Welcome to the world of houseplants!
Turning the pages of this guide, it’s tempting to hear everything shouting ‘take me home!’, and before you know it you’ll have a shopping basket full of fabulous foliage. However, it’s worth taking a little time to assess the growing conditions in your house to ensure your plants will appreciate their new home. When you’re adding plants to your home, the effect is stunning. Any room is suddenly more tranquil and inviting. While you’re creating your ‘look’, keep in mind that plants aren’t static ornaments or accessories – they’re living entities that need to be in a spot to suit them.
The single most important thing to look at is the light level. While you might like to stand in full sun, many plants won’t tolerate it. Next comes the temperature of the room – is it a chilly hallway or that living room shelf close to the radiator? Humidity is another vital consideration. Some plants will adore living in your bathroom – and even being in the shower with you – while others prefer near-desert conditions.
Get the location right and a plant can be with you for years and will even be happy to move house with you. It just needs a little thought. To start you off, we’ve created this at-a-glance guide on the opposite page. You can see which plants are considered easy to care for and the conditions they prefer. We’ve also indicated the best locations based on typical room conditions – for instance, a bathroom-lover like a fern yearns for the kind of humidity not commonly found in a living room or bedroom, while a cast iron plant shrinks from sunlight and will settle happily
