Bring the outdoors in

Pots of style

For those of us without an outdoor space, cultivating a thriving statement garden indoors is a great way of getting a nature-fix each day in a super-stylish way!

Complement your plant collection with wooden textures. Desser Shanghai rattan lounge chair, £259.99; jute pouffe, £79, from the Green Therapy range, John Lewis & Partners

On d i spl a y

If you’re super-tight for space, a miniature terrarium garden is the way to go. Terrarium, 37cm, £45, Dunelm

S U N O R S HADE?

Sarah Gerrard-Jones, author of The Plant Rescuer breaks down the two types of light for plants: ‘Direct light means there is nothing (other than the window glass) obstructing the light reaching your plant. Indirect light means that the sun’s rays aren’t hitting the plant. It can also mean partially filtered light, which is passing through something before it reaches your plant, like leaves on a tree outside or a semi-opaque window covering.’ With the right care and styling techniques, you can make a green getaway within your own four walls, come rain or shine outside. You may want to have one specific area for your indoor garden, or you might prefer to spread your plants throughout your home. Whichever you choose, showing your plants off to their best is a must. Switch up the height levels by positioning some plants on the floor, others on raised planters and a selection on shelves or even hanging from the walls and ceiling. This will create an immersive feel and blend the boundary between outdoors and in.

Create zones in your home for different types of plant species. Window ledges are great for sun-loving succulents and cacti, while bathrooms are ideal for rainforest varities, such as ferns and tropical species like the popular Monstera deliciosa (Swiss cheese plant). Knowing where each plant group is in your home will make watering and tending easier too, as you can tackle it one zone at a time.

Propa ga t ion powe r

If you’re concerned that creating a health-boosting botanical oasis in your home is going to be too expensive, don’t worry! You can tap into the positive effects of plants and save money by propagating any species that you might already have.

For propagation success, you’ll need pruners, a small trowel, spare pots, a houseplant potting mix and a flat surface that you won’t mind getting a bit grubby with split soil.

There are three methods of propagating, depending on the variety of plant. Cuttings involves removing a stem or leaf of a plant (try it on devil’s ivy); division means removing a section that has separate stems from the rest of the plant (prayer plants), and offsets – cutting off the small replicas that can grow as offshoots from the main plant (spider plants). Once you’ve got your cutting, division or offshoot, plant it into a big enough pot for its size. Make sure that it’s well covered with the houseplant potting mix but leave enough room for the roots to grow down. Give it a very gentle sprinkle of water and place in a light room. You should see development within four weeks but be patient as some plant cuttings take longer.

love we

You can re-purpose a glass cabinet like this one into a thriving indoor greenhouse. Fabrikör glass-door cabinet, £150, IKEA

Keep mess to a minimum with a helpful potting tarp. From £17.20, TomNoahDesign at Etsy Placing cuttings in water will encourage root growth. Hydroponic propagation station, £14.99, Corseside Nursery

S TAY HYD R ATE D

Some plants love a daily mist while others like to soak up a good dose of water from the bottom of the pot. Search online to see what your plants need. Author Sarah Gerrard-Jones explains that the season will affect watering routines too; ‘In the summer, houseplants use more water than in winter. As a guide, I’d recommend reducing the frequency of watering by 50 per cent during the colder months.’

Try a clever hydroponic plant, which uses water to grow. Hydroponic monkey plant, £30.95, Bloombox Club

Roomy plant boxes can be used for a huge range of indoor gardening needs, including growing veg. £79, Ferm Living

Mini greenhouse, £10.30, Flying Tiger

Click & Grow The Smart Garden 3 grow light, £95, Amazon Kikkerland Design terracotta seed sprouter germination discs, set of three, £24.95, Trouva

Grow you r own

If you think you need an outdoor space to grow vegetables, think again! A sunny windowsill is a great spot for harvesting herbs, while a handy indoor greenhouse can let you grow larger produce, such as lettuce, tomatoes, chillies, peppers, radishes and even carrots. Growing your own produce provides you with instant, fresh flavour for your meals and cuts down on your grocery costs. Herbs including rosemary, thyme and basil will also emit a wonderful scent into your home.

To get started, choose an area with consistent light levels (a south-facing window is ideal), away from draughts. Pick pots with good drainage holes – terracotta is perfect because it’s porous and retains less moisture than your average plastic plant pot, it also looks lovely and is better for the environment. Place your herb plant or vegetable seeds in an indoor potting mix, give it a delicate watering and let your baby veggies grow! To keep them happy, give them an occasional dose of liquid or granular fertiliser every other week or so. You can also pop some pebbles at the bottom of your pots to increase the drainage.

No space for large pots or a greenhouse? Try propagating vegetables from scraps! Using veg you already have in the fridge is a fun, space-saving and eco-friendly way to grow your own produce. Onions, lettuce, celery, and avocados are some good examples to try. Simply pop your scraps in a jar or container with the bottom dipped in water and place in natural, direct light. To make things easier and neater, you can now buy clever germination discs that you can place on the top of glasses or jars.

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ES S ENTIAL KIT

All you need for indoor planting success, from recycled pots to mini gardening tools!

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1 Citrus lemon tree, £24.99, Dobbies 2 Small snake plant, £14, Leaf Envy 3 Kitchen herb kit, £18, Herboo 4 Theodore (Dischidia) plant, £18, Patch Plants 5 Re-recycled plant pot, £12, The Upcycling Market 6 Hydroponics plant, from £8.99, Dobbies 7 Watering can in Pink and Green, £38, Block Design 8 Pegi ceramic plant pot, £16.50, Oliver Bonas 9 Houseplants biostimulant fertiliser, £13.79, The Magic Molecule Co 10 Green stripe jute basket, £19.95, The Northern Line 11 Fiddle leaf fig plant, £29.99, Hortology 12 Mini garden tool set, £12.50, Kikkerland 13 Coir grow pots, from £2, The Stem 14 HAY enamel sprinkle herb pot, black, £18, Goodhood Store 15 Terracotta plant pots, from £2.50, Scaramanga