Of the many species of Mammillaria, Cristata is the form known as the Brain Cactus, and it’s not hard to see why! It has multiple convoluted and sinuous growths with new growths overlapping old giving it’s unique structure. Their spines grow close together in various sizes, combined with the hair like spines this green plant gives off a grey-ish hue. Light and Water T need a good amount of light shade to full sun this help to keep the plants healthy, although slow growth. A sun facing desk or shelf, nestled in between other sun loving plants for partial shade will be a perfect spot while also being a talking point display. Water sparingly from March till October (weekly during summertime, if the weather is sunny enough) , with a little fertilizer added. Less or no water during cold winter months, or when night temperatures remain below 10° to prevent root loss. It is sensitive to overwatering.
The Monstera plant (or Swiss Cheese plant) has become a common household tropical plant adorning spaces with its wonderfully large and unique foliage. We love this hybrid variety with perforated holes in the glossy leaves. In your house they’re guaranteed to be unlike any other foliage heavy plants you own. Monsteras needs lots of space when mature, so as it begins to outgrow its pot, move it to a statement-making spot in the living room, rather than in a tight corner or on a windowsill. If it gets too big for your liking, you can always trim off one of the largest leaf or two and display them in a vase. In the wild these grow in tropical rainforest in crevices between trees and the gaps in the leaves allow for light to reach its lower foliage. They make an interesting hanging basket or can be grown on a totem pole or other support. Light and Water It’s not hard to take care of and is tolerant of surprisingly low light. Avoid direct sunlight and place anywhere from low light to bright indirect light. Find a balance between sun and shade where possible. If Monstera is given too much sun, the leaves will yellow. If it’s left in the dark, the plant will exhibit something called negative phototropism, where new leaves grow towards the dark, rather than the light. In the jungle, this would signal to the plant the presence of a large tree which it will grow toward in an attempt to climb it. As with all plants from the tropics, Keep in a fairly humid environment either with regular misting or a pebble tray. Water your Monstera moderately and evenly, about once a week. Wait until the soil is fairly dry before watering again.
The Maidenhair Vine is a Muehlenbeckia which are evergreen or deciduous shrubs or semi-woody climbers, with alternate leaves. Its full of masses of thin wiry stems, that are covered in small dark green leaves. It’s a fast-growing and unusual plant, perfect to grow as a shrubby, scrambling groundcover, or if given something to cling to, a twining climber. It is one of the best plants for training on a small trellis. While not necessary for it to climb, it can easy cover a lot of floor space so you can consider hanging it too as a trailing plant or in a hanging basket. The combination of fast growing, large space coverage and the light and airy feel the foliage gives, it’s great for entrances to gardens, ground cover in the garden or indoor near the ceiling. Severe cold will cut it back to the base, which could be a good thing if you have trouble from taking over your space, but it will re-shoot come spring to summer. Light and Water This plant will grow anywhere from sun to shade. However, it will grow best in full sun with some cover to partial shade. Make sure the soil drains well as keeps fairly moist. Test the soil and if the first 2 inches are dry, its time for watering. Water thoroughly until you see some run out from the bottom.
Commonly known as the “Prickly Pear” cactus, this a decorative variety of Opuntia which produces the edi-ble oval-shaped yellow-red fruit. Opuntia family of cacti are known for their unusual shapes and this one is no exception. With large thorny pads and oval bulbus fruits, this is one of the more alien-looking plants in our collection. Light and Water The plant likes a sunny position and can be placed outdoors in the summer to receive more heat. However hardy this plant is, it is not suitable for UK climates. In winter, the plant likes it dry and cool, so you should bring this plant indoors during winter, or keep it indoors all year round near a sunny windowsill. It prefers di-rect sunlight to indirect light. Prickly pears are extremely drought tolerant. During the growing season don’t water newly propagated pads for the first month. After that, water every two to four weeks for the first year — twice a month in summer and once a month other times of the year/ Prickly pears prefer alkaline to neutral soil if you need to repot them. More importantly, the soil needs to drain well, as residual moisture or puddling can cause the plant to rot.
