The days are growing shorter, leaves are changing colors and green spaces are disappearing for the winter. Fall foliage is beautiful but only lasts for a few short weeks. The best way to keep summer alive in your home is by surrounding yourself with luscious greenery. Live plants provide clean oxygen and inspire better moods, so beat the winter blues with these vibrant additions to your home.
(Don't worry if you don’t know how to do the “green thing” - our guide includes plants you can ignore for weeks...although they're so beautiful, they'll be hard to forget!)
From Darkness to Light
Do you have rooms with south-facing windows that get warm natural light all day long or is your living space blocked by trees that prevent light from coming in? From the shadiest to the sunniest of homes, we have plants that will thrive in all locations.
Succulents, cacti, and geraniums grow beautifully in rooms filled with direct bright sunlight. If your home gets lots of light but plants are not your thing, stick with succulents and cacti - they are easy to maintain as they need to be watered very infrequently.
- Photo by Freddie Marriage
For those with shady rooms, ivy, ferns, peace lilies and spider plants are a great choice as they thrive in indirect natural light. However, these plants are difficult to maintain; their soil must stay moist at all times, so you can't skimp on watering them.
- Photo by Joel Peel
For the Neglectful
Do you love looking at plants but have little patience for nurturing them? These low maintenance options will survive even with the worst gardeners.
The hardiest houseplants are the snake plant and the ZZ plant, which don't require much water or light. A stunning option for a room with indirect sunlight are orchids, which only need to be watered once a week. If you have rooms with good natural light though, consider begonias or ponytail palms. They'll need sun, but you won't have to water them frequently and they will fill your home with color.
- Photo by Claudia Nuta
For the Conscious Pet Owner
Houseplants can be a big concern for pet owners as it can be difficult to monitor your pet around poisonous leaves and flowers, so make sure you get plants that are safe.
For dog owners, make sure to avoid aloe, cyclamen, English ivy, geraniums and amaryllis in places within eating (and sniffing) reach.
- Photo by Silvia Agrasar
English ivy is also poisonous to cats. Make sure to also keep them away from lilies, chrysanthemums, rhododendron, and azaleas.
- Photo by Alexandra Gorn
For the Experimental
If you are a true plant aficionado and looking for a new challenge, try a water garden for a unique alternative to potted plants. Your plants can grow individually in vases or as a group in an aquarium if you want to make a bold statement.
Philodendrons, pothos, arrowheads and English ivy plants all grow well in water. You only have to top up the water every few weeks, so if you like to travel and don't want to commit to plant sitting regularly, once the water garden is set up, you can let it grow naturally.
- Photo by Jeff Sheldon
Indoor plants will keep your spirits up during the darkest, coldest days of winter. If you choose plants that are right for you, you'll love having them in your home and maintain them all year round. Who knows, you may even develop a green thumb!