Whether you’re drawn to lush tropical leaves, sculptural succulents, or low-maintenance greenery, there’s a plant to suit every lifestyle and skill level. While houseplants can be incredibly rewarding, each type comes with its own care needs; from light and watering to humidity and feeding. Understanding these differences is the key to helping your indoor garden thrive, not just survive.
Benefits of Houseplants
Having plants in our living and working spaces has been proven to improve many aspects of our life, from our mental wellbeing to our physical health and the environment.
There have been numerous studies completed over the years that have found that plants help create a more relaxed environment, reducing our stress levels and improving overall mood and mental wellbeing. By adding plants to workspaces – whether that’s a home office or a business office – studies found that plants increase focus, memory and productivity. Plants have also been added to many healthcare settings in private rooms where possible, and many hospitals now prioritise having an outdoor garden space for their visitors and patients. Studies found that patients with plants in their rooms often reported less pain.
Many indoor plant varieties can help contribute to purifying the air by removing toxins such as benzene and formaldehyde from the air around us. They also release fresh oxygen into our homes as they absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis, and they keep the air moist through transpiration, which can help with dry skin and respiratory issues, particularly during winter.
Tip: adding a houseplant to your bedroom can benefit you in winter when the winter germs come around and you may suffer with a cough or cold. The plant(s) will keep the air moist, which will aid any respiratory problems. Choosing lavender will also aid with sleep, as lavender is known for its scent and sleep improving qualities. (Lavender does need a lot of light to grow, so ensure your bedroom is flooded with natural daylight)
Categories of Houseplants
There are many varieties of houseplants and it can be hard to know which to pick. Each variety has different care needs – some will be low maintenance and hard to kill, others will be more demanding. Some will flower to bring some colour, some will be more prone to diseases and pests, and some will bring more benefits than others. There are many ways to categorise houseplants; let’s take a look at a few.
Low Maintenance “Hard to Kill” Plants – Our Top 3
Known to be forgiving and easy for beginners or those just too busy for high maintenance plants due to their resilience to low light and infrequent watering.
Snake Plant – A snake plant tolerates very low light levels so it can be placed in shaded areas of the home. It can go weeks without water as it prefers to dry out completely before its next watering, making it the perfect low maintenance green addition to your home. There are different varieties of snake plants, but they all grow tall leaves.
ZZ Plant – These plants have waxy looking, dark green leaves and are incredibly resilient. They tolerate low light areas and don’t require regular watering due to their water-storing tubers.
Pothos – A fast growing vine that knows how to communicate. When it needs watering, its leaves will droop, and will pick back up quickly once it’s had a drink.
Top Tips for Low Maintenance Plants
Whilst they’re known as “hard to kill” plants, it isn’t impossible to kill them. The most common mistake people make with these plants is overwatering, particularly because they don’t need much water at all.
Watering – Check the soil before you water by sticking your finger about an inch into the soil. If it’s still moist, wait a few more days.
Drainage – Never let your plant sit in standing water, and ensure there is a drainage hole at the bottom of the pot
Light – Whilst these plants tolerate low light, they will generally grow faster and stay healthier with some bright, indirect light.
Succulents or Cacti – Our Top 3
Typically known to live in the desert and hot areas of the world, succulents are low maintenance thanks to their thick leaves or stems that act as reservoirs to store water for long periods. They also have shallow root systems and grow slowly, meaning they’re perfect if you’re limited for space.
Echevaria – A beautiful, geometric rosette shape that’s instantly recognisable. They come in many different colours such as deep purple, pink and a blue-grey. Bright, direct light is ideal for it to grow and maintain its compact shape.
Jade Plant – A long surviving, tree like succulent with woody stems and thick, oval shaped leaves. With proper care, they can grow larger than most over time.
String of Pearls – A trailing plant, perfect to add some greenery up high. As its name suggests, its delicate, round foliage looks just like a green string of pearls.
Top Tips for Succulents
Sunlight – Most succulents prefer bright, direct light; the waxy, hairy or spiny outer surface of the leaves means they are protected from the sun, so won’t burn.
Watering – They do prefer to dry out completely before watering and are prone to root-rot if overwatered. Again, sticking your finger into the soil before watering is recommended.
Temperature – Succulents prefer warm environments and aren’t frost-hardy, so move them away from a window in winter if your windowsill gets cold.
Rotation – By rotating occasionally, you will ensure even growth and prevent them from overstretching to reach the sunlight.
Tropical Houseplants – Our Top 3
As the name suggests, tropical houseplants prefer a “tropical” environment, so they thrive in warm and humid environments. They’re perfect for conservatories, orangeries and bathrooms, where the air is moist. That’s not to say they can’t go elsewhere in the house – keep them in a warm room and mist them regularly to add moisture and prevent browning leaves.
Swiss Cheese Plant – An iconic plant known for its large heart shaped leaves often with “splits” in them as they mature. The “splits” are there to allow sunlight to pass through to the leaves underneath – a very intelligent plant! They love bright, indirect light and can grow large and tall with the right care.
Peace Lily – Known for its air purifying abilities, it has large, dark green leaves, and it blooms with large white hooded singular petals. It will droop to tell you when it needs watering and is considered a low maintenance tropical houseplant. It prefers bright, indirect light but will tolerate low light.
