Potted Bliss: Indoor Plants 101

Now I don’t pretend to be a horticulturalist, botanist or even handy gardener. Truth is, I live in an inner city apartment and my green thumb has had very little training.

I have however, been inspired recently to add something living to my interior design scheme – something green and sculptural, to add interest, height and balance to my living room.

Here are my three top contenders:

1. The Fiddle Leaf Fig

A sub-tropical variety of fig, this plant is designed for hot dry climates and needs very little water (tick!). It’s a slow grower (but can reach up to 12ft!) and will need the occasional prune to keep it in shape. The only real attention that it needs is a regular dusting.

2. The Strelitzia

This one is one of my favourites. With soft flat leaves that stick out in all directions, the Strelitzia is a tropical variety that requires bright, but indirect sunlight. It needs watering once a week and a regular misting during winter when the air is dry.

3. The Succulent or Cactus

Clearly the easiest option, a little cluster of succulents in an ornamental bowl or terrariums hung from the ceiling always create subtle interest in a space. These little guys need hardly any water and can handle almost all kinds of conditions in doors, so long as you don’t live in a dark basement. Score and Solder have a great selection of terrarium options.

Larger style cactus’ add a more masculine edge than the plant options above. They work well with retro or mid-century furniture. Go for something sculptural and don’t even think about watering them – they need about as much attention as the coffee table they’re sitting next to.