Creative Indoor Garden Ideas For Beginners.

A friend recently told me she has ‘black fingers’ rather than green ones when it comes to gardening. Adding, ‘I can’t even keep weeds alive’ *sad face emoji* Do you relate? You may think that to have a lovely garden you need oodles of outside space and ‘green fingers’ but bringing the outdoors in and creating an indoor garden has never been easier; even in the smallest of spaces and with the blackest of fingers!

Not only do plants in the home look great and add a pop of colour, they also have health benefits. They help to purify the air, and according to studies outlined by the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) they reduce stress and improve mood among many other positives.

Green is a very a calming colour, because of the association with nature, it evokes restful, soothing emotions. If you are interested in colour psychology, read a bit more about it here.

Added to that, if you read my last blog about where to invest your money when designing a room, you’ll have noted my observation that plants and floral arrangements can be key players in styling a room. 

Beginner Indoor Garden Tips

Get to know your local garden centre. Ask questions, I’ve visited a LOT of garden centres and my experience is that the staff really like to share their knowledge. 

If you’re not near a garden centre or your local one doesn’t sell indoor plants then fear not. There are a number of really great companies who sell plants online and provide care information for the plants you buy via YouTube videos, newsletters and their social media channels.

Patch and Bloomboxclub are two of my personal favourites. Patch even give all of their plants names - such as ‘Rapunzel’ for an Ivy that dangles over the edge of the pot - brilliant! (Although I don’t think it’s that unusual for people to name their plants; I have very fond memories of a large cheese plant called Derek in my childhood home. Patch call their cheese plant Chaz). 

Most plants like LIGHT (but not too much direct sun) and GOOD SOIL, (you can pick this up at a garden centre or most big grocery shops). Do you struggle with a living or dining room with limited natural light? Don’t worry, there are a number of tropical plants which are ideal for low light environments such as ferns and Monstera (otherwise known as Derek or Chaz).

Move the sunlight-huggers onto the window sills in the weaker winter light and further out of direct sun in high summer.

Don’t over-water! I used to pretty much drown every plant I owned until a family member told me about this simple test for whether to water or not. The top soil of the pot can feel dry a lot of the time but that doesn’t always mean the plant needs watering.

Try this tip

Push a finger down into the soil, right down to the second knuckle. If when you pull your finger out there is no soil stuck to it then the plant needs water. If your finger has sticky damp soil on the fingertip then it’s all good, leave it alone. Other signs of overwatering include yellowing leaves or a blackening base or stem.

Best Beginner Plants For An Indoor Garden

If you’re a complete beginner at indoor garden design there are a number of plants you can start with which are fail safe.

Herbs

Herbs are a great place to start. They do well in small planters. You don’t need a fancy pot, why not recycle a nice jam jar or tin - decorate it at home and repurpose for herbs. They are happy in a kitchen window, which has the added bonus of being in a place you see regularly so you won’t forget to water them. Want to make it look seamless? How about a windowsill planter? 

Vegetables and Fruit Trees

Many vegetables can also be grown in pots or planters indoors with good soil and plenty of light. Tomatoes, onions, peas, and lettuce to name a few. They just need a sunny spot and regular watering. Or how about a gorgeous miniature fruit tree? Peach, apricot, avocado, lemon and lime trees all thrive indoors. 

Hardy Cacti

Cacti and succulents are super low maintenance and do well with minimal water - they really love to be left alone, perfect if you’re busy or not home a great deal. They’re also great in a bathroom as they help to soak up the moisture in the air.

Talking of bathrooms, those tropical Dereks (and a number of other fern types) really thrive in the humid environment created there so it’s a great room to bring to life with greenery. 

Unkillables

My all time favourite easy care plant is the Peace Lily, because this plant will literally tell you when it need water. It wilts like an over dramatic teenager and then springs back to life once watered.