Best indoor plants

If you’re preparing to home your first houseplant, the Snake Plant (often referred to as Mother-in-Law’s Tongue) is a good place to start. It’s practically impossible to kill (that is not a challenge, I repeat, not a challenge) given that it loves bright spaces, but can handle dim ones too, and is perfectly happy living in a little planter, so you won’t have to worry about repotting. Plus, it’s a particularly good air purifier and can easily go a month without watering and still stand up proud. If you like the sound and spiky look and this super hardy and hassle-free greenery, you can grab one at Forest in East Dulwich or Deptford. Founded by mother-daughter duo Fran and Alice Bailey in 2013, these south London shops stock a wide range of plants and flowers, alongside pots, books, homeware and gifts.

Apart from the Spider Plant (see below) the Boston Fern has got to be one of the most ’70s plants you can get. It’s bushy, vibrant and has long fronds that look uber elegant dangling from a macrame hanger or a high shelf. They love bright spots, but not direct sunlight, they can adapt to a number of soils, and they’re partial to a bit of moisture, so a bathroom setting is perfect. This starter pot from Gardeners Dream is delivered carefully packaged and healthy, and within a few weeks will have filled out and you won’t remember a time when it didn’t live in that perfect spot you’ve picked for it.

Let’s not kid ourselves, Britain doesn’t exactly have the warmest of climates and our summers last just long enough to fold a pair of shorts and stash them back in the cupboard for another year. So any plant that enjoys the cold is onto a winner here, particularly the Christmas Cactus. This plucky plant originates in the shady mountain spots of Brazil, so thrives in low-light situations. It’s also partial to a cold snap, blooming all over with pink, orange or white flowers as soon as it gets chilly, and it can easily go a fortnight without water. To bag one, we’d recommend heading down to Camden Garden Centre, which has a huge range of indoor and outdoor plants, plus pots, gardening equipment and furniture, barbecues and a café. It was started in 1983 by a group of locals looking to tackle the youth unemployment crisis in the area. Since then, they’ve been training and employing the long-term jobless or homeless, ex-offenders and recovering addicts.

Don’t be put off by the name, or its spiky leaves, because the Dragon Tree couldn’t be more delightful. This robust evergreen hails from Madagascar, where it can grow up to five meters in the wild, but don’t panic, as keeping this keen grower in a pot will restrict it. Hence why it’s a perfect indoor plant. Another reason is that it thrives in low light, so can brighten up far corners of the room, a desk, sideboard or table. This one from Garden Market Place is pretty sizeable at almost a meter tall, so you’re probably going to want to put it in a floor planter or on a low side table.

Want a jungle in your home? Buy a Spider Plant. These tough guys grow like nobody’s business and are a piece of cake to propagate. As well as long verdant leaves, you’ll notice that this evergreen sprouts branches, on the ends of which are mini versions of itself. Simply snip these off and stick them straight in a pot of damp earth. Hey presto! You’ve got another Spider Plant. They’re very easy to keep alive too, so long as you place them in bright light and give them a splash of water every week or so, they’ll continue to brighten up your space. Get yours down at Grace & Thorn in Hackney. Owner Nik Southern, who grew up on a nature-bereft London council estate, is known for her radical approach to plant and flower presentation. Along with plants and flowers, they also sell seeds, soil, gift boxes, homeware and beauty products. Plus they host workshops, should you wish to get more hands-on, and offer a ‘Green Up Your Gaff’ service for those who’d rather remain hands-off.

These days a plant can’t afford to simply look pretty if it’s going to live rent-free in a busy Londoner’s home, it’s got to act pretty too, and few do it better than Aloe Vera. The cooling gel it produces is antibacterial, antiviral and antiseptic, so works wonders on mild burns and itchy skin (although obviously do a patch test first). It also tastes delicious if you shave it and mix it into a drink. As for upkeep, like many of us it likes being warm and dry, but still needs water to survive, so give a hearty helping around once a month. Find yours down at Battersea Flower Station. Not only is this garden centre puntastic, but its sprawling track-side location is stocked full of succulents like Aloe Vera – greenhouses full in fact – along with other plants, flowers and even vegetables, plus pots, oil, seeds and gift cards.

As the name suggests, the Peace Lily is a seriously laidback plant. It’s not fussed what soil it’s in, it doesn’t mind being in direct sunshine, partial light or shade, and it can cope if you forget to water it for a few weeks. Having said that, the Peace Lily does enjoy hydrating to the max, so when you do water it, give it a good glug. The best thing, is that if it’s happy it’ll flower all year round, however those flowers do carry pollen, so may trigger some allergies. Probably best to chat to an expert about that, like Caroline Johnston, founder of The Every Space in Walthamstow. She started out on a nearby market stall in 2017 and has since blossomed the business into a plant and gift shop that’s open daily thanks to the five-strong, all-female team who runs it. They’re soon to open up a second premises next door too, so watch this (Every) space.

Who says you can’t have a garden in a flat? Get yourself a terrarium and you can have an itsy bitsy bit of land wherever you are. Much like a miniature greenhouse, a terrarium is either a sealed or partially open transparent container – often in beautiful geometric shapes. The plants that you put inside create condensation on the walls of the terrarium, which then trickles down into the soil, ready to be absorbed and released all over again. They are self-sufficient. The only effort you have to make is building the thing, which is super easy. Get a glass or plastic vessel, houseplant soil and some dwarf plants (succulents typically). Or simply grab a Terrarium DIY Kit by ConcreteLab&Co. This London-based studio has already boxed up soil and decorative bits like moss, pebbles, charcoal, sand and driftwood, plus useful mini tools, to set you on your way to a terrific terrarium. All you have to do is decide what plants you want to put in there.

Not ready for the real thing just yet? Get yourself a copy of Plant. This expert guide by east London horticulturalist and photographer Gynelle Leon came out earlier this year and tells you everything you need to know about choosing, styling and caring for different houseplants, with helpful step-by-step, illustrated instructions to things like repotting and propagation. Leon previously authored Prick, a guide to cacti and succulents, inspired by her shop of the same name in Dalston.