How to | Talk to Your Plants

“You’re a lovely little houseplant, aren’t you? YES you are. Such a GOOD little houseplant!”

Banish all thoughts of Prince Charles chatting to his geraniums, if you want healthy blooms, you need to find plenty of conversation 

It’s official: plants grow better when you talk to them. At one point it was thought that the CO2 we breathe out as we speak was good for plants’ health and that’s what made them grow, but more recently, experiments have shown that actually it’s all about what we say and how we say it. Here are a few tips and conversation starters for your greenhouse or kitchen windowsill.

Big them up

An experiment by the TV show Mythbusters back in 2004 found that plants who were spoken to in a positive way about nice things grew faster than plants who were talked to about negative topics. Well, we all like to hear a few compliments now and then. 

If you can’t say anything nice, DON’T say nothing at all

The same Mythbusters experiment found that the plants that were told negative things and spoken to in a nasty way still did better than the plants that were kept in silence. So don’t worry if you can’t think of anything nice to say - even a few insults are better than nothing. 

Read to them

If you find keeping up one half of a conversation tricky (spider plants aren’t known for their verbosity), just read out loud to them. We recommend Day of the Triffids or something else with a central character they can relate to. 

Play them music

Research projects from Smithsonian and NASA seem to suggest that it’s the vibrations that make plants grow so if you can’t be bothered to chat to your plants, just pop a playlist on. Go for something with plenty of bass; plants in the Mythbusters experiment grew better when they were ‘listening’ to heavy metal than classical music. Try some Guns ‘n’ Roses, with the emphasis on the Roses.

If you’re inspired to treat your plants even more and like the look of the macrame plant pot holders in the picture above, you can buy them at saroraknots.co.uk. The owner of Sarora Knots, Sara Al Bander, tells us about her day in cups of tea in our November issue, which is on sale now.

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Galanthomania | Or How To Find Fame on Your Daily Walk

If you go down to the woods today you might be in for a bigger surprise that you think

Hunting for snowdrops is one of the joys of this time of year, and can feel like a natural treasure hunt. Seeing their little white heads poking up through the dark floor, whether you’re in the forest or even just taking a turn around the garden is a magical moment that signals the thaw of winter. And February is Galanthomania time, as Galanthophiles (snowdrop lovers) the world over hunt for new species, which, rather thrillingly, can crop up literally anywhere. 

If you have a couple of different species sneaking up through the lawn in your garden, or know of some woods nearby where they proliferate, it’s worth getting your knees dirty to crouch down and check that what you’re looking at isn’t a rare or brand new species. 

The current record for the sale of a single snowdrop is just under £1,400 for a ‘Golden Fleece’ snowdrop, which would certainly put a spring in your spring step. But how do you tell a (literally) common or garden snowdrop from something a little rarer? 

How to spot a Special Snowdrop

Golden Fleece Snowdrops have an open look. as if they were drapped upon someone’s shoulders (hence the fleece), with splashes of lime green on the petals. Elizabeth Harrisons have a golden ‘ovary’ (the bulb bit between petals and stem) and a yellow shade to the petals. Meanwhile, Green Tears have lime green stripes on the outer petals and are a brighter green inside. You can also look out for varieties with green spots on the inside of the petals, various differences in colours, and petals that flare out or appear a different shape to normal. 

What should I do if I spot Snowdrop Treasure?

You need to ask the landowner’s permission to take just a small piece of the bulb. If you get lucky and they’re in your garden, obviously it’s finders keepers. The way to make money from them is to then grow them on and be able to sell more to collectors. But we think the most magical part is simply being able to become a rare plant collector just by stepping outside your front door. 

You can read more about snowdrop walks and other things to do in your lunchbreak in our feature, Make A Break For It, in our Feburary issue, which is out now.

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Nest | Kangaroo paw

Kangaroo paw, also known as Anigozanthos, is native to Australia and has a paw-like structure, hence the name. It’s now available in shades of silver and pale pink though it’s best known in its fiery colours of ochre, amber, red and rust.

