Living with Plants

My ’70s childhood was filled with houseplants. An enormous Boston fern was much prized by my Mum, and even my dolls’ house had its own plastic Swiss cheese plant. I now find myself in a city-centre flat with no outside space to call my own, so houseplants are even more important to make me feel at home. And I love the ritual of caring for them, even if I do have to store tools and compost in a wheeled storage box nicknamed ‘the under-bed potting shed’. I don’t think this love of plants is entirely down to upbringing. It’s far deeper, something more like a remnant of an ancient instinct. And there’s a scientific link between plants and our health and happiness. Living With Plants is your guide to choosing the right…

Our love of houseplants has deep roots. History has recorded that the ancient Greeks filled their villas with violets in terracotta tubs, while the Romans preferred blowsy roses in marble urns. The Chinese grew miniature trees in dishes. The Pharaohs soothed sunburn with aloe vera. Medieval books show monks spending hours hunched over pots of herbs, tending ingredients for salves and cures. A few centuries later, explorers like Columbus brought back dazzling new species from the Americas and plant fever raged–orangeries sprang up across Europe as botany boomed. From the glittering glass palace of Kew through a million Victorian parlours, indoor plants colonised our homes and hearts. Succulents and cacti turned the grey-glassed offices of the 20th century green, and by the ebullient ’70s, rubber plants and Swiss cheese plants…

Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata ‘Bostoniensis’) One of Earth’s most ancient plants, this is a great air purifier. It also boosts indoor humidity and counteracts the drying effects of central heating and air conditioning. Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) Nature’s little caretaker, not only does this plant dispose of airborne nasties such as formaldehyde, but it traps dust in its leaf wax. Peace lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii) The popular peace lily is as helpful as it is pretty. Not only does it filter out benzene, formaldehyde, ammonia, toluene and xylene, but studies show it can also remove airborne mould. Dwarf French lavender (Lavandula dentata) Lavender has been cultivated for centuries for its ability to calm anxiety and promote better sleep. Dried, it makes beautiful potpourri. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) Turns out Shakespeare was on to something when he wrote, ‘There’s rosemary–that’s for remembrance,’…

For most of us, the living room is the focal point of our home and more often than not the space that best reflects our sense of style. Houseplants can be used to accentuate the overall look of this room, whether it’s adding a bit of boho chic with lush green foliage spilling over a shelf, or modern elegance with architectural leaf shapes adding colour and interest to neutral, bare walls. They also introduce a sense of life and energy, which is a real bonus when you consider how much time we might spend in this room during the wintry months in an effort to escape cold, wet weather. It’s worth mentioning that while we like to feel warm and cosy when it’s chilly outside, houseplants aren’t keen on direct heat.…

About five years ago, I began making terrariums. It started with a few friends hanging out at the weekend and making bottle gardens. It sounds funny now, thinking back, but throughout university, while living in London, houseplants played a leading role in birthday presents and moving gifts, the generous spider plant spreading its babies among our group of friends. Living in London we were all constantly moving house. Every year a new bedroom would need decorating and one of the main constants we all had were our houseplants. Making terrariums was just a development of this interest. As soon as I had made a few terrariums, I could see how this was going to become a new passion. Not having a garden in London, I would wait for a day at…

MAKING YOUR OWN TERRARIUM Create a miniature low-maintenance garden to enjoy indoors To make your closed terrarium, you will need a demijohn, compost, small stones, activated charcoal, carpet moss and some ferns. You can also use humidity-loving plants such as fittonia. You will also need a selection of tools as instructed in the steps below. Step 1: Clean the vessel Even if the vessel is new, give it a clean inside and out to ensure any bacteria is removed. Step 2: Add stones Rinse the stones, scoop up a handful and–using a funnel–pour them into the vessel. The stones should be around 3cm deep, just enough so you can see them and they lift the compost off the bottom of the glass. Step 3: Wipe off excess water If the jar has become wet on the outside, dry…