Jessica Lila Florist Instagram Worthing Ferring
Houseplants are so on trend right now! Just take a look at the pages of interiors magazines or the social media feeds of the many interiors influencers and you will notice at least one plant enhancing the space around it. And you can understand why – adding lush, living greenery transforms the space around it. Not to mention their excellent ‘green’ credentials! They improve the air quality in offices, schools and homes by trapping and capturing pollutants and in turn help us to breathe more easily.
All they need from us is a little bit of TLC and you can reap the benefits too! Just follow the advice below and you’ll be confident in picking the right plants for you.
Try to best recreate the plant’s natural environment by considering a few simple factors:
Where will your plant be living?
If you are looking to add a bit of greenery to your bathroom or kitchen, these are usually areas of higher humidity (the amount of water found in the air) than say your living room or bedroom, where there is usually little, or no, water found. Here I advise choosing plants such as orchids, ferns, trailing ivy or airplants (find more on how to care for airplants here)
Living rooms and dining rooms are in contrast typically areas of low humidity, not only due to the lack of water present but also because of central heating, open fires, wood burners etc. This isn’t to say that you can’t enjoy a beautiful flowering orchid or a lush, textural fern! Just be sure to position these away from any direct sources of heat and be sure to water regularly (the plants will dry out quicker due to the lack of natural humidity) and mist a couple of times a week.
If you’re looking for something that needs less attention however, then succulents may just be the thing for you! This family of plants is incredibly diverse, ranging in many different shapes, sizes and colours meaning you should easily be able to find at least a few that you will want to find a home for. The best part is they need no special attention, having the reputation as ‘hard to kill’, simply water well and then wait one or two weeks until the soil has dried out before watering well once again. It’s that simple!
Hallways can often be a tricky part of the home to find the right plant for. Owing to the fact these spaces are typically draughty (something most houseplants will not tolerate), fluctuate in temperature due to opening and closing of doors and can lack consistent light levels. Fear not! Yuccas, sanseveria (aka Mother in Law’s Tongue, look at the photo and you’ll understand!) and Dracanea are all excellent choices in these areas. Not only will they happily tolerate these conditions, they also don’t need special attention. Simply water well and then allow to the top inch of the soil to dry out (stick your finger in the pot to test after about a week) before watering again.
Finally, bedrooms hugely benefit from the addition of a houseplant or two, as they will provide a source of oxygen for the air in your room. Bedrooms are supposed to be peaceful spaces, allowing us to relax and recharge during sleep so that we can be our best, most productive, selves possible. This can be made difficult owing to the chemicals found within, impossible to see but always there; formaldehyde found in carpets and their linings, wall and loft insultation trap stale air and toxic nasties such as benzene are found in the paint we use on our walls all disrupt the quality of the air found in what ought to be the most peaceful of our rooms at home.
Luckily living houseplants provide a beautiful solution to readdress the balance! Classics such as the peace lily, spider plant and palms will all look beautiful in your bedroom whilst improving the air quality.