Our Top 10 Plants for conservatories
If you’re lucky enough to have a conservatory, it is a great way to link the garden to the home.
An extension to the home, having a conservatory not only allows you fully enjoy the benefits of the bright days but also will allow you to grow a plethora of houseplants that will thrive in the sun.
Not only do these plants look beautiful, but they also help reduce stress, improve concentration and have been shown to increase productivity and creativity