House plant books and websites often advise us to mist our house plants to raise the humidity around them, avoiding the brown leaf tips and crispy leaves associated with dry air. But house plant experts are now saying that this technique has little positive effect on house plants.

Dr Stu Farrimond, author of The Science of Gardening, to be published in March 2023 by Dorling Kindersley, is of the opinion that misting plants is ineffective. In the book, he states: “Misting plants with water spray is a common way to raise humidity, although its effects are very shortlived: droplets settle on leaves and gradually evaporate, briefly increasing the humidity around them, before the moisture dissipates into the room. On dry winter days, water droplets may only linger for 10-15 minutes, meaning that hourly spraying would be needed to have any impact.”

Sarah Gerrard-Jones, author of The Plant Rescuer, published by Bloomsbury in 2022, echoes Dr Stu’s thoughts, and does not recommend misting in her book. She told us: “Misting a plant with a spray bottle is pretty pointless if you are doing it to increase humidity. It isn’t really a beneficial activity for your plants and may increase the risk of bacterial and fungal infection, particularly to hairy-leafed plants such as African violets and begonias, which are susceptible to powdery mildew and fungal bacteria caused by moisture on the leaves.”

We also asked Guy Barter, chief horticulturalist at the RHS, for his opinion. He said: “When you mist a plant, the water vapour produced has a highly transient effect on humidity. Any water applied will swiftly evaporate, disperse as vapour and have limited effect.”

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It also appears that we do not need to worry about humidity levels in our homes anyway. Many house plants hail from rainforests, where humidity is very high, but this does not mean that they cannot cope with the lower humidity in our homes.

Guy Barter says: “Most UK homes are apparently at 40 per cent to 50 per cent relative humidity in most parts of the house, which is more or less what houseplants will be happy with. I would be surprised if the humidity in an average dwelling is very low – what with cooking, bathing, breathing and so on, excess condensation might be expected to be more common.” Sarah Gerrard-Jones echoes this: “The level of humidity in my house isn’t something I ever lose sleep over.”

Guy advises: “House plants have been chosen to tolerate dry atmospheres, so it is wise to choose ones with notable tolerance where the air is especially dry, usually in warm rooms, such as Sansevieria. Another remedy is to open the window – not a great idea in winter but on warm days in other seasons, the outdoor air is much more humid than indoors.” And of course, some humidity lovers, such as Adiantum raddianum, are perfect for a closed terrarium.

It appears that the traditional dish of damp pebbles, placed under a house plant to raise humidity around it, is pretty pointless, too. Dr Stu Farrimond says: “Pebble trays are frequently recommended to keep indoor plants happy. The theory goes that evaporation from a shallow tray or dish filled with water and pebbles will increase the humitidy in the air around plants standing on the pebbles. In reality, however, it does nothing to help the plant. The humid air just above the water doesn’t rise straight up, but idffuses in all directions, meaning that the humidity at the height of a plant’s roots and leaves is essentially unchanged. ”

Sarah Gerrard Jones echoes this view, as does Guy Barter, who told us: “Wet surfaces such as pebbles will release water but it will swiftly disperse and have limited effect.”

Guy also says that brown leaf tips or leaves, often thought to be a sign of low humidity, can have several other causes. “Excess temperature or draughts lead to more rapid water loss than can be replenished from the roots. So a cooler, less draughty room might be in order. Underwatering or indeed overwatering may also have occurred, where the airless roots will not efficiently pick up water.”

So before you blame low humidity and reach for the spray bottle, check what else may be ailing your plants.

Read more on whether house plants can beat mould

The Victorians loved to show off, and table centrepieces became increasingly extravagant throughout the 19th century, often displaying a cornucopia of newly introduced houseplants teamed with exotic blooms and fruit. I wanted to capture a little of that dark and moody flamboyancy against the rich olive green of this wall. The arrangement was built around an aspidistra, the epitome of Victorian houseplants, combined with a selection of deep-green plants with similar and contrasting leaf textures.

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Pot et fleur with aspidistra How to achieve the look

A glazed Victorian wash bowl, is ideal for this flamboyant display. It has no drainage holes, so won’t leak on to furniture, but will need careful watering. To begin, I lined the bowl with expanded clay pellets to absorb excess water then added a propriety houseplant compost mixed with extra charcoal. I placed the houseplants in the compost but kept the cheese plant (Monstera deliciosa) in its own pot for ease of removal, as it will quickly outgrow the display. Finally, I sank four thin-necked glass vases in the gaps, before top dressing with additional clay pellets.

The aspidistra copes well with shade, as do the other houseplants, inlcuding x Fatshedera lizei ‘Pia’, a cross between Fatsia japonica and Hedera helix. I placed two trailing peperomia at the front of the bowl to cascade over the lip. For foliar contrast I added a maidenhair and an asparagus fern.

The clean lines of the polygonatum’s tall, arching stems embellished with pendent flowers sits perfectly above the fading flowers of Helleborus x sahinii ‘Winterbells’, which take on a greener hue with age. The ridged, clean stems of Equisetum hyemale add a vertical contrast to the composition.

