Lego has come up with a solution for people who can't keep plants alive

We all know that plants are important for our mental health, but keeping them alive and thriving can be a challenge.

If you weren’t blessed with a green thumb and your once-lush indoor plants now look more like bare twigs, your plant prayers may have been answered. 

Lego has just unveiled a Botanical Collection and these “plants” won’t need regular watering, their leaves won’t wilt, they won’t even mind if you stick them in a dark corner and forget about them for a few months, making them an ideal option for even the most neglectful plant parent.

If you loved playing with blocks as a kid and kind of miss it, now’s the chance to relive those childhood memories but in a grown-up, stylish way, of course.

You can craft your own floral bouquet of colourful roses, poppies, daisies, snapdragons and asters from the 756-piece flower kit. Flower stems are adjustable so you can build them to fit most vases, up to 36 centimetres.

There’s also a rose kit and tulip kit, or, if you’re after something a little more zen, opt for the 878-piece bonsai tree kit. 

The bonsai looks (almost) like the real thing and you can construct the base, tray, soil, tree and blossoms. There’s also an option to build a cherry blossom canopy so you can swap between the two as the seasons change. 

Not only is it a DIY project that will keep you occupied for hours (of course, this depends on your level of patience and dedication), but you can then enjoy your creations from any corner of your space.

The Danish toymaker has pledged to make all of its core products from sustainable materials by 2030, using sugarcane to create a plant-based polyethylene. 

Kits in the Botanical Collection include pieces made from the plant-based plastic, but Lego states on its website that the plastic is plant-based but not biodegradable.

Once you’ve mastered the art of Lego building and are feeling confident in your caretaking abilities, you could up the stakes by graduating to a real, living and breathing indoor plant.

Horticulturist Tammy Huynh, of Leaf an Impression, recommends these foolproof plants to add to a blossoming collection:

Snake plant or mother-in-law’s tongue

“This is probably one of the most forgiving plants out there – it can tolerate low light and needs little watering. It will be fine even if you go away for 3-4 weeks (just give it a good water before you go). Plus, there are so many interesting leaf forms and patterns to choose from.” 

Syngoniums

“In many outdoor gardens, syngoniums are considered weeds because of their ability to grow and spread without much care, making them perfect house plants.

“Allow them to trail over the sides of pots or give them a totem made out of sphagnum moss or coconut fibre for them to climb.“

Philodendron

“A hugely varied genus, hailing from tropical and subtropical rainforests. Not all species in this genus are easy care (some require heating in winter), but the ones you find at your local nursery are ideal house plants. Position them in a brightly lit spot, out of direct sunlight and water when the top 2.5-5cm of soil is dry.” 

Devil’s ivy

“Often touted as indestructible and it’s easy to see why. Devil’s ivy will grow in low light (this does not mean no light), but fares better if it’s growing in bright, indirect light.

“Regular watering is preferred, but it can withstand longer periods between watering. If the leaves are curled or droopy, you’ve left watering a little too long.” 

Peace lily

The peace lily “prefers to be grown in a brightly lit room, out of direct sunlight, but can also tolerate growing in low to medium light”.

“Water when the soil is near dry, but if you forget, don’t worry, it will certainly tell you when it’s dying for a drink – all the leaves will droop. Give it a good deep water and after a couple of hours, it will pick up again.”