The flowers work well in a mixed arrangement due to their stiff structure. Kangaroo paw is also good in mini bouquet-style buttonholes as its native climate means it can last all day without water.

Photography and flowers: Ellie Marlow, Catkin & Pussywillow, Winchester railway station (catkinandpussywillow.com)
 

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Five black plants

Don’t be afraid of the dark: adding a touch of gothic horror to your garden can be smart, dramatic and not at all spooky

THE NEW BLACK FIVE FAVOURITE PLANTS

1 ALCEA ROSEA ‘NIGRA’

Tall, stately hollyhocks are a staple of the traditional English cottage garden. Subvert their easy charm by choosing the mysteriously dark variety, ‘Nigra’, with its glossy velvety petals. Available from crocus.co.uk.

2 ZANTEDESCHIA ‘BLACK STAR’

Sending their silky maroon spathes out from speckled green leaves, these arum lilies add an exotic flavour to patio containers. They also make elegant and long-lasting cut flowers.

From jparkers.co.uk

3 OXALIS TRIANGULARIS ‘BURGUNDY WINE’

The purple-leaf false shamrock is ideal in a conservatory or on a sunny windowsill. It’s lovely to look at, its deep-plum leaves folding themselves up at night.

From thompson-morgan.com.

4 SAMBUCUS NIGRA F.PORPHYROPHYLLA ‘EVA’

A stunning variety of our native elder. Umbels of pale-pink flowers stand out against its dark lace leaves in summer, and you’ll be rewarded with deep, glossy berries come autumn.

Available from crocus.co.uk.

5 TULIPA ‘QUEEN OF NIGHT’

These graceful tulips make a bold statement in the garden, in pots or borders. Plant the bulbs over the coming weeks to enjoy their deep velvet blooms in spring. They also make excellent cut flowers.

Available from sarahraven.com.

Turn to page 113 of October’s The Simple Things for more black gardens.
 

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Nest | Hydrangeas

The mophead blooms of the hydrangea look as good in a vase as in the border.

“They may not be the cheapest cut flowers,” says Ellie Marlow, florist at Catkin & Pussywillow, “but they work well either as statement arrangements or single stems in bud vases. As their name suggests, they are thirsty blooms and like a lot of hydration. Should they droop, dip the stem into boiling water for a minute. That will revive them.”

Photography and flowers: Ellie Marlow, Catkin & Pussywillow, Winchester railway station (catkinandpussywillow.com)
 

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Nest | Cornflowers

With pretty ruffs of cobalt blue* petals, cornflowers bring a little wildflower- meadow magic into the home.

“They work brilliantly as a cut flower, either alone or mixed with other British garden flowers like dahlias,” says Ellie Marlow, florist at Catkin and Pussywillow. “For anyone planning a late summer wedding, they also make beautiful buttonholes and flower crowns.”

*Although don’t be limited to just blue: there are also white, pink, red and purple varieties.

Photography and flowers: Ellie Marlow, Catkin & Pussywillow, Winchester railway station (catkinandpussywillow.com)
 

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Nest | Nigella

With its tangle of spiky foliage, Nigella (Love-in-a-Mist) is the quintessential cottage garden plant. “Nigella lends itself well to meadow- style jar arrangements, small posies and wedding bouquets,” says Ellie Marlow, florist at Catkin & Pussywillow. “The dried seed pod is beautiful, too, and looks great matched with autumn colours when summer has passed.”

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Nest | Delphiniums

The towering spikes of delphiniums (aka larkspur), at their best in June, make ideal cut flowers. Easy to look after, they will last for up to seven days in a vase.

“They are best displayed en masse in a tall vase,” says Ellie Marlow, florist at Catkin & Pussywillow. “Or with other strong blooms like hydrangea or peonies for a gorgeous summery bunch.”

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Nest | Lily of the Valley

With delicate, nodding blooms, lily of the valley is a popular choice for brides. Which doesn’t mean the rest of us shouldn’t enjoy them in the house. Their ephemeral nature means they won’t last long as cut flowers, however.

