A garden...in your home
Living in the city, I’m very aware that outdoor space is at a premium. During the winter, while looking out at my balconies and dreaming of the summer, I started thinking: what if you wanted to have a little bit of green, but didn’t have any outside space? This turned my attention indoors.
The ‘houseplant’, once an integral part of homes everywhere, has gone out of fashion. However, I’ve noticed a renewed interest in house gardening. Even if you live in the country, indoor plants offer contact with nature, something that’s so important, not only in terms of aesthetics, but also to promote a healthy emotional environment. Houseplants bring natural form, colour, and fragrance to the home, and add a finishing touch to interior schemes.
Left: Sarracenia leucophylla, the plants in the centre of the vase, are surrounded by Viola x wittrockiana (pansies). Right: Coleus ‘Wizard Jade’ and Vinca minor ‘Variegata’ were planted in plastic pots before being placed inside the wooden containers
Historically, plants have been used indoors for centuries – medieval paintings depict Crusaders returning with plant specimens from many corners of the world. The Victorian period in the 19th century was a golden age of plant collecting. Victorian plant hunters were seen as adventurers travelling to remote areas to bring back exotic plants from around the world. This era also saw a rise in popularity of terrariums and Wardian cases. The legacy of these plant explorers lives on in the plants that thrive in our modern, natural landscape.
Bun, reindeer, and sheet moss mixed with succulents, including Sempervivum tectorum and fern such as Adiantum (maidenhair fern)
In my new book, I show you how to choose, grow, and decorate with houseplants, as well as guide you through the different techniques needed to care for your new ‘green guests’, so here’s a little inspiration.
Clockwise from top left: this Victorian terrarium contains dolls’ house furniture, a pale blue Campanula carpatica and a Myosotis scorpioides; sprays of Phalaenopsis (moth orchids) in mauve ceramic containers; terracotta planters in different shapes work well together. The green Avena sativa accentuates the other colours
The House Gardener by Isabelle Palmer, with photography by Helen Cathcart, will be published on 10 April by CICO Books, priced £25: www.cicobooks.co.uk – readers of The Lady can buy a copy at the special offer price of £18 (inc p&p). Call 01256-302699 and quote GLR9OA.
2 Avoid direct sun Windowsills in direct sunlight will be too hot for most houseplants. Also, don’t place houseplants over direct sources of heat, such as radiators.
3 Avoid shady areas Ensure there’s sufficient light for your houseplants to photosynthesise.
4 Avoid temperature extremes Keep delicate plants away from draughts, as these will decrease humidity levels.
5 Pot on regularly Repot houseplants into larger pots every two years or so. This will ensure that they’re not stressed and will thrive.
6 Be well-equipped Use the proper tools for indoor gardening. A long-spouted watering can and a mister to increase humidity will reduce dust levels, as well as dealing with pest and disease outbreaks. A longhandled fork and scissors help to access difficult areas, while a sponge on a long handle will keep glass containers clean.
7 Water wisely Don’t overwater houseplants; put drainage material at the bottom of the pot to keep roots aerated and ensure that they don’t drown.
8 Winter dormancy Let houseplants rest in winter and move them to a cooler position. Most plants are dormant at this time, so they don’t need as much sunlight. Reduce amounts of water and food you provide to prevent diseases such as mould and root rot. Move plants away from windows because these areas are too cold in winter.
9 Be vigilant Learn to recognise potential problems early on before a pest infestation or other physiological problems kill off a plant. For example, danger signs for low air humidity include flower buds falling off and leaves withering. Signs of high humidity include mould, rot, and soft growth.
10 Think long-term Popular houseplant gifts only have a short growing period, so choose plants that will thrive for longer if you want a year-round display.
The ‘houseplant’, once an integral part of homes everywhere, has gone out of fashion. However, I’ve noticed a renewed interest in house gardening. Even if you live in the country, indoor plants offer contact with nature, something that’s so important, not only in terms of aesthetics, but also to promote a healthy emotional environment. Houseplants bring natural form, colour, and fragrance to the home, and add a finishing touch to interior schemes.
Left: Sarracenia leucophylla, the plants in the centre of the vase, are surrounded by Viola x wittrockiana (pansies). Right: Coleus ‘Wizard Jade’ and Vinca minor ‘Variegata’ were planted in plastic pots before being placed inside the wooden containers Historically, plants have been used indoors for centuries – medieval paintings depict Crusaders returning with plant specimens from many corners of the world. The Victorian period in the 19th century was a golden age of plant collecting. Victorian plant hunters were seen as adventurers travelling to remote areas to bring back exotic plants from around the world. This era also saw a rise in popularity of terrariums and Wardian cases. The legacy of these plant explorers lives on in the plants that thrive in our modern, natural landscape.
Bun, reindeer, and sheet moss mixed with succulents, including Sempervivum tectorum and fern such as Adiantum (maidenhair fern)In my new book, I show you how to choose, grow, and decorate with houseplants, as well as guide you through the different techniques needed to care for your new ‘green guests’, so here’s a little inspiration.
Clockwise from top left: this Victorian terrarium contains dolls’ house furniture, a pale blue Campanula carpatica and a Myosotis scorpioides; sprays of Phalaenopsis (moth orchids) in mauve ceramic containers; terracotta planters in different shapes work well together. The green Avena sativa accentuates the other colours The House Gardener by Isabelle Palmer, with photography by Helen Cathcart, will be published on 10 April by CICO Books, priced £25: www.cicobooks.co.uk – readers of The Lady can buy a copy at the special offer price of £18 (inc p&p). Call 01256-302699 and quote GLR9OA.
Top 10 house gardening tips
1 Position plants carefully Choose plants that suit the environment. Ensure that your plants are suited to the light levels and temperature of the room in which they’ll be positioned.2 Avoid direct sun Windowsills in direct sunlight will be too hot for most houseplants. Also, don’t place houseplants over direct sources of heat, such as radiators.
3 Avoid shady areas Ensure there’s sufficient light for your houseplants to photosynthesise.
4 Avoid temperature extremes Keep delicate plants away from draughts, as these will decrease humidity levels.
5 Pot on regularly Repot houseplants into larger pots every two years or so. This will ensure that they’re not stressed and will thrive.
6 Be well-equipped Use the proper tools for indoor gardening. A long-spouted watering can and a mister to increase humidity will reduce dust levels, as well as dealing with pest and disease outbreaks. A longhandled fork and scissors help to access difficult areas, while a sponge on a long handle will keep glass containers clean.
7 Water wisely Don’t overwater houseplants; put drainage material at the bottom of the pot to keep roots aerated and ensure that they don’t drown.
8 Winter dormancy Let houseplants rest in winter and move them to a cooler position. Most plants are dormant at this time, so they don’t need as much sunlight. Reduce amounts of water and food you provide to prevent diseases such as mould and root rot. Move plants away from windows because these areas are too cold in winter.
9 Be vigilant Learn to recognise potential problems early on before a pest infestation or other physiological problems kill off a plant. For example, danger signs for low air humidity include flower buds falling off and leaves withering. Signs of high humidity include mould, rot, and soft growth.
10 Think long-term Popular houseplant gifts only have a short growing period, so choose plants that will thrive for longer if you want a year-round display.