During many years living in a first-floor flat, houseplants were my only source of greenery. As a nascent gardener, I bought impervious species, playing it safe with ivy, cacti and mint. I killed them all.

I look back on those days with a sense of shame. I mean, these are plants that many gardeners regard as indestructible. Sir Monty of Don, please don’t judge me.

Today, my houseplants benefit from oodles of TLC, and I’ve learned how to keep them alive. Dare I say that they thrive? From Swiss cheese beauties and Chinese money varieties to peace lilies and umbrella plants, they all give me pleasure. This is especially true in the winter months when my outside plot lies dormant and inclement weather makes gardening rather a chore. A houseplant cosseted indoors, kept warm by central heating and topped up regularly with water, pays no heed to frosty mornings and freezing rain.

Take the Christmas cactus, for example. So named due to its propensity to bloom in the darker months, its flattened stems and striking flowers are a proper joy. I have two in my bathroom, one of which is currently popping out the most incredible cerise flowers. These magical delights are extremely easy to grow and, luckily for me, very hard to damage.

Then there’s the Christmas stalwart: the poinsettia. At present, supermarkets and garden centres are awash with these red-leaved lovelies. They provide a welcome splash of colour during the grey and grizzly months. But be careful where you buy them. Avoid any stashed outdoors or in cold, draughty shops because poinsettias hate chilly conditions and you may find that your plant withers before Santa arrives. Equally, poinsettias loathe hot and dry environments so keep them away from radiators and direct sunshine.

Sadly, many people view poinsettias as a transitory treat, consigned to the bin along with that ill-thought-out Christmas jumper once New Year dawns. In our Northern hemisphere climate, where even a vaguely inclement windowsill can see off a poinsettia, it’s tempting to chuck it away once the foliage fades. But if you look after it, including repotting, watering only when the compost is completely dry, and pruning the stems to about four inches in early Spring, you’ll see red bracts and flowers again next Christmas.

Of course, indoor plants needn’t be solely a festive treat. Each year, I dry my own flowers, including grasses, thistles and poppies harvested from the garden during the summer months. Some I hang upside down in the kitchen, others I pop in vases and let them do their own thing. There’s something deeply appealing about extending the enjoyment of a plant that you’ve nurtured from seed. Failing that, bunches of dried flowers are freely available in shops and online.

If you’ve planned ahead, it’s still possible to pick plants and flowers from your garden during winter. Just yesterday, I pottered around outside with some secateurs and a smile on my face. Within a few minutes I had a spray in my hand comprising stems from my photinia red robin, redcurrant and dogwood as well as sedum and Michaelmas daisies. Glorious.

Now, where are the mince pies?

Words and photos by Helen Nugent, Editor of Northern Soul

 

A version of this article first appeared in Catena