How to choose the best indoor plants for your Canberra home

It’s easy to understand the appeal of indoor plants. They add a lush pop of colour to your interiors and are proven to reduce stress, boost productivity, increase happiness, and improve your home’s air quality.

The part that’s not so easy? Keeping said plants alive and thriving.

Irene Donoghoe, owner of The Green Vine plant store in Braddon, says you can set yourself up for success by choosing the right plants.

“Plants like Monstera, peace lily, Philodendron, snake plants, and Zanzibar Gems are easy to keep in your home,” she says.

Some of them need watering only once a month, and they can go in a bright spot or low-light spot, and they’re just happy to hang out.

“They’re popular for a reason. If you pick classic, easy-care varieties, you can’t really go wrong.”

Whether you live in a house or an apartment, the key factor to consider is how much light you get. Easy-care plants will survive anywhere, but some varieties, such as cacti and succulents, need more sun.

The other main factor is water; despite what many think, all plants don’t need watering daily.

“Most plants prefer to dry out. Some only need to be watered once a week or once every two weeks,” says Donoghoe.

“And in Canberra during winter, hold back on the watering because it’s so cold that our plants don’t dry up as much. We generally recommend reducing the watering of your plants a lot during winter, so you might reduce it by half compared to summer.”

The age of your property can also affect how your plants grow.

“If you’ve got a newer home, they tend to hold … a really stable, consistent temperature, and usually, plants can be a bit easier to look after in those types of homes,” she says.

“Whereas if you have a home from the ’60s where the temperature drops really low at night, some varieties of plants don’t like getting too cold.”

Donoghoe says sometimes it can take a bit of trial and error, but once you get into a rhythm with your plants, they can be very easy to look after.

“And it’s really rewarding once you actually see all your plants thriving and growing. They can grow a really substantial amount in the year, and it’s always exciting to watch their progress.”