The arrangement needs a spot away from direct sunlight and regular misting. Overwatering is often the cause of a plant’s demise, so always check the compost before watering. If you don’t trust your finger use a water indication stick. Houseplants benefit from a weekly balanced liquid feed in the growing season, but too much nitrogen can lead to weak sappy growth.

Plants

1 Equisetum hyemale Evergreen, marginal plant. 90cm. USDA 4a-9b.

2 Helleborus x sahinii ‘Winterbells’ January to April. 30cm. USDA 4a-9b.

3 Peperomia ‘Rocca Verde’ South American trailing plant. 15cm.

4 Adiantum hispidulum ‘Bronze Venus’ Rosy maidenhair fern. 45cm.

5 x Fatshedera lizei ‘Pia’ The ivy tree. 2m. AGM*. RHS H3, USDA 7a-10b.

6 Monstera deliciosa Cheese plant. 2.5m. AGM. RHS H1B, USDA 10a-12.

7 Asparagus aethiopicus Asparagus fern. 30cm. AGM.

8 Aspidistra elatior Sometimes known as the cast iron plant. 70cm.

9 Polygonatum x hybridum A tall perennial. April to June. 90cm.

Equipment you’ll need

• Traditionally, ornate punch bowls or soup tureens were used to hold elaborate, pot-et-fleur designs but any container could be adapted for a more contemporary approach including terracotta and ceramic bowls, willow baskets, glass aquariums or metal boxes, but if it’s not water tight, you’ll need to take care to protect the surface it sits on.
• Within the main container you can use any sealed vessel to hold the cut flowers but if it will be partially visible, opt for more attractive containers, such as old ink pots or vintage glass bottles that have a wide base and thin neck. Glass test tubes are a good option but take care when burying them in case they break, and always secure safely.
• A pin holder is an excellent way of accurately securing heavy stems. These discs of metal spikes are much relied on in the practice of ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging, lending a more naturalistic feel to an arrangement. I also use several heavy, semi-spherical glass frogs to hold flowers and branch stems. Be sure to attach both of these securely to the base of the vase with floral putty or tape before arranging. A length of wide-gauge chicken wire scrunched into a loose ball will do a similar job. Sharp scissors or secateurs are also essential bits of kit; thorn and leaf strippers are useful too.
• Before you start arranging your cut flowers, snip off the ends of picked stems and remove any foliage that will be below the water level and leave in deep water for up to 24 hours. Regularly topping up water levels or changing the water entirely every couple of days will help the arrangement last longer as air locks and bacteria will quickly cause a stem to wilt.
• Houseplants are easily killed through overwatering, so using hydroleca clay expanded pellets will not only add an attractive finish to the container, they will also absorb extra water, slowly releasing it as the compost dries out. They help maintain a humid microclimate around the plants when wet and even out fluctuations in the surrounding temperature. Activated charcoal is another useful addition to the growing medium as it reduces the build up of impurities minimising odours.
• Propriety brands of houseplant potting compost with an open, free-draining mix should be sufficient for most growing needs but you can improve drainage by adding perlite, vermiculite, horticultural sand or grit. A top dressing of decorative gravel, clay pellets or moss will also reduce water loss.
• A slim watering can with a long narrow spout for small spaces is ideal for these displays, but misting is an excellent way to maintain the humidity around plant leaves.

 Read more about the art of pot et fleur

A large indoor plant can instantly transform the look and feel of a room, breathing life into the space and making it feel lush, calm and welcoming.

There are many large house plants to choose from, from palms that give a lush feel to plants with large leaves that make a real statement, such as a Swiss cheese plant, rubber plant or bird of paradise.

Advice on choosing a large indoor plant

Before choosing a large indoor plant, assess your space. Do you need to fill a tall, thin spot, or do you need to fill a larger empty area?

Think carefully about light. Most house plants do best a few feet from a window. Larger leaved plants are adapted to coping with lower light levels, but bear in mind that any plant will struggle in a dark corner. Some plants, such as the fiddle leaf fig, do not like to be moved around, so choose its permanent spot carefully.

Make sure you’ve checked how fast your chosen plant grows, and its ultimate height and spread. For instant impact, buy the biggest plant you can afford.

Once you’ve chosen your plant, you’ll need to find the right pot to complement it. Read our feature on the best ceramic plant pots.

How to water large indoor plants

Check the watering needs of your chosen plant. Most need watering when the top few centimetres of compost is dry, but some, such as Euphorbia trigona, can survive on less.

Repotting large indoor plants

The larger your plant pot and the bigger the plant, the harder it can be to repot a plant. If the whole operation is proving too tricky, there is a simple solution. Simply scrape away as much of the compost as you can with a spoon or fork – at least 5cm, taking care not to damage the roots – and replace it with fresh. You can do this every year, in spring.

