Benefits of Having Indoor Plants + 5 Easy Houseplant Ideas for New Plant-Parents

Having indoor plants brings a range of benefits. It can not only be great for your physical and mental health, it can also help you move closer to a greener, more sustainable and more eco-friendly way of life. Those who are choosing reusable items, and moving closer to a zero waste lifestyle will certainly find that having houseplants can be one more step to take in the right direction.

Indoors plants come in many shapes and sizes. Many of the plants you can grow in a garden can also be grown indoors. This includes a number of edible plants, flowers and herbs that will help you to take a DIY approach and reduce the amount of packaging that you bring into your home. Remember, you can grow your own at home even if you do not have any outside space at all.

But houseplants can also be plants that are grown year-round inside your home, which could not be grown outdoors in your climate. Even when indoors plants to not provide any direct yields, they can sill be beneficial to grow inside your home. 

Any indoor plant can bring benefits in terms of the air quality inside your home. Remember, when plants photosynthesise, they absorb carbon dioxide (that we breathe out) and emit oxygen (that we breathe in. What is more, plants also help to remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and toxins from the environment. So they literally help us breathe easier. 

Another thing to remember is that we human's thrive in a green environment. The more connected we are to nature, the more relaxed we feel. Houseplants have been proven to have a positive effect on our mental health. They help reduce stress, and have a calming effect. 

If you are new to growing indoors, it is important to remember that there are a few key things you need to know. You need to place plants in the right places, and cater to their environmental needs. If you are new to houseplants, here are some very easy options to consider:

Cut and Come Again Salad Leaves

If you would like to grow your own food indoors, then cut and come again salad leaves are an excellent place to begin. These indoors plants can be grown on a sunny windowsill just as easily as they can in your garden – and reusable containers can be great for seed starting. Indoors growing of simple salad leaves can be a gateway to growing your own. It really is something that anyone can do. 

Perennial Herbs

Perennial herbs can also be relatively easy options if you want to obtain a yield from the indoors plants you grow. Mint, thyme, and chives can all be other easy options for your sunny windowsills, for example. Remember, as perennials, these plants can remain as houseplants over several years. 

Succulents

If you do wish to grow indoors plants, but do not wish to grow your own food or other resources indoors, then succulents are a range of plants that can be particularly easy to care for. Succulents are tolerant of a little neglect and perfect for those who may not be great at remembering to water their plants. They store water in their leaves or other parts, so can withstand dry conditions. Jade Plant (Crassula) and houseleeks (Sempervivum) are just two common and easy to care for examples.

Air Plants

Air plants are another intriguing option. And there are a number of air plants that are relatively easy for beginners and which can really enhance the interior of your home. Tillandsia can be low maintenance, and as long as you take care of the basics, won't even need a potting soil. 

Trailing Vines

Other great low maintenance houseplants to consider include trailing vines, that can look great, and cope with dimmer, warm conditions inside your home. Porthos (Devil's Ivy), for example, is one option that can cope with even the most neglectful of novice gardeners. 

Whatever you choose to grow indoors, you will certainly see the benefits. Houseplants and indoors crops will provide you with an enhanced living environment, which will allow you to live in a greener way. Share your space with as wide a range of plants as possible and you will certainly see the benefits.