How to create a winter oasis inside your home

Have you already put your garden to bed for the winter, but your green fingers are itching to get back out there? Perhaps you don’t have an outdoor space, and you’re looking for ways to embrace nature. Or maybe you don’t want to be outside in the wet, cold and miserable weather and prefer to tend to your plants in the comfort of your home. Whatever your reasons, indoor gardening is becoming a popular trend. It doesn’t have to take up too much space or time, but it brings a splash of colour as well as healthy, living greenery into your home.  

What Is Indoor Gardening? 

Whether it’s a single succulent on your office desk or a room full of exotic plants, you have an indoor garden. There’s no set size, as ‘gardening’ simply comes down to taking care of and growing plants, only this time, inside your own home. Indoor gardening is ideal for people without gardens or those living in cities looking to incorporate natural, breathing foliage into their living spaces. Either way, it’s a great hobby to embrace with multiple positives. 

The Benefits Of An Indoor Garden 

• They bring you closer to nature 
• Adds colour to your interior 
• Improves your air quality, especially with air-purifying plants 
• It’s good for your well-being, reducing stress and improving mood 
• You can grow and eat your own food 
• It’s a relaxing and therapeutic hobby 
• You learn more about plants and the natural environment 

When’s The Best Time To Establish Your Indoor Garden? 

Spring (March to May) is ideal for growing your indoor garden. This gives you time at the start of the year to plan and plot your indoor garden: consider the best location with plenty of light and space for your garden to grow. Springtime is when we start seeing more sunlight and a reasonably even temperature: not too cold or hot that your soil dries out – making it perfect for seedlings. 

Indoor Garden Ideas 

The brilliance of indoor garden designs is that you can make them completely bespoke to your space, lifestyle, and purpose. Here are our top 5 indoor winter oasis garden ideas:  

An indoor herb or vegetable garden 

Kitchens are ideal for growing herbs and vegetables such as basil, mint, chillis or tomatoes. They give off the most delicious scents and are on hand, ready to be picked and used as fresh ingredients. Also, they’re right by the tap, so you won’t forget to water them! Either place your edibles on a window seal or use shelving to display your tasty plants. For flavoursome fruits and veg, make sure to use rich soil and topsoil for extra nutrients. 

Mini greenhouses and terrariums  

To help your indoor plants thrive, you need to create the right environment. Miniature greenhouses are designed to create the perfect setting for growing plants. Plus, you can pick up some incredible styles to suit your décor and show off your indoor foliage.  

Terrariums are self-nourishing and fuss-free, and you can easily make your own! Start by choosing a large glass container, such as a bell jar. Create a soil bed consisting of soil, moss, bark and rocks. Then, add your chosen plants on top. We recommend succulents as they thrive in this type of environment, and their bold colours and quirky-shaped leaves look stunning in their glass habitat.  

Trailing plants 

An easy way to brighten up dull ceilings and walls is with delicate trailing plants. These plants help create height within your home and draw attention to otherwise wasted spaces. There are a lot of different textures, sizes and colours out there, so you really can have a lot of fun! Scatter them across shelves or clump them together over a window or doorway – just mind your head! 

Hanging plants 

Trailing plants also work well as hanging plants, as they elegantly hang over their pot. With hanging plants, you can suspend them from anywhere, although be mindful of hitting people’s heads! Pick between hanging baskets, hanging plates, or macrame plant hangers to display your flowers. Hang them individually in bathrooms and bedrooms, or group a few at different heights for an eye-catching display.  

Indoor jungles 

There are split opinions on this wild indoor garden look, but we like it! Done right, a jungle-themed indoor garden can work in both small and large rooms to create a dramatic statement. To achieve this effect, invest in oversized plants with large leaves like Monsteras. Mix in plants of different heights, colours, and leaf patterns to create texture and density, so whenever you look at it, you spot something new in your jungle; sorry, we mean garden.  

Our Indoor Gardening Tips 

Like any garden, there are always hints and tips to get the most out of what you’re growing.  

With indoor gardening, choose a style that suits your space – you don’t want it to takeover your home or look sparse in the corner of a room. You should also consider: 

• Track your temperature – indoor plants grow best between 18-24°C. 
• Spot the sunlight – remember, plants need photosynthesis to turn sunlight into food and energy. If your plants are a little limp, move them into the light.  
• Check your soil – a touch test will determine if your soil is too dry or too wet. If needed, repot your plant with fresh, high-quality soil. 
• Use fertiliser – separated from the natural world, indoor plants sometimes require a little help. Adding fertiliser to struggling plants will give them the boost they need.  
• Watch their leaves – this is an easy way to keep an eye on your plant’s health. Discoloured, brown, curled or limp leaves are all signs something’s wrong.  
• Support their size – when plants are happy, they show you! Often by growing bigger and healthier. Consider moving them to a larger pot for more room or planting them outside. 
• Keep them hydrated – there’s no natural humidity indoors for plants to absorb. Remember to regularly water or mist your plants so they don’t dry out. 
• Talk to them – whether you believe plants can hear you or not, some positive affirmations won’t hurt! Even if it’s a whisper, let them know you’re rooting for them.  

The Best Plants For An Indoor Haven 

Not sure where to start with your indoor garden inventory? First, consider the aesthetic you’re trying to achieve and the plants/edibles you like. This will encourage you to care more about what you’re growing. Here are some of our favourite indoor plants: 

• Indoor Vegetables: lettuce, kale, tomatoes, beans, chillies. 
• Indoor Herbs: basil, oregano, lavender, parsley, rosemary, chives. 
• Indoor Flowers: roses, daisies, marigolds, geraniums, pansies, zinnia, petunias. 

• Indoor Fruits: strawberries, blueberries, limes, lemons, oranges, raspberries. 
• Indoor Plants: spider plants, aspidistras, rubber plants, snake plants, succulents, cacti. 

Your Indoor Gardening Supplies 

Ok, you’ve picked your plants and chosen your spot, now you need the right indoor garden tools and kit. Here are our go-to indoor garden supplies: 

• Gardening gloves 
• Plant pots or trays 
• Plants (flowers, vegetables, fruits or herbs) 
• Watering can and water spray 
• Secateurs  
• Soil and fertiliser  

Keep us in the loop 

We love to see how your indoor and outdoor gardens are thriving. So, send us or tag us in your proud plant pictures! If you need any gardening tips, then get in touch with the GDT team.