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Swiss cheese plant, Monstera deliciosa

If it’s big leaves you’re after, they don’t come much bigger than those of a Swiss cheese plant (Monstera deliciosa). This Seventies classic is back in fashion again, and has much to offer, with its dramatic and glossy and holey leaves. A variegated variety, Monstera deliciosa ‘Variegata’, is also available. A Swiss cheese plant will sprawl, so is best grown up a mossy pole. After a while, many people find that their plant outgrows their space (in the wild it can reach 25m tall, and will ultimately reach around 8m in a house), and pass it on. But in the meantime it has a lot to offer, and is usually problem free.

Ultimate height and spread: 8m x 2.5m

Best for: big leaves and a large space

Bird of paradise, Strelitzia reginae

The bird of paradise plant (Strelitzia reginae) has striking blue-green, paddle-like leaves that bring an exotic look to any space. If the conditions are right, when it reaches around four years old, it will produce a flower that looks like the plumage on the head of an exotic bird. It enjoys humidity, so is ideal for a bathroom. Alternatively, stand on a tray of pebbles or gravel topped up with water.

Ultimate height and spread: 1m x 60cm

Best for: an exotic look, bathroom

• Buy a bird of paradise plant from Thompson & Morgan

Yucca, Yucca elephantipes

Yuccas have a spiky and architectural look that suits a modern, minimalist room or a small space, as they are usually tall and narrow. They’re tough and tolerant of neglect, so are a good low maintenance option. Water only very sparingly in winter. Avoid placing the sharp leaves at eye level, as the pointed ends of the leaves are sharp.

Ultimate height and spread: 1.5m x 75cm

Best for: low maintenance, minimalist look, tight spot

• Buy a yucca from Thompson & Morgan

Sago palm, Cycas revoluta

Actually not a palm but a cycad, the sago palm has an uncluttered, architectural look and graceful arching foliage. It is a good low maintenance option as it can  cope with some neglect and doesn’t need much watering.

Ultimate height and spread: 1.5m x 1.5m

Best for: low maintenance, contemporary look

• Buy a sago palm from Thompson & Morgan

Fiddle leaf fig, Ficus lyrata

Social media went crazy for the fiddle leaf fig a few years ago, and it remains a popular choice. It’s beautiful leaves are said to be the same shape as that of a fiddle. The fiddle leaf fig hails from western Africa, and can be a little temperamental in its needs – it does not appreciate being moved around and prefers temperatures on the warm side – don’t let them drop below 12°C, try to keep them consistent and keep away from cold draughts. The fiddle leaf fig also appreciates some humidity, so mist the leaves from time to time or stand on moist pebbles. One for a more experienced house plant owner.

Ultimate height and spread: 1.8m x 1.2m

Best for: unusual leaves, experienced house plant owners

• Buy a fiddle leaf fig from Waitrose Garden

Kentia palm, Howea forsteriana

The Kentia palm has fresh green leaves that fan out from tall stems, bringing a lush look to any room. It’s tolerant of lower light levels and is pretty easy to care for, making it a good choice for beginners.

Best for: beginners, an elegant look

Ultimate height and spread: 3m x 2m

• Buy a Kentia palm from BloomBox Club

African milk tree, Euphorbia trigona

Euphorbia trigona is an unusual succulent that originates from Western Africa. With its upright stems, it makes an architectural statement in a room. It is thorny and has a milky sap, so keep out of the reach of children and pets. It needs a warm, bright spot away from draughts and is drought tolerant for short periods.

Ultimate height and spread: 1.8m x 50cm

Best for: a bright spot, low maintenance

• Buy a Euphorbia trigona on Etsy

Rubber plant, Ficus elastica

Rubber plants have been popular house plants for decades and new varieties, such as Ficus elastica ‘Robusta’ have bigger, more dramatic leaves. They are easy to care for – just give them a bright spot out of direct sunlight and water when the top few centimetres of compost are dry. Wipe the leaves from time to time to keep them dust-free and glossy.

Ultimate height and spread: 3m x 75cm

Best for: large leaves, beginners

• Buy a Ficus elastica ‘Robusta’ from Crocus

Sansieveria cylindrica

We’re all familiar with the mother-in-law’s tongue, Sansevieria trifasciata, but its cousin Sansevieria cylindrica is an interesting choice. It has tall, upright, cylindrical and striped stems that look great in a modern home. It is incredibly low maintenance and tolerant of neglect – sansevierias are hard to kill.

Best for: a tight spot, low maintenance

Ultimate height and spread: 1.2m x 50cm

• Buy a Sansevieria cylindrica from BloomBox Club

Devil’s ivy, Epipremnum aureum

This climbing (or trailing) house plant has many different names – Scindapsus, pothos or Devil’s ivy. It is one of the easiest house plants to grow. It has attractive, heart-shaped leaves and will climb upwards if you provide it with a support such as a mossy pole. Some have variegated or splotched leaves, or golden yellow foliage.

Best for: a tight spot, low maintenance

Ultimate height and spread: 2m x 30cm

• Buy a devil’s ivy from Waitrose Garden

Areca palm

The Areca Palm also goes by the name of golden cane palm and yellow palm, thanks to its yellow stems. It is also know as the bamboo palm or butterfly palm. It forms a fountain of delicately arched fronds. Areca palms like humidity, so a bathroom is the perfect spot for them. Alternatively, mist the leaves regularly.

