Eden: Your Guide to Indoor Plants
Indoor plants have been all the rage for the last few years, and we, quite frankly, don’t understand why they’ve not always been the rage. We are of the opinion that every home and office should have at least a few indoor plants.
Green Benefits
These plants have the magical ability to make almost every space more inviting. Having something organic and ‘’living’ in the room makes it more comfortable. This is because lush plants and beautiful colours have a soothing effect on humans, as well as some other possible minor health benefits too.
Indoor plants also give you something to look after, like a leafy pet, which is proven to make you feel better, happier and more relaxed.
Freshen Up
A minor benefit to indoor plants is their ability to clean and freshen up the air inside your home or office, but to a very small degree. Despite popular belief, you would need a very high concentration of plants to make a noticeable impact.
Better Breathing
This leads to the next benefit of having indoor plants – humidity. Indoor plants raise the humidity inside your home or office which is great for your skin and makes breathing a little easier, especially in drier areas. Remember to keep your rooms well ventilated as humid areas can cause mould and fungus growth. So, moderation and ventilation are key.
De–Stress
Finally, the best possible benefit of having indoor plants is the psychological effect they have on us as humans. Bringing nature inside makes us feel better, less stressed and happier in general. Living and working in a more vibrant and lush living space is always going to be better than a beige or grey cubicle. The positive impact of having plants indoors cannot be stressed more in this respect.
How to Go Green
Now that we have that out of the way, we can have a look at some fool proof indoor plants to get your indoor jungle started. Remember to always speak to a professional when going to buy your plants. Ask about the right plants for the space you have in mind and how to properly look after them. Another important note is that many indoor plants are in fact toxic to humans and pets, so it is very important to get all the information you need so that you can keep everyone safe while still enjoying your plants.
So, without further ado, here are our favourite indoor plants…
Peace Lily – A small to medium sized plant that requires low to moderate amounts of light and loves constantly moist soil (not soggy!)
Delicious Monster – Medium sized, but can get very large. It loves plenty of indirect light and slightly moist soil.
String of Hearts – Perfect for a hanging basket or let it cascade over the side of a shelf or ledge. It loves tons of indirect light. Let the soil get almost completely dry before watering again.
ZZ Plant – A beautiful plant that resembles a cycad, it thrives in low to moderate light and loves dry conditions too. So, an occasional watering will do.
Mother-In-Law’s Tongue – Small to medium size, happy in low to high indirect light and also happier with dry periods, with a watering every few weeks.
Haworthia – A very small plant and a very nice option for your desk. Likes high to moderate amounts of indirect light and won’t shy away from a little bit of direct sun too. Water once or twice a week, depending on how quickly the soil dries.
There are many, many more options to choose from so there are options for everyone to introduce a few leafy friends into the house.
By Kerwyn Fourie, Guild of Landscape Designers