“Keep them out of sunlight in a miniature mixed posy or as a single bloom in a votive holder,” says Ellie Marlow, florist at Catkin & Pussywillow. “Or dig up and display with roots intact in a slim, glass, bud vase.”

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How to grow cut flowers

Here's an idea: turn a tired area of your garden into a cutting-flower patch and you'll be picking blooms all summer

If you don’t have green fingers, start with long-lasting perennials and shrubs from your local nursery or garden centre. A trio of scented ‘Gertrude Jekyll’ roses underplanted with pincushions of astrantia, daisy-like echinacea, and the foliage of bronze fennel all make good picking and will supply dozens of fragrant bunches. While autumn is the time for planting daffs and tulips, spring is good for getting gladioli and allium bulbs in the ground, as well as dahlias, with their stunning cactus and anemone shapes. 

For everyday bunches of loveliness, sow sweet peas. They’re easy to grow, and so benevolent with their blooms, you can pick every day of summer. There’s a wide range of colour, too. Build a hazel or bamboo wigwam for them to twine around and plant at the base of each strut. As seedlings appear, encourage them to clamber onto the frame with twine. Tender seedlings are a gift to molluscs, so sprinkle some wildlife-friendly slug pellets, too.

Turn to page 118 for more cutting patch advice, including how to do the groundwork, growing from seed and how to arrange your blooms.

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Nest | Pilea

Once a rare sighting, the round, glossy leaves of pilea are now seen increasingly in our homes. This is largely because they are so easy to propagate.

Plantlets that spring up around their base can be snipped off and potted on in a twinkling, with the resulting plants dispersed among friends.

“They’ll lean towards the light,” says Alice Howard of Botanique Workshop, artisan store and flower shop, “so keep them out of direct sunlight. Otherwise, they are as easy to care for as they are to propagate.”

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Nest | Succulents

We’ve all bought succulents expecting them to be a breeze to look after, only to find they bolt or simply perish. 

“Most succulents are killed from over-watering,” says Alice Howard of Botanique Workshop, artisan store and flower shop. “Wait until the soil is completely dry, then water. They need constant light to prevent straggliness.” 

Hang them in a pretty planter, like these, to keep them in your eyeline for daily pleasure and monitoring.

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Nest | Cacti

You can be fooled by cacti: they look unchanged week after week, bristling stoutly in their pots, not growing. Worried, you water around their roots, and then you water a little more. Then suddenly, they rot and die. “Cacti are a good option for the negligent plant owner,” says Alice Howard, owner of Botanique Workshop, artisan store and flower shop, “as long as you make sure the soil is dry before watering. And don’t water during winter.” Replicate their desert origins in a
well drained pot on a sunny windowsill and they will thrive.

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Nest | Oxalis

For a plant with such theatrical qualities – its purple leaves track the light and fold up at night like butterfly wings – an oxalis is remarkably low maintenance. Alice Howard, owner of Botanique Workshop, artisan store and flower shop, recommends adding grit to the pot, and feeding every so often. And don’t give up on it during winter when it dies back – it will recover in spring and reward you with pretty lilac flowers in summer.

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Nest | Calathea

No one puts a calathea in the corner. This most flamboyant of houseplants with its dual-tone leaves – stripes on one side, deep purple on the other – deserves to be centre stage. As long as it’s kept out of direct sunlight, that is: “Its natural habitat is the jungle floor,” says Alice Howard, owner of Botanique Workshop Artisan Store & Flower Shop, artisan store and flower shop, “so direct light will scorch its leaves. Mist regularly and water consistently, so the soil doesn’t dry out.” Do all of that and a pot of tropical lushness will be yours. 

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Nest | Ferns

With its delicate, feathery leaves, a potted fern will bring a soft lushness to any room.

Cluster a few different varieties together and the effect is even lovelier, conjuring up the speckled shadows of the forest floor.

Alice Howard, owner of Botanique Workshop Artisan Store & Flower Shop, recommends keeping its woodland origins in mind when bringing a fern home: “Don’t place it in direct sunlight,” she says. “And don’t let the soil dry out – mist regularly, especially when the air is dry.”

A little sylvan corner right there.