Best for: a lush feel, bathroom

Ultimate height and spread: 1.8m x 75cm

• Buy an areca palm from BloomBox Club

Parlour palm, Chamaedorea elegans

The parlour palm was a familiar sight in Victorian drawing rooms, and it’s still popular house plant today thanks to its graceful, arching fronds and elegant look. It likes a bright spot and appreciates some humidity, so mist the leaves regularly.

Ultimate height and spread: 2.5m x 1.5m

Best for: a lush feel, bathroom

• Buy a parlour palm from Waitrose Garden

Philodendron xanadu

If you want a wide house plant with bold leaves that doesn’t get too tall, Philodendron xanadu is the choice for you. It has attractively lobed leaves and red stems, and brings a jungly look to a space. It’s pretty low maintenance, too.

Best for: a wide area

Ultimate height and spread: 1m x 1m

• Buy Philodendron xanadu directly from Crocus

Dragon plant, Dracaena marginata

The dragon plant, Dracaena marginata, has strappy foliage that is attractively edged with red and sits on top of tall, thin woody stems. It is a slender plant, so is the perfect choice for a tight spot. A dragon plant can last for years but grows slowly, so if you want instant impact, treat yourself to a larger, established plant. Dragon plants are undemanding and prefer to be underwatered rather than overwatered, so let the top few centimetres of soil dry out before watering again. They are ideal for beginners or house plant owners with little time.

Read our expert guide to growing a dragon plant.

Ultimate height and spread: 2m x 30cm

Best for: a tight spot, beginners

Weeping fig, Ficus benjamina

A weeping fig is a light and airy addition to a room, with gently arching stems of dark green or variegated leaves. It needs the right conditions, otherwise it may drop its leaves – avoid under or overwatering, moving it around or repotting it too often.

Ultimate height and spread: 3.5m x 1.2m

Best for: light and airy look, experienced house plant owners

• Buy a weeping fig from Crocus

Here’s more on how to display your house plants

I love using wildflowers in naturalistic floral arrangements and grow as many as possible in my own garden so that I am free to pick as desired. This arrangement was inspired by a walk down my local country lanes in May where the hedgerows are lined with billowing clouds of cow parsley, Anthriscus sylvestris, exuding a light and airy feel. I’ve combined this iconic umbellifer with several Adiantum ferns and a trio of blues from the borage family to add some sparkle to the mix.

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Pot et fleur how to achieve the look

This handsome wooden crate houses ten chunky soda bottles, but for this display I replaced seven of them with maidenhair ferns in 1L pots and three with cut flowers in glass vases, anchoring the arrangement with a row of Victorian clay ink pots.

A selection of tall, cow parsley stems adds height, and I picked those with the darkest purple stems to match the rose-flushed buds of the Clematis montana. These provide a link to the almost-black stems of the maidenhair fern, whose fresh virescent tones add a sense of depth to the display.

Green alkanet, Pentaglottis sempervirens, and Siberian bugloss, Brunnera macrophylla, provide a drift of bright blue that is subtly enhanced by the chalkier blue of forget-me-not, Myosotis sylvatica. This arrangement will last nearly two weeks in a cool conservatory out of direct sunlight with regular misting and changes of water in the vases. The ferns appreciate high humidity and should be kept well watered during the growing season.

All the flowers used in this display are prolific self-seeders so need careful management to stop them taking over your garden. The hairy leaved alkanet can be found flowering along woodland edges so is happy in part shade while the bugloss makes a great groundcover plant. I cut both hard back in June and July, after their initial flowering to refresh and keep them in check. Myosotis sylvatica also copes well with shade, readily seeding about but is easy to pull out where not required.

