House plants indoor oasis

From artfully plaited hanging rope baskets, to glass bottles containing mini eco-systems, we can’t get enough of the trend for indoor gardening which has meant desks, dining tables and mantelpieces far and wide are adorned with sweet little succulents, pretty potted plants, and terrariums. They can also be easy to maintain, with even the non-green fingered individuals among us able to care for simple cacti.

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Swiss cheese plants

The glossy leaves of the Swiss cheese plant were popular back in the 1970s, but are experiencing something of a renaissance as Instagrammers are drawn to their thick and waxy look and unique holey pattern that brings a touch of the tropics to your home. These luscious leaves actually hail from the humid climes of Panama and southern Mexico, but have spread to quirky coffee shops across the world, favoured among discerning home horticulturalists because of their easy-to-maintain nature.

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Succulents

The ultimate indoor plant favoured by green-fingered millennials, these plants retain plenty of water, meaning they do a great job of looking after themselves, and require little maintenance, getting thirsty just once a week depending on the drainage of the pot. Succulents grow to reveal a unique pattern as the thick and fleshy leaves overlap to create a spectacular natural swirl, and flower in a beautiful array of colours. The echeveria lola exhibits a dreamy hazy blue hue, while the purple pearl echeveria forms maroon-tipped leaves.

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Hoya plants

These house plants produce beautiful strings of leaves and look effortlessly delicate as they spill from their pots and cascade elegantly from hanging baskets, but despite their dainty appearance, hoya plants are actually incredibly tough and resilient. The string of hearts is a particularly pretty type – a trailing plant that adapts well to any kind of indoor environment, flowering with its dusty green petals turning a deep purple.

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Cacti

Common cacti are in their heyday as avid indoor gardeners are drawn to their variety of bizarre geometric shapes and sizes. Naturally found in dry deserts, they are known for their incredible ability to hold water, but this doesn’t mean they can be completely left to their own devices. Place them in gritty compost and be sure not to over-water or under-water altogether. The aptly named bunny ear cactus is hugely popular, but for quirkier styles, the clumping mammillaria exhibits an otherworldly geometric formation.