Every house should have at least a few plants. Studies show they can improve air quality and have a calming effect.
Why not consider your plant like a sculpture or painting? Leaf shape, form and texture are like the paints in a designer's tool box, offering the opportunity to create something that pulls the room together or creates separate spaces within a room.
By placing a cluster of plants or even one carefully selected individual in a central position you can create a stylish conversation piece.
Some of my favourites are:
- Sansevieria trifasciata, known as mother-in-law's tongue. Makes a cheeky gift! A very hardy plant, it will withstand almost all indoor conditions. Keep just damp.
- Ficus lyrata, the fiddle-leaf fig. As the name says, it has leaves that resemble a stringed instrument, such as a guitar. Prefers bright but not direct light, with good drainage.
- Asplenium bulbiferum, mother fern. One for the bathroom perhaps? Likes a shady spot, always keep it moist. Being native, it won't mind being planted outside if you tire of it.
- Calathea stromata has beautiful foliage and tolerates low light levels and infrequent watering.
To keep your plants looking their best, give them a light water spritz daily. This helps rid them of pesky aphids or spider mites and if they do go bad, buy a garlic and pyrethrum spray.
Visit these plants in the central house of Dunedin Botanic Garden winter garden glasshouse and visualise them and the combinations you can create at your house.
• Natalie Carpenter is a third-year horticultural apprentice at Dunedin Botanic Garden.