Plants in the display

1 Pentaglottis sempervirens A perennial herb. Flowers April to July. 70cm. RHS H6.

2 Anthriscus sylvestris Cow parsley.Flowers April to May. 1.7m. RHS H6.

3 Myosotis sylvatica A short-lived perennial or biennial. April to June. 3cm. RHS H6, USDA 3a-8b.

4 Clematis montana A vigorous deciduous climber. March to June. 12m. RHS H5, USDA 4a-9b.

5 Brunnera macrophylla Siberian bugloss, a hardy perennial. April to July. 40cm. RHS H6, USDA 3a-7b.

6 Adiantum raddianum ‘Fragrantissimum’ Tender evergreen fern with black stems and lime-green leaves. 50cm. USDA 8a-11.

Equipment you need

• Traditionally, ornate punch bowls or soup tureens were used to hold elaborate, pot-et-fleur designs but any container could be adapted for a more contemporary approach including terracotta and ceramic bowls, willow baskets, glass aquariums or metal boxes, but if it’s not water tight, you’ll need to take care to protect the surface it sits on.
• Within the main container you can use any sealed vessel to hold the cut flowers but if it will be partially visible, opt for more attractive containers, such as old ink pots or vintage glass bottles that have a wide base and thin neck. Glass test tubes are a good option but take care when burying them in case they break, and always secure safely.
• A pin holder is an excellent way of accurately securing heavy stems. These discs of metal spikes are much relied on in the practice of ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging, lending a more naturalistic feel to an arrangement. I also use several heavy, semi-spherical glass frogs to hold flowers and branch stems. Be sure to attach both of these securely to the base of the vase with floral putty or tape before arranging. A length of wide-gauge chicken wire scrunched into a loose ball will do a similar job. Sharp scissors or secateurs are also essential bits of kit; thorn and leaf strippers are useful too.
• Before you start arranging your cut flowers, snip off the ends of picked stems and remove any foliage that will be below the water level and leave in deep water for up to 24 hours. Regularly topping up water levels or changing the water entirely every couple of days will help the arrangement last longer as air locks and bacteria will quickly cause a stem to wilt.
• Houseplants are easily killed through overwatering, so using hydroleca clay expanded pellets will not only add an attractive finish to the container, they will also absorb extra water, slowly releasing it as the compost dries out. They help maintain a humid microclimate around the plants when wet and even out fluctuations
  in the surrounding temperature. Activated charcoal is another useful addition to the growing medium as it reduces the build up of impurities minimising odours.
• Propriety brands of houseplant potting compost with an open, free-draining mix should be sufficient for most growing needs but you can improve drainage by adding perlite, vermiculite, horticultural sand or grit. A top dressing of decorative gravel, clay pellets or moss will also reduce water loss.
• A slim watering can with a long narrow spout for small spaces is ideal for these displays, but misting is an excellent way to maintain the humidity around plant leaves.

Read more about the art of pot et fleur

When planning house plant arrangements, keep plants with similar light requirements together. These exotics, which we cultivate in the conservatory and bring into the house when they reach their prime, have been positioned to take advantage of the intermediate morning light next to a sitting room window.

How to arrange this house plant display

This position avoids the intense midday sunshine that may scorch the foliage. It’s a temporary display, and when the plants begin to look jaded they are returned to the conservatory and replacements found. The orchids take this upheaval in their stride, as do the ferns, and require little more than a light daily misting.

It is vital to avoid crowding them too closely together, otherwise, the display can look congested. Position the larger plants first, work from the back to the front, and try to consider the appearance of both flowers and foliage.

The house plants in this display

Sudamerlycaste ‘Archirondel’

A hybrid orchid that is a cross between Sudamerlycaste costata and Sudamerlycaste ariasii and has waxy, hooded, white flowers and long, plicate, arching leaves. Needs heat, shade and humidity. 50cm.

Davallia solida var. fejeensis

Known as the rabbit’s foot fern for the soft, scale-covered rhizomes from which finely divided fronds are produced. It forms a much larger plant in tropical countries. 1m. RHS H1C, USDA 10a-12.

Find Davallia solida var. fejeensis through the RHS

Brassia hybrid

Brassias originally hail from the tropical Americas, and are epiphytic. This punchy, purple-flowered hybrid is an easy-to-cultivate orchid for a bathroom or kitchen windowsill. 50cm.

Pteris parkeri

An easy and attractive little fern that has busy, variegated attractive foliage. It is a half-hardy perennial and the small pinnate fronds are evergreen.30cm. AGM. RHS H1C.

Find Pteris parkeri through the RHS

Begonia ‘Erythrophylla’

A very smart tender perennial that makes large, round, lustrous, copper-green foliage. The leaves are loosely arranged and held on long, slender, light-green petioles. 40cm. AGM. RHS H1B, USDA 9b-11

Buy Begonia ‘Erythrophylla’ from Etsy

Brugmansia suaveolens

The snowy angel’s trumpet is a fast-growing tender shrub that produces large leaves and masses of trumpet-shaped, pendent, white flowers. The blooms are night-scented. 4m. AGM. RHS H1C, USDA 8a-10b.

Brassia Edvah Loo gx ‘Vera Cruz’

This wonderful primary hybrid orchid has very showy spidery blooms in yellow and chartreuse with dark maroon spots on long, arching stems. 50cm.

Find Brassia Edvah Loo gx ‘Vera Cruz’ through the RHS

Paphiopedilum Leeanum gx

An easy-to-cultivate, hybrid lady slipper orchid that has large flowers. Its slipper, or labellum, is dark burgundy and contrasts beautifully with the overhanging white hood. 30cm. AGM.

Find Paphiopedilum Leeanum gx through the RHS

Begonia x albopicta

Known as the guinea-wing begonia, this cane type begonia grows into an upright plant that is decked with wonderful spotted, shield-shaped leaves. It forms trusses of small, white flowers. 60cm.