Originally from South America, the Peperomia Angulata (sometimes called Radiator Plants) is a beautiful hanging plant with light green leaves and attractive lighter green stripes on creeping stems. The red stems add further interest and the plant looks fantastic left to creep along a shelf or trail from a hanging planter. It has a compact, spreading nature and is particularly suited to growing in low or fluorescent light, making it perfect for offices and shady spots. They are fairly slow growing plants, so you watch them creep along your room for the years to come. Light and Water Peperomia Angulata are fine in moderate light conditions and will tolerate shade. Avoid direct sunlight. They do well under fluorescent lights, making them ideal for the office or basement flat. Water when the soil has almost dried out, Radiator Plants don’t like to be over-watered. Water from below by placing the plant in a dish or pool of water until full saturated. Water is stored in the leaves making these plants drought resistant. Peperomia enjoy raised humidity levels but most of the time they do just fine in normal household conditions.
Common names for this plant include Trailing Jade or Jade Necklace, for its wonderfully green cascading stems and fleshy leaves. With masses of stems, they overlap and trail beautifully over each other forming a long trail of vivid green, a welcome addition to any space. However, unlike succulents they thrive on moisture and tropical temperatures, so perfect for a bathroom or placed up high. Light and Water These Peperomia like to avoid direct bright sunlight. Keep in a bright room with indirect sunlight. A small amount of morning or evening sun won't harm, but midday sun could scorch the leaves and harm the plant. Overwatering is the worst offender for most Peperomias including this species. This is because of its succulent nature and small roots. Allow the soil to become dry then water thoroughly. Water when soil is dry, usu-ally every 1-2 weeks and do not let the plant stand in water. During the winter reduce watering to a minimum. Better too little than too much. During the summer mist the leaves. As the plant does prefer high humidity, grouping it together with other plants is a good idea. This will increase humidity within the area. If dry air problems occur - make efforts to improve the humidity, but most will be fine with normal indoor humidity levels.
The Rainbow Bush (Portulacaria Afar f. Mediopicta) is a slow growing succulent shrub. It has distinctive red stems which are adorned with little light green leaves that are heavily variegated. With so much colour con-trast, and the intertwining stems as it matures, this is a feast for the eyes when grown. Speaking of growing, this stemmed succulent is particularly versatile and easy to grow. Plant it outdoors in warm climates and it can grow into a dense, 4.0' tall shrub. Keep it indoors in a small pot and it will stay a petite, bonsai plant. However, with all succulents in the UK climate they like to be kept warm during the winter months. So, bring indoors if you are placing outdoors or keep it indoors in a warm place all year round. Light and Water Keep in direct sunlight, bright light or bright indirect light. In Summer water thoroughly only when 100% of the soil has dried out. After watering allow soil to dry 100% - water sparingly (every two month). Spring gradually increase watering - depending on temp and light expo-sure.
Donkey’s Tail, Sedum morganianum ‘Burrito’, is a fantastic succulent, bearing thick trailing stems covered with overlapping, plump, blue-green leaves. Star-shaped flowers in pink or red may appear at the tips of stems in summer. Too tender for our climate, it’s typically grown as a houseplant, although may be moved outside in summer, just make sure you bring it back in during the winter. It makes an interesting addition to hanging baskets. Light and Water Keep it in a bright room with good sun exposure, anywhere from bright indirect light to low shade. These plants are used to climates where the soil drains the water quickly and the water is infrequent. So, wa-ter when the soil has completely dried out and when you do make sure it drains completely as they do not like to sit in water. Start with watering every 10-14 days and adjust this schedule depending on how warm your home is.
