Biophilia is a key trend but which houseplants should you buy?

Sales of houseplants will continue to grow in 2020, according to fashion forecasters.It is all part of a trend labelled “biophilia”, which plays to the theory that humans possess an innate tendency to seek connections with nature and other forms of life.In this case it pays to follow the crowd and to invest in something green, pleasant and good for your health.Houseplants are very good for our wellbeing, which makes you wonder why they fell out of fashion in the 1980s after a mid-century revival when no stylish sitting room was complete without a weeping fig, cheese plant or spider plant in a macrame holder.We could blame those unbearable Yuppies and their taste for the brash and the flash, though they have now grown up and realised the error of their ways.The middle-aged are among the biggest spenders when it comes to houseplants.

Hay planters, £31 each, from www.nest.co.uk

It could be nostalgia as they recall their childhood homes of the 1960s and 1970s or it could be health reasons. Studies have proved that indoor plants clean the air of toxins and can reduce blood pressure, fatigue and headaches while boosting concentration and productivity.The Royal Horticultural Society says that there is an ongoing discussion about the types and numbers of plants needed to achieve health benefits in our homes. However, the greater the number of plants used, the more likely the benefit to air quality.The RHS has compiled a list of easy to grow foliage houseplants with the ability to survive shade and the fluctuating temperatures found indoors. This is helpful as over 60 per cent of us admit to killing a houseplant.

Pots from Oliver Bonas

Among the easiest to grow are the Madagascar dragon tree (Dracaena marginata); the rubber plant (Ficus elastica); the English/common ivy (Hedera helix); the Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata) and Mother-in-law’s tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata).Spider plants are also hardy as are many succulents, including the Jade plant, better known as the “money tree”, which is often seen in oriental restaurants as they are said to grow your bank balance if they thrive.

Fashionable String of Pearls plant in an urn, £33.95, from Melody Maison

The most fashionable houseplants at the moment include String of Pearls (Senecio rowleyanus). It only needs watering once a month. Monstera deliciosa, aka the cheese plant, is also in vogue. These can live for decades, though be warned that they will grow large so expect to re-pot. However, it doesn’t need too much watering, which means you can go on holiday and it will still be alive when you get back.

Grow: Left, pots from £9.50 from Oliver Bonas stores. Below, Hay planters, £31 each, from www.nest.co.uk; This urn from melodymaison.co.uk is 33.95, and ideal for String of Pearls; Red velvet planter £22.95, www.audenza.com