Buy Begonia x albopicta from Dibleys

Where to buy

• Burnham Orchids Forches Cross, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 6PZ, Orchid specialist that offers mail order and is open Monday to Friday, 10am-3pm.
• Cross Common Nursery The Lizard, Helston, Cornwall TR12 7PD, Offers wide range of exotic plants. Mostly mail order, but visitors are welcome if they telephone first.
• Dibleys Nurseries Llanelidan, Ruthin, Denbighshire LL15 2LG, Specialist in indoor plants, with a good range of exotics, mail order only.
• Wisley Plant Centre RHS Garden Wisley, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB, Offers good range of indoor plants. Open Monday-Saturday, 9.30am-5.30pm; Sunday, 11am-5pm.

Plants can bring life and purer air into our homes – but they probably won’t look their best without a nice pot to sit in. From rustic terracotta containers to hanging rattan planters and self-watering glass bowls, there’s a huge variety of different styles available. 

Keep reading to find some of the best indoor pots on the market right now. We’ve rounded up 12 of our favourites, and the selection includes options to suit a range of different home styles, from modern, eye-catching pots to traditional ceramic planters.

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Best indoor pots to buy

Bergs Potter Plant Pot

For a traditional look, try one of these smart pots. They come in Emerald Green or Yellow Amber, with a glossy hand-applied glaze. You can choose the dimensions to suit your space, as these pots come in two sizes: 14cm(H)x16cm(W) or 16cm(H)x18cm(W).

LSA Canopy Recycled Self-Watering Planter

A low-maintenance and visually striking choice, the LSA Canopy self-watering planter has a cotton wick leading up from a water chamber at the bottom to keep the soil above moist. The developers created it in partnership with the Eden Project, and it’s made from 100% recycled glass and boxed in recycled and recyclable packaging.

Marquis & Dawe Round Rattan Zinc Lined Planter

An attractive rattan planter is a great choice for any space with rustic or country style. This one is handmade by Marquis & Dawe, and comes complete with a zinc insert to keep moisture inside. It has a diameter of 43cm, but it’s relatively shallow, at 16.5cm, so it would make a fantastic centrepiece on a coffee or dining table.

Oliver Bonas Gold Metal & Mango Wood Plant Pot Large

Adding warmth to a room is easy with this golden plant pot from Oliver Bonas. With a clean and minimal design, it has a hammered aluminium planter and sits on lightly-stained mango wood legs.

This pot is 27cm tall and 26cm across, so it should be able to accommodate large plants and small trees.

XLBoom O-collection Planter, Black, Large

With its hoop-shaped design, this planter from XLBoom would make a simple yet eye-catching addition to any home. The top of the hoop reaches 60cm in height, and the whole planter has a depth of 30cm.

If black isn’t your ideal choice, why not opt for the white version?

Withington Pot

• Buy now from Garden Trading (£12.00)

If you love homeware with a rustic, antique-y look, you might like the Withington range of pots. Reminiscent of vintage marmalade jars, they have a simple yet sturdy construction. They’re also handmade, and finished with a crackle glaze with elements of white, grey, brown and blue.

You’ll get a choice of three sizes: 10cm, 12.5cm or 15.5cm in height.

Large Terracotta Plant Pot

• Buy now from H&M (£12.99)

Suitable for use both indoors and outdoors, this large plant pot is a versatile planter to keep at home. It’s made in Portugal entirely from terracotta, and it’s finished with neutral colouring, so it should fit nicely into most décor schemes.

This pot is 21.8cm tall, but there’s also a smaller option, which has a height of just 16cm.

Layered Cement Planter

• Buy now from Cox & Cox (£20.00)

Characterised by its neutral colour tone and intricately layered cement finish, this pot will add subtle texture to a room. It has a height of 12cm and a diameter of 16cm, so it’s a good size for most house plants, but its bowl-like shape should look particularly good with leafy and trailing varieties.

Set of Three Terracotta Pots in Basket

• Buy now from Graham & Green (£19.95)

Another great option for homes with a vintage aesthetic is this set of three rustic terracotta pots. They’re held together neatly with an attractive wire structure, reaching a total length of 37cm. Meanwhile, each individual pot can hold up to 0.3L of soil.

Woven Hanging Plant Pot

• Buy now from Garden Trading (£8.00)

You can draw the eye up in any room with beautiful hanging planters like this one from Garden Trading. It’s constructed with seagrass, but there are two other similar styles made from jute available – and all have an internal PVC lining to contain any water drips.

Ferns and trailing plants look especially great in hanging pots, creating a rural, breezy look in your home.

Two Textured Standing Planters

• Buy now from Cox & Cox (£175.00)

If you’re after something special, this pair of burnished gold planters might be the ideal choice. They’re constructed from aluminium and have little tripod legs underneath to keep them off the ground.

The set comes with a small pot, reaching 25cm in height, and a larger planter, which is 29.5cm tall.

H&M Large Mango Wood Plant Pot

• Buy now from H&M (£29.99)

H&M’s 100% wood plant pot brings warm tones, and it would look just as good in modern, minimalistic décor schemes as it would with traditional and neutral styles. It reaches 18cm in height, so it’s a good size to add to most table tops and furniture items.

