Incorporating indoor plants into your home offers far more than aesthetic appeal.
These green companions can enhance air quality, reduce stress and bring a sense of vitality to any room.
But if you’ve ever experienced the frustration of watching your lush new plant wither and die within weeks of bringing it home, then you know that choosing the right plant for the right space is essential to keeping your indoor garden alive, healthy and truly rewarding.
To find out how even the most inexperienced gardener can enjoy the benefits of indoor greenery, we got some expert advice from Joel Cassidy, owner of the Bermuda Plant Nursery in Happy Valley.
“Plants act as natural air purifiers, reducing toxins and improving air quality,” Mr Cassidy said. “But not all plants can survive in all conditions, so if you have recently moved or have not had much luck in the past, definitely ask for advice before you purchase anything.”
Let there be light
“The amount of natural light in any room is going to have a direct impact on the plants you place in that room, because the cells of a plant actually change in response to the light conditions they are exposed to,” he said.
“Some plants tolerate less than ideal conditions better than others, but you still have to be realistic in your expectations.”
The key is to match the right plant to the right conditions, rather than trying to force nature to fit your design ideas.
“In Bermuda a lot of people like to put plants in fireplaces, and as much as it looks attractive, it is just too dark a location for plants to survive on a long-term basis,” he explained.
As a rule, you can gradually establish a plant in a lower light location by starting it off next to a window and then gradually moving it back one foot per week over a period of six weeks.
“Most people don’t realise that the type of light in a room can also impact your plants – fluorescent lights for example (which cast a blue hue) cause plants to grow more foliage, while incandescent lights (which emit a red hue) encourage plants to grow flowers.”
Do silk plants deliver?
“Artificial plants have definitely come a long way, and some of the newer silk varieties can look remarkably realistic,” Mr Cassidy said.
“They can be a good option for people who travel frequently, have pets that chew on plants, or live in spaces with very little natural light.”
Unlike living greenery, however, artificial plants don’t contribute to air purification – in fact they collect dust and cleaning them can be more time-consuming than watering a real plant.
Plants that survive and thrive in Bermuda
- Aglaonema – commonly known as Chinese evergreen, it has deep green or variegated tropical foliage and excellent air cleansing abilities.
- Cast iron plant – the original Victorian house plant, it is a great choice for low light conditions and puts up with irregular watering.
- Dieffenbachia – this popular indoor plant prefers warm temperatures and bright, indirect light, making it relatively easy to care for.
- Adam’s fig – one of the oldest cultivated fig plants, it is a very popular indoor plant that thrives with steady watering and plenty of indirect light.
- Devil’s ivy – a very easy to grow houseplant that can be trained to grow around a stick.