Lavender plants are wonderfully coloured and smelling herb suitable for outdoor gardens. Keep it in a well-lit place with plenty of sunshine. They also have the benefit of being very bee friendly. They contain a lot nectar and more importantly flower at the midsummer gap where other flowering plants are absent. Providing a vital food source for large colonies. When it comes to repotting or planting in your garden, the most important factor is to use a well-drained limey soil (alkaline) and little or no fertilizer. Problems usually arise because the soil is unhealthy. Lavender likes heat, and many varieties won't survive a cold winter. You can consider placing them in a larger well-draining pot (like a terracotta pot) and moving them indoors during the winter, placing them near a well-lit window. Pruning is necessary to extend the life of the plant. Trim lightly in autumn immediately after flowering and in mid spring cut back straggly plants to promote bushy new growth. Cut back to about a third of the grey-leaved stems. Lavenders that are not pruned tend to become woody in the centre. Water them sparingly. Allow the soil to dry out between watering, but don't let it get so dry that the plant wilts. A lot of this depends on the size of the plant and current temperature, so in the summer, weekly checking is recommended to assess the water level in the soil.
Rosemary is a versatile herb, providing evergreen interest all year round, fragrant leaves for use in cooking, and nectar-rich flowers for bees in spring. Grow rosemary along a path, either in a well-draining pot or plant-ed in the soil once it matures, so every time you brush past, the leaves release their aromatic oils. Overall, rosemary requires little maintenance during the year except cutting back after flowering to prevent plants becoming straggly and woody. Save the trimmings to propagate new plants or dry them for cooking. Light and Water Rosemary grows best in a sunny, sheltered spot in well-drained soil. It can struggle in heavy clay soils, par-ticularly in winter, when the ground tends to be wetter. Although frost resistance, the combination of the cold and waterlogged soil can kill immature rosemary plants. We suggest you move them inside during the winter. As they prefer to be on the drier side a terracotta pot will suit it well as they allow the soil to dry out faster. We also suggest you grow rosemary in well-drained soil in full sun. Young plants can suffer if their roots are sitting in wet soil in winter, so it’s a good idea to grow rosemary in a container for a couple of years before planting into the garden. Cut back annually (after blooming) to prevent the plant from becoming too woody. These cutting can then be dried out for cooking or propagated. Water when the soil is dry to the touch, water thoroughly and allow it to drain and dry completely before wa-tering again.
The Common Sage plants. As well as its culinary value, sage is a valuable decorative evergreen shrub, which doesn’t look out of place in ornamental borders. Its handsome foliage is a grey green which give way to spikes of blue/lilac flowers in the summer which are nectar and pollen rich. Sage is easy to grow and look after. Clip plants annually to preserve their shape and encourage growth of fresh leaves, which have the best flavour and colour. Older plants eventually become woody but are easily propagated from cuttings or by layering the naturally arching branches. Light and Water Grow in a light, moist, but well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade It is fairly drought tolerant, but like all other drought-resisting plants needs watering until well established. Plants may also need watering during prolonged dry periods, but always avoid overwatering. Water when the top of the soil feels dry to the touch, ensure the water drains fully. Avoid excessive winter wet as the cold can then damage the roots.
Mint is a perennial herb that is very easy to grow. It’s a good idea to put it in a pot on its own because it can invade the space of other plants if left unchecked. The flowers attract bees from mid-summer onwards. Prune back after flowering, cut the flowered shoots to around 5cm above the surface. Mint is a vigorous plant that will spread all over the place if planted straight into the ground. This is why it is a good idea to plant it in a large pot filled with multi-purpose compost that can be placed in a prominent place to make picking easy. Mint dies back over winter, but can be picked between late spring and mid-autumn. Pick regularly to keep plants compact and to ensure lots of new shoots. This also means you get to harvest lots of its leaves for your cooking. Light and Water Mint plants prefer partial shade, you can keep them in full sun if you want but you need to water them frequently. It is also one of the few herbs that grow well in shady areas, a truly versatile plant in regards to light requirements, but its ease of care can increase depending on where you place it. One thing Mint needs is constantly moist soil with adequate drainage. Mint plants like water, but they cannot withstand soggy soil and wet feet. Upon touch, if the soil feels dry, add water. It is probably best to water the plants in the morning so that they have plenty of moisture by the time the hotter afternoon sun hits. If you are growing your mint indoors, you will need to provide humidity. You can achieve this by misting the plant between waterings or set the container on a water-filled tray of pebbles.