Peperomias are not wildly thrilling, but they do have a certain flair,’ writes Tovah Martin in her book The Unexpected Houseplant. Talk about damning with faint praise. She does have a point. Peperomias lack the imposing physicality of a 3m Monstera deliciosa embracing a moss pole, or the peacock patterning of a colourful Calathea, but I adore them for the sheer variety of leaf textures and for their diminutive size. For those without floor space for expansive specimens, peperomias are compact enough to house a sizeable collection on a modest shelving unit or windowsill.

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How to care for peperomia

The different types of peperomia

Sally Williams, who holds the National Collection of Peperomia, has a plant room packed with 500 peperomias to tend while her Peak District garden is hidden under a freezing, white blanket of snow. There are familiars, such as the radiator plant (Peperomia caperata), which has crinkled leaves like toes after a long bath, and the watermelon peperomia (Peperomia argyreia) with heart-shaped glossy leaves draped in silver stripes, but I’m drawn to some rarities, too. One with foliage the colour and texture of toad skin is labelled Peperomia hutchisonii, while lifting a misty bell jar reveals a mass of minute leaves strung on the thread-like stems of Peperomia bangroana.

Where are peperomia from?

Sally’s collection demonstrates the diversity and scale of the Peperomia clan. Attempt to discover something seemingly simple, such as how many species are in the genus, and the answer varies from 1,300 to 1,600. Matt Candeias, a botanist and fellow Peperomia lover, tells me that Peperomia is an ancient group of plants that has evolved to thrive in a wide range of environments around the world, with concentrations in Central and South America and in Africa. Why does all this matter to you and me, tending a cluster of watermelon leaves or untangling the stems of a string of turtles (Peperomia prostrata)? Finding out about where your Peperomia hails from helps inform how you care for it.

Best conditions for Peperomia

The vast majority of peperomias you’ll find unhelpfully labelled merely as ‘foliage plant’ in your local supermarket or DIY store grow as epiphytes in rainforests, clinging to clefts in a tree where they enjoy humid air and dappled light. These – including rosette types, such as the watermelon peperomia, and trailers, such as the cupid peperomia (Peperomia nitida) – have modest rootballs and store water in their fleshy stems and leaves. Root rot is the peperomia’s number one enemy: know this, and you’ll find them among the most easy-going and undemanding houseplants you can grow.

How to care for Peperomia

Best soil for Peperomia

Sally raises her plants in terracotta pots, planted in an airy mix of two parts peat-free, general-purpose potting mix, one part orchid bark and one part perlite.

How often to water Peperomia

Sally also keeps the air moist by misting – watering just once a month. Succulent species, such as Peperomia columella, Peperomia ferreyrae and the toadlike Peperomia hutchisonii, generally hail from high altitudes in South America, particularly Peru, adapting to arid conditions and dry air by folding their leaves in half like a taco when water is in short supply: these prefer an even more free-draining, gritty mix and will thrive in a sunny, south-facing window. Rare trailing species, such as Peperomia bangroana, require really high humidity and do best creeping around in a shady, sealed terrarium.

How to propagate Peperomia

The key to successful Peperomia propagation is to know whether your specimen will root from a section of stem, a leaf petiole cutting or even, miraculously – from a section of leaf. The general rule is that rosette-forming types will propagate from a leaf petiole cutting, while trailing peperomias will grow roots from a length of stem.

1. Take a clear plastic pot with a tight fitting lid – a recycled hummus pot is ideal.
2. Place a trickle of water so the bottom is just covered and then add the leaf or section of stem, curling it around the edges of the pot if necessary.
3. Place the lid on and leave on a bright windowsill out of direct sun.
4. Check every week until roots and shoots have appeared, then pot up into gritty compost.

This method works for most peperomias except succulent types such as Peperomia columella, which can be rooted straight into gritty compost instead.

Pothos pushing under net curtains; red pelargoniums blazing from behind a misted window; palm fronds tapping against glass – I love spotting houseplants. Hairdressers’ windows are a good place to find them. Perhaps it’s the warm fug fostered by hair dryers, but plants seem to thrive in salons. My own hairdresser has just one plant, but it’s a beauty – an asparagus fern that trails from the top of a cupboard near an east-facing window.

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How to care for asparagus fern

Is asparagus fern a real fern?

Despite fern-like, frothy foliage, an asparagus fern is not a bona fide fern: asparagus ferns are part of the genus asparagus and cousin of the much-prized vegetable (Asparagus officinalis). If you struggle to grow true ferns, try an asparagus fern. These ferns are invaluable if you find yourself unable to meet the care requirements of, say, a maidenhair fern, whose precise approach to soil moisture (not too wet, not too dry) can test the most attentive grower.

Asparagus ferns’ refusal to wilt, along with their wiry tenacity, has long made them a hit with florists. Celebrity florist Simon Lycett has an office full of photographs of brides past and present holding bouquets with clouds of asparagus ferns. “It’s been a real stalwart of florists ever since we started arranging, certainly from Victorian times,” he says.

Where do asparagus ferns originally come from?

