plant this Dwarf Swiss Cheese plant (Monstera obliqua 'Monkey Mask') is much more easily accommodated and ideal for a hanging basket.
Likes: place in light shade, keep moist but not wet, mist spray regularly to maintain humidity. Keep above 10c.
Good room: warm bathroom or lounge if kept humid.
Cool customer
This tough foliage plant will grow in a cool, shady room. The false castor oil plant (Fatsia japonica 'Spider's Web') is best enjoyed when bathed in some brightness, as this will bring out the interesting patterns on its large glossy leaves. If it gets too big you can plant it outdoors.
Likes: place in shade, keep moist but not wet, mist spray regularly to maintain humidity. Hardy but best kept above freezing.
Good room: hallway, porch or landing.
Fern friend
This attractive Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltation 'Bostsoniensis') makes a handsome arching clump of fronds. It is best displayed in an elevated position or as a small plant in a hanging basket. Keep it out of draughts and never let it dry out or become waterlogged.
Likes: place in light shade, keep moist but not wet, mist spray regularly to maintain humidity. Keep above 10c.
Good room: warm bathroom, hallway or lounge if kept humid.
Tough little devil
Devil's ivy (Epipremnum aureus) is one of the toughest of all house plants, surviving considerable neglect and growing in situations which would quickly kill other plants. It produces climbing stems which can be trained on walls or as a young plant will look good in a hanging basket.
Likes: place in light shade – it will survive quite dark places, keep moist but not wet. Keep above 7c.
Good room: bathroom, kitchen or lounge.
Some like it hot
Chamaelobivia is one of the most reliable cacti for producing good displays of beautiful flowers in the home. It must be kept on the sunniest windowsill – in lower light levels flower buds will not form. Allow it to dry between waterings in summer and keep dry in winter when a cool place is best.
Likes: place in full sun. Water freely in summer, keep dry in winter. Keep above 5c.
Good room: sunny windowsill or porch.
Show me the money
The Chinese money plant (Pilea peperomioides) is a curious-looking but easily grown, compact plant with attractive round, glossy, fleshy foliage. Good for a table top or cheering up a sideboard.
Likes: place in sun or light shade, allow to dry between waterings. Keep above 10c.
Good room: bathroom, bedroom or lounge
A breath of fresh air
Renowned for their relative ease of care, airplants are fashionable again and are available in surprising variety – some even produce attractive flowers. As they have few roots and do not compost they are ideal for homes where little maintenance is desired. Airplants often look best grouped together – Tillandsia xerographica and Tillandsia usneoides are particular indoor favourites. Despite the name these will need misting with water regularly, especially in warm weather.
Likes: place in sun or light shade, allow to dry between mistings. Keep above 10c.
Good room: bathroom, bedroom or lounge
Everyday elegance
Echevaria agavoides is an easily grown and compact, rosette-forming succulent plant – good for any sunny table top or windowsill. It produces elegant stems of small, coral-coloured, bell-shaped flowers, held above the pointed fleshy leaves. In summer it may be stood outside in a sunny place.
Likes: place in full sun. Water freely in summer, keep dry in winter. Keep above 5c.
Good room: sunny windowsill or porch.
If you love houseplants see Malvern's Master Grower for 2019 – Mendip Bonsai Studio