A low-growing hardy perennial, thyme is a fragrant herb with small, fragrant leaves and thin, woody stems. The culinary varieties are evergreen. Originally from the Mediterranean area, this herb is drought-friendly so it doesn’t have high watering needs. It is also pollinator-friendly! Let some thyme plants flower, since the herb attracts the bees.Thyme can grow in the ground or in a container. Either is left outside in wintertime. New leaves will emerge within the early spring. Mint is a vigorous plant that will spread all over the place if planted straight into the ground. This is why it is a good idea to plant it in a large pot filled with multi-purpose compost that can be placed in a prominent place to make picking easy. Mint dies back over winter, but can be picked between late spring and mid-autumn. Pick regularly to keep plants compact and to ensure lots of new shoots. This also means you get to harvest lots of its leaves for your cooking. Prune the plants back in the spring and summer to contain the growth. Light and Water Thyme thrives in full sun and loves heat. If you are growing in a pot indoors, plant near a sunny window. Water deeply only when the soil is completely dry. Soil needs to drain well so there aren’t “wet feet.” In the garden, plant with other drought-tolerant perennials.
A relatively new variety of Sedum, the ‘Matrona’ variety is great for planting at borders or in pots. These grow into attractive red stems with olive green leaves that are flushed purple. The densely packed pink flower heads bloom on top of strong straight stems which, unlike many Sedums, need no support. Sedums store water in their foliage for dry periods. In high summer it bears flat-topped flower heads. Each flower bud is white and opens to produce pale pink petals, with many of individual flowers making up each flower head. These produce a stunning effect when planted en masse. They are vigorous hardy growers and one of the best-looking blooms from summer into late winter, providing a rare sight of colour during this period. Sedum ‘Matrona’ is ideal for attracting bees and butterflies in late summer, a vital food source for the midsummer gap. Light and Water Sedums like to grow in an open, sunny spot, ideally in well-drained soil. Water when soil is dry to the touch and water thoroughly, allowing the water to drain through.
A beautiful flowering plant rich and deep in colour. The Campanula covers ground quickly and is ideal growing along edges of balconies, terraces or gardens. They grow and spread out over the years offering longevity and filling up empty spaces in your home with bursts of colour. These fast-growing plants have a natural creeping habit which means they will spread quickly and form a neat, compact habit. Also known as the Bellflower plant, they are easy to care for and low maintenance is required. They also provide nectar and pollen for bees during their flowering season (summer) and mix well with other plants and can even grow in rocky terrains. Light and Water They require full sun for best flower production, and well-drained soil with moderate moisture. Once established, bellflower plants can tolerate periods of drought. Soil conditions for growing bellflowers can be any pH range, including highly acidic. Caring for Campanulas does not require any expertise. As with most perennials, they are hardy plants that tolerate quite a lot of extreme weather and arid conditions. Campanula care includes deadheading to promote more blooms and a longer lasting display. You can also cut it down to the ground in late winter to early spring to rejuvenate the plant. Keep the soil moist when flowering so you may have to water more regularly. In general, when the top two inches of the soil feel dry, water thoroughly and allow it to drain.
This large Yucca plant has a unique look with 3 brown thick trunks and vivid sword shaped leaves. Bringing a yucca plant indoors adds a focal point to a room and a great way to bring the outdoors inside in a large way. This product with three stems adds layers of height and lush greenery throughout. Light and Water This desert plant tolerates heat and dry conditions well. Will survive well if kept it in a well light area to partly shaded indoors. Give the plant a bit of water only when the soil is dry to the touch. Its is drought tolerant so well suited if you forget a watering or two.
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