The half-dozen or so species that make up the asparagus ferns commonly raised as houseplants hail from southern Africa, where they grow as understorey plants in dappled light. The tuberous roots that store energy and water to carry the asparagus fern through lean times in the wild make these ferns tolerant of the occasionally aberrant watering regime of the average indoor gardener. Another curious feature is the tiny, scale-like structures on the stems of an asparagus fern: what we assume to be leaves are in fact cladodes, which are flattened stems that can photosynthesise.

Asparagus fern care

Where to put your asparagus fern

When choosing an asparagus fern, it’s important to consider how these plants like to grow. Some species are born to climb. In a garden centre recently, I spotted a lovely specimen of the ubiquitous Asparagus setaceus, the common asparagus fern. At 1m tall it was living its best life, sending out bare, wiry stems to wrap around its pole, before clothing those stems in feathery foliage. Nearby, pots of asparagus smilax  (Asparagus asparagoides) look set to burst the bounds of their tiny trellises and colonise the whole shop. Other asparagus fern forms suit hanging or trailing. My hairdresser’s plant, Sprenger’s asparagus (Asparagus aethiopicus), looks best as a waterfall of wiry stems cascading from a hanging basket, while the foxtail fern (Asparagus densiflorus ‘Myersii’), has plume-like stems and a bushy habit that looks stunning on a plant stand.

One downside is that asparagus ferns have thorns that can scratch mercilessly when repotting, and the thorniest of all asparagus ferns is the sicklethorn (Asparagus falcatus).

Not too dry or hot

Although asparagus ferns may shed their needle-like foliage with abandon if the compost is allowed to dry out too much, or when they are situated somewhere too dry and hot.

The asparagus fern likes a snip

And just follow my hairdresser’s lead and give your asparagus fern a quick trim with a pair of scissors if it starts to get out of bounds.

The best pot for an asparagus fern

A heavy, terracotta pot has two advantages when it comes to an asparagus fern: those ferns with a trailing habit are less likely to topple, and plants are not prone to succumb to yellowing fronds owing to overwatering, as excess water can evaporate away through the porous pot. When it comes to dividing, however, plants in clay pots can prove a challenge.

How to propagate asparagus fern

Late winter or early spring is a good time to tackle this task. First, give the plant a good soak in water for an hour. Then, wearing thick gloves to protect from thorns, work an old palette knife around the edge of the pot to loosen the rootball (many a terracotta pot has been smashed as a result of an asparagus fern set like concrete into it). Once the rootball is dislodged, start teasing away at the chunky, white root tubers, separating the plant into equal portions, each with a decent set of roots and foliage. Pot up the asparagus fern individually into houseplant compost with a handful of grit or perlite for added drainage.

As the winter nights grow longer and temperatures drop, I like to remind myself of the hot summer days spent in the garden or travelling abroad. In this pot display the terracotta holds a rustic warmth that is complemented by the cool, monochromatic planting. Succulents are used throughout the entire display and reference their arid growing conditions, hopefully providing an uplifting contrast to the dark days of winter.

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How to achieve the look

Container and composition

The container is a classic, simple shape. Most importantly, it has a wide top that allows for a generous arrangement. Warmth comes from the weathered terracotta, its subtle markings echoed in the mottled foliage of the sansevieria. Its glaucous tones are repeated throughout the planting, emphasising the texture and form of the plants while perfectly complementing the soft terracotta. Tinges of dark-red detail on some of the foliage highlight the various leaf shapes and bring a warmth to the planting. Mixing bold plants, such as the kalanchoe and sansevieria, with those of a softer texture, such as the sedum and crassula, provides interesting contrast.

Plants:

Sansevieria kirkii ‘Silver Blue’ (above left) Unusual sansevieria with thick blue-green leaves. 20cm. RHS H1.

Kalanchoe thyrsiflora (above right) Large, paddle-shaped leaves. Prefers a sunny frost-free site. 50cm. AGM. RHS H2.

Crassula rupestris subsp. marnieriana ‘Hottentot’ (below left) Succulent with snake-like stem. Best in sun. 15cm. RHS H2†.

Crassula arborescens (below centre) Branching succulent with flat blue-grey leaves that have a burgundy margin. Prefers sun. 1.2m. RHS H2.

Sedum burrito (below right) Low-growing succulent with thick trailing stems. Prefers sun. 1m. RHS H2.

Planting and care

Succulents are relatively slow growing, so be generous when planting and select a suitably sized pot that will look full when planted.

• Fill the pot with a soil-based compost and added grit.
• Begin to add plants by positioning the largest specimens first, before gently filling in gaps with smaller plants. Add additional potting mix as you go to ensure plants are held firm and secure.
• Once complete top dress with horticultural grit to prevent soil from splashing on the plants when watering. Use a narrow trowel, or a hori hori, to help ensure you get the potting mix and grit into difficult, hard-to-reach gaps. Water in well.

These are all tender plants that need a frost-free site, so in winter keep inside in a warm, sunny spot, and water sparingly. The pot could be put outside in late spring, when all risk of frost has passed.