Rubber Plant – With thick, glossy, rubber or leather looking leaves, they come in dark green, burgundy and variegated shades. They thrive in bright, indirect light and prefer consistent, moderate moisture. With proper care, they can grow above 6 feet tall.
Top Tips for Tropical Houseplants
Light – Most tropical plants thrive in bright, indirect light, where direct light may scorch leaves. An east facing window is often ideal, but for south or west facing windows, use sheer curtains to soften the sun if you’re going to put them directly in the window. You may need to move plants around to follow daylight as the seasons change.
Watering & Humidity – Before watering, stick your finger in the top of the soil; if it’s still damp, then hold off a few more days before watering again. Overwatering is the most common killer of tropical plants so don’t leave them to sit in standing water. When it comes to humidity, tropical plants thrive with moisture in the air. Group tropical plants together to create a microclimate or mist the leaves regularly.
Temperature – Tropical plants like the warmth, but we recommend aiming for 18-24°C, keeping them away from radiators, air vents and drafty doors to avoid too much variation in the temperature.
Feeding – During active growing seasons (spring/summer), use a balanced, liquid fertiliser to ensure they’re getting enough nutrients to thrive. Use a product like Allgrow, an all-purpose, organic plant fertiliser with a balanced blend of nutrients (NPK 6-2-4), to encourage strong root development and resilience against diseases, pests and environmental stress.
Foliage Plants – Our Top 3
Foliage houseplants serve as long-lasting decorative plants with a focus on attractive green leaves rather than flowers. They come with leaves in a variety of shapes, colours, textures and patterns, and can include trailing, bushy or treelike shapes, meaning there’s one for everybody.
Calathea – Tropical perennials known for their ornamental, highly patterned foliage and “prayer plant” behaviour. The leaves fold inwards at night and unfold during the day. They can be more demanding than other house plants, but their patterned leaves are intricate and attractive, with some looking like rattle snakes, some looking like zebra stripes, and some with a “disco” appearance of multicolours.
Boston Fern – An evergreen houseplant with feathery looking, small sword shaped leaves that arch downwards. They thrive in high humidity and bright, indirect light. Due to its cascading habit, it’s perfect for elevated surfaces like shelves or windowsills.
Philodendron – A low maintenance, tropical plant with foliage that can be heart shaped, lobed, pointy or broad. Their texture can range from smooth and glossy to matte and velvety. Different varieties have different growth habits, with some climbing and some creeping horizontally. They thrive in bright, indirect light and prefer warmth and humidity.
Top Tips for Foliage Houseplants
Watering – Avoid watering on a fixed schedule, such as once a fortnight. Instead, check the soil with your finger, and when it feels dry, it is time to water.
Light – Most thrive in bright, indirect light as the sun can scorch the leaves. Rotate them regularly to stop them stretching towards the light and losing their shape.
Humidity – Many foliage plants and tropical plants prefer moisture in the air. Keeping them in a room that can become humid, such as a bathroom or a conservatory, is ideal. Alternatively, you could keep them in a room with a humidifier, or group them together to create a microclimate. Dust leaves regularly with a microfiber or damp cloth, as dust blocks the sunlight and mist the leaves regularly.
Flowering Houseplants – Our Top 3
Flowering houseplants require specific care to maintain their vibrancy and encourage re-blooming. They often originate from tropical or subtropical regions and so require higher light levels and moisture conditions compared to foliage plants. To support flowering, they benefit from specific nutrition.
African Violet – These produce small blooms of compact, rosette shapes in shades of purple, pink, white or blue. They are perfect for windowsills but do prefer bright, indirect light and warm temperatures.
Anthurium – A long-blooming plant with glossy, heart shaped leaves and bright, waxy looking spathes often in red, pink or white. They typically remain vibrant for 8-12 weeks with proper care.
Bromeliad – An evergreen perennial with tropical looking rosette shaped flowers that can last for months. Although beautiful, they are monocarpic, meaning they bloom only once in their lifetime, after which the mother plant produces "pups" (offshoots) before dying.
Top Tips for Flowering Houseplants
Light – Flowering plants need light to bloom. They thrive with bright, indirect light, as the sun can scorch leaves, and may benefit from an LED grow light in winter if daylight is insufficient.
Nutrition – Use a liquid fertiliser such as Allgrow to support flower growth, as they get their energy to bloom from specific nutrients.
Humidity – Many indoor flowering plants are tropical and will require humid environments, so you can group them together to create a microclimate and mist them regularly.
Water – Check the soil before watering and only water when the soil is dry. Overwatering will kill plants. Never let your plant sit in water, and ensure the pot has drainage holes.
Deadheading – This is the most effective way to ensure more blooms. As soon as a flower fades, pinch or snip it off. This signals to the plant to stop putting its energy into seeds and to start making new flowers.
Final Thoughts
Houseplants are more than just decoration. They’re a way to bring nature indoors, improve your environment, and create a space that feels calm and inviting. Whether you start with a single low-maintenance plant or build a thriving indoor jungle, the key is to learn as you go and pay attention to what your plants are telling you. With the right care, patience, and a little experimentation, anyone can enjoy the benefits of houseplants and watch their indoor garden flourish over time.
