Not everyone is able to have a house with a garden. The first home I owned opened straight onto the pavement and had a back yard with barely enough space for the wheelie bin. However having grown up in my parents house that overlooked fields and woods, I needed to bring nature into my home. It was then I got into houseplants.
Now I know a lot of people think houseplant and see a tired looking spiderplant in a plastic pot.
However you can be very creative with houseplants and so here are some ideas:
FISH TANK / BOTTLE
If you have an old fishtank/fishbowl or large glass bottle (such as a bell jar) these can make excellent “mini greenhouses”. A layer or two of gravel for drainage, then soil/compost will give you a nice setting for adding some plants. I find these can be great for plants that need a controlled/humid temperature such as carnivorous plants / bog plants. Fishtanks are also a perfect container for growing mushrooms, you can purchase spores online of your favourite variety such as oyster, shiitake etc.
Fish tanks are also good for creating a miniature landscape such as a rockery or mini desert with such things as small cacti or succulent plants.
It also makes them easier to keep and maintain and has the added benefit that fish tanks have a specially designed top that includes a light that can help to add an atmosphere to the mini garden and means you don’t need to worry so much about placement as they have their own light source.
HERB GARDEN
This is something that is the easiest to set up and adds a wonderful feel to any kitchen. Using a trough type planter with tray that fits perfectly on your kitchen windowsill, fill with compost and then either add some herb seeds or plugs. If you put as many different herbs together as you can, you will add a lovely amount of greenery to your kitchen as well as a constant supply of fresh herbs for your cooking!
STANDING TALL
Large potted house plants can be perfect not just for bringing a little nature in, but to help brighten up a dull room or even conceal something unsightly like pipes or unused sockets. Some good ones that can grow tall and are easy to maintain and grow without much fuss (from my experience) are ficus and umbrella plants.
MINI FOREST
A wonderful plant that also doubles as a hobby is bonsai trees. These stunning miniature trees can be pruned and shaped and though do need some tender loving care, can really become a feature in the home. They can be potted separately or as a group to make a small forest or landscape scene.
AEROPHYTES
These are plants that do not need to be planted in soil to survive. They are plants that derive moisture and nutrients from the air. These beautiful plants, these can be mounted on ornamental logs or shells and can make an interesting talking point.
PURIFIERS
One great reason to have houseplants, is you can select some that will actually remove pollutants from the atmosphere. Spider plants and English Ivy are well known for being so called "purifiers" in removing air contaminants. These are often used in office buildings to help combat "Sick Building Syndrome".
A HEALING HAND
If you are just looking to have a few plants around without anything fancy, one good choice would be the succulent Aloa Vera.
Not only a lovely looking plant, but earns its nickname the Medicine Plant well due to the soothing properties of the viscous inner "gel" especially on skin sores and burns.
There are of course a few additional things to take into consideration when thinking about bringing nature indoors:
PETS
Both cats and dogs seem intrigued by greenery they can reach and will often “have a chew”. There are ways to deter a pet, from companion planting to sprinkling pepper around the plants base, however consider what plants you are going to have as you do not want to get something heavily toxic to your pets in case your deterrent methods don’t work.
INSECTS
When you use compost you will often have flies, this is because most compost contains fly eggs unless you purchase sterilised compost. One method of dealing with insects is when a new plant is brought in, cover the visible soil with sharp sand. This will stop flies from reaching the soil and laying more eggs and should kill any insects that are still buried in the soil.
MAINTENANCE
Even houseplants can take a lot of time and effort depending on what you purchase. If you decide to splash out on orchids you may find you need to get them a lot of attention to keep them healthy. Whereas a cacti can survive quite nicely as long as you remember to give it some water every now and then. Obviously if you choose to make a hobby out of your houseplants (such as growing carnivorous plants or tending bonsai’s) you will find the maintenance is often a pleasure not a chore.
DRAINAGE / SMELL
Not all pots have drainage including if you use the fishtank method above. Always remember to add drainage with a layer of gravel. Also, by adding a layer of charcoal under the gravel you will reduce any damp earthy smell as the charcoal absorbs this.
A BASIC WATERING TIP
One area that people often fall down in with houseplants is watering them. If you don’t deal with plants, you may find it useful to get a water gauge tag. These are small tags that push into the soil to show whether there is enough water added. Once you are used to how often to water and how much, the tags aren’t needed.
However one basic rule of thumb is: if the leaves are yellowing, there is too little water. If the leaves are browning (especially at the tips) there is too much water.
Hope you find these ideas useful.
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