Make it a green house

Gardener and designer Jo Banks reveals why houseplants are so important to interior design and well-being.
Houseplants are on trend this year. This selection sits among a collection of melamine cups from sistersguild.co.ukHouseplants are on trend this year. This selection sits among a collection of melamine cups from sistersguild.co.uk
Houseplants are on trend this year. This selection sits among a collection of melamine cups from sistersguild.co.uk

My generation has largely steered clear of houseplants. I blame memories of African violets resting precariously on china saucers and unkempt spider plants dangling limply from macramé hangers. Rather than thinking in terms of the houseplants our parents and grandparents used to harbour, I like to encourage people in my garden classes and workshops to consider how they can bring their garden indoors.

My own “back yard” is full of colour all through the year and on cold, wet days it seems a shame to be shut indoors away from all that natural glory. So over the years I have found ways to introduce plants into the house. Houseplants, if you like.

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Seasonal indoor planting: My kitchen table always has a cluster of pots running down its centre. At the moment they’re filled with highly scented Minnow Narcissi. The display changes with the seasons, reflecting the evolution happening outdoors in my garden. Potted bulbs and seasonal plants are a lasting and eye-catching alternative to cut flowers, although when the garden is in full bloom the flowers definitely take over in my home.

Jo Banks at her home in Harrogate.Jo Banks at her home in Harrogate.
Jo Banks at her home in Harrogate.

Pot luck: There are all sorts of things you can use for potting your indoor garden. I have some bright pink pots that look fabulous planted up with pink cyclamen to give the kitchen a pop of colour. A good rummage through the greenhouse usually unearths some weathered terracotta pots that lend themselves perfectly to spring bulbs planting. I have even been known to use an old soup tureen planted up with two or three orchids and placed majestically on the bathroom windowsill.

A cluster of similar pots creates a stunning display for a table, mantelpiece or shelf. If you don’t have any pots to hand, experiment with teacups, empty baked bean tins and jars. As long as you water them gently, they should reward you with indoor greenery and colour.

Succulent style: One indoor plant that is very much in vogue at the moment is the succulent, which has boldly shrugged off its elderly image to become an icon of modern Scandi chic. Today’s terracotta potted echeverias and aloe plants bear not a hint of the Christmas and Easter cacti of my youth. A trio of succulents on the kitchen windowsill is an elegant touch to a minimalist interior scheme.

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We’re even starting to see the resurgence of glossy leaved old timers like the Peace Lily, which I have to admit can look fabulous in those lovely linen bag planters that seem to be in all the trendiest interiors shops at the moment. My only word of caution would be to afford them some care and attention. They need to be kept watered – but not overwatered – to avoid them looking droopy or developing yellowed leaves. Trim off dead and dying foliage and flowers and pick up some indoor plant food next time you’re doing your weekly shop so that you can treat them to a good feed every so often.

Jo Banks at her home in Harrogate.Jo Banks at her home in Harrogate.
Jo Banks at her home in Harrogate.

Nature, nurture: For me though, the houseplant will always be an extension of the natural flow of seasonal life and change beyond my kitchen window. Just as I love to nurture life in my garden, so I enjoy taking care of a select few plants in the comfort of my home.

Jo Banks runs classes and workshops at Harrogate Garden and Flower School; jobanksflowers.co.uk

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