Home improvement: Indoor plants can refresh your home

Adding plants to your home interior can help lift not only the décor, but also your mood, writes Amy Gallivan

Houseplants can really help open up the space in your home, be it in the kitchen, dinning room, bedroom or even in the bathroom, there’s a different sort of plant to suit every room.

So whether you have never owned houseplants or used living herbs on your windowsill before, don’t be worried, as there are so many to choose from that require very little attention or just a drop of water here and there.

Plant expert Claire Muckleston from Bourne Garden Centre, Ipswich believes that plants can indeed, make us happy and change the whole environment we put them in, she said: “They can also help us recharge and allow us to be even more productive; some even clean the air!”

Decorating your home with houseplants also couldn’t be easier, as you could either opt for leafy greens or pick the potted option, which are full of blooms, Claire added: “You can decorate your home with houseplants to help complement the colour or texture of the furniture or even the decorative style of a room.”

Indoor plants not only provide visual satisfaction, they are also great at absorbing airborne pollutants released by cleaning products and materials used in building, as they add oxygen and moisture to the air that we breathe indoors, Claim claims.

“The other great thing is, they look great 12 months of the year, so you can enjoy your indoor garden even in the worst of weather,” she said.

So how do you choose plants for you room? Claire offers her advice, she said: “When choosing plants for your room, think about what you want from the plant. Is it to fill a corner? Sit on a table or be a focal point on a coffee table? Be aware that plants need different conditions to thrive, and choosing wisely from the start, will give you happy plants.”

One thing to be wary of when choosing plants, is those with fragrance, as they can overpower a small room. However you can’t beat the natural aroma of lily’s, hyacinths, freesias or jasmine. Claire claims.

“The other great thing is once they have finished flowering inside, you are able to plant them in the garden,” she said. “Plants that produce flowers for a long time are also great value. Phalenopsis orchids, kalanchoe, anthuriums, if dead-headed, and with good light, will give you a great display,” she added.

When considering how to use plants to enhance your décor, Claire believes that decorative foliage lifts any room, she explained: “The leaf shape is interesting and the colour can add dramatic effects. The leaf size can vary immensely, for smaller areas to large space fillers. Palms look fabulous in large pots and it can also look dramatic. Plants with smaller leaves, can also help break up large areas.”

Edible plants, such as herbs on a well-lit windowsill, don’t just attractive but they are just at hand when you need to use them. Claire suggests you should cut them back to promote new growth.

So now the sun is shining hopefully, and we are set for warmer days, why not bring natural blooms and living plants into your home? Claire added: “Choose your plants well and think about what you would like from them. But make sure you look after them. Watering and feeding regularly will give you happy plants, repot as required and enjoy the benefits of a long-term plant rather than a short lived bunch of flowers!”

More information: For further tips and advice visit Bourne Garden Centre, Ipswich at: 578 Wherstead Rd, Ipswich IP2 8LS.

Or visit: www.bournegardencentre.co.uk or call: 01473 691567.