We’re delighted to be collaborating with Holly to bring you some of her top tips on the beautiful greenery we can invite into our houses to make them a touch homier.
Holly owns Holly Grows, one of our fabulous neighbouring businesses in Portobello, and she specialises in curating a beautiful selection of healthy houseplants, alongside other stylish lifestyle products, to reinvigorate your home. Here’s what Holly has to say:
“Bringing the outdoors in is one of the best ways to make your house feel more homely. They look great and scientists have found many benefits of owning houseplants including reduced stress levels, boosting productivity and cleaner air, just to name a few! They’re also very popular in interior design, they’re not only aesthetically pleasing but help create a feeling of calm and peace.
Here are 5 of my favourite plants to make your house a home – they’re all great for beginners and super rewarding to own.
POTHOS
The Pothos is a firm favourite in the plant world, there are many varieties which make them fun to collect, but they’re also one of the easiest plants around – and very fast growing.
These guys love bright indirect light but can survive lower light if your home is lacking, so they can thrive in most people’s homes.
I’d recommend using pothos to decorate your shelves. Since they don’t mind lower light conditions, they’re great for enhancing a high-up shelf. As they grow, they’ll also begin to trail down, creating a gorgeous statement plant.
ZZ PLANT
The Zamioculcas zamiifolia, or ZZ plant as it’s more commonly known, is one of the hardiest plants you can get your hands on. They have incredible deep green glossy leaves and can grow to around 3 feet tall.
ZZ plants are one of the most tolerant – able to survive long periods of drought and very low light conditions. This makes them great for the darker corner of your home where you might usually struggle to keep plants alive. They’re also a great option for holiday homes where there won’t be people there to care for the plants on a regular basis.
Large ZZ plants make a great statement plant, they look amazing in a plant stand to brighten up a dark spot.
MONSTERA
The Monstera, or Swiss Cheese Plant, with its distinctive leaves is probably one of the most well-known plants in the world. They are great statement plants and can easily grow to the same height as your ceiling eventually – they’re easily pruned though so don’t let this put you off!
To care for a monstera, you want to provide bright indirect light – they can tolerate lower light levels but if you want nice large leaves with good fenestrations (holes) – bright light is essential.
PEACE LILY
The peace lily is a great plant for beginners. Generally, most people are ‘over-waterers’ when it comes to plants, and peace lilies love a drink. They also tell you when they’re thirsty by dramatically drooping – but they pop back up after a good water.
Peace lilies don’t enjoy direct sunlight and they can tolerate lower light which is great for homes with limited sunlight. They do require a decent amount of light to flower, but it’s not necessary for them to be happy.
Peace lilies are great bedside table plants, they don’t grow sideways or get too out of hand, so they work well on a surface that is regularly used.
PRAYER PLANT
If you’re looking for something with a bit more colour or interesting leaves, I’d recommend a prayer plant. Their incredible leaves look as if they were hand-painted, and they grow dainty purple flowers in the spring. They’re another good low-light plant, preferring to be kept out of the direct sun.
Prayer plants look great in hanging planters, which are great for decorating large spaces, because they spread sideways, eventually becoming trailing plants when they are long enough.”
To get your hands on some of these lovely plants, head over to Holly’s website at https://www.hollygrows.co.uk/, where you can also find detailed care information to ensure your houseplants stay happy and healthy.