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Nest | String of hearts

This pretty plant with its string of heart-shaped leaves is just lovely tumbling from the top of a cupboard; add a couple more to create a delicate screen. 

“Let the soil dry out and then give them a good drenching,” says Alice Howard, owner of Botanique Workshop, artisan store and flower shop. “And mist the leaves, otherwise they can get scorched.”

They are easy to propagate, too. Each strand can be planted in a new pot to make a new one – in no time at all, your flat surfaces will be festooned with verdant delicacy.

String of hearts in terracotta pot, from £10; Brass mister, £14, both from Botanique Workshop, Exmouth Market, London EC1 (botaniqueworkshop.com)

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Home truths: Houseplants

Maybe it's our love for all things Scandi that kickstarted the houseplant revival. The Danes and Swedes have always appreciated the power of plants in the home, whereas we lost sight of it in the 80s when too many parched spider plants expired on windowsills. Or perhaps it’s because we now spend between 80–90% of our time indoors, and hanker for a link to nature, however slender.

Whatever the reason, a potted plant does us good both mentally and physically, and is a cheap way of enlivening a room. Try one of these five lovely house plants:

1. ALOE VERA (Barbados aloe): a very undemanding desert plant, above, with sharp spiky leaves and tubular flowers. Can withstand both direct sunlight and damp and humid conditions. 

2. CHINESE MONEY PLANT (Pilea peperomiodes): can be tricky to find but worth the search. Its lily-pad shaped leaves on long stems have a white spot in their centre. 

3. MONEY PLANT (Crassula ovata): a bringer of fortune. It needs little attention but is happiest in direct light.

4. PURPLELEAF FALSE SHAMROCK (Oxalis triangularis subsp. papilionacea): each stem has three butterfly-shaped leaves that fold up at night. Pretty pink flowers in spring.

5. STRING OF BEADS (Senecio rowleyanus): trails prettily from a hanging planter. It looks delicate but is hardy and requires infrequent watering.

Turn to page 118 of April's The Simple Things for more on the wonderful world of houseplants, including planters, displaying your plants, terrariums, airplants and house plant accessories.

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Competition: Win a copy of The Wicked Plants Coloring Book

Some plants are the root, berry and bark of all evil. In January’s Miscellany we take a look at the darker side of horticulture.

In The Wicked Plants Coloring Book, Amy Stewart and Briony Morrow-Cribbs offer up 40 menacing plants in gorgeous, vintage-style botanical illustrations to colour. from the vine that ate the South to the weed that killed Lincoln’s mother to the world’s deadliest seed. 

We’ve got five copies to give away. Enter below

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Make: Terrarium PLUS introducing the Urban Jungle Bloggers

Creative gardening need not be restricted to outdoors. Or, indeed, to off-the-shelf plant pots. Making a terrarium is a craftier way to display greenery and is a great project for anyone finding themselves low on either time or space. Building terraria is a revival of a past craze, which - hopefully much like your plants - has refused to die. Turn to page 106 of May's The Simple Things to find out how to make your own.

Got a taste for the green stuff? You're a born Urban Jungle Blogger.

Urban Jungle Bloggers is a mutual project initiated by Igor of Happy Interior Blog and Judith of JOELIX.com. They share a passion for plants and living with plants and decided to kick off a monthly blog series about living with plants, which soon turned into a thriving green community with almost 600 international bloggers joining in.

The Urban Jungle Bloggers team announces a monthly topic around styling with plants and informs the community through a monthly newsletter. Everyone who wants to can then join in and interpret the given theme according to their own style and home. There is no obligation to join in every month, so Urban Jungle Bloggers can pick whatever topic they like and share their green inspiration. Every blogger's efforts are then shared with the community on www.urbanjunglebloggers.com and on social media.

Don't have a blog? You can still join in. The team uses the hashtag #urbanjunglebloggers on Instagram which allows everyone to share and tag their green pics, with the images then shown in an interactive gallery on the Urban Jungle Bloggers website.

To join in, sign up for the monthly newsletter here. 

Find the terrarium make in May's The Simple Things. Buy, download or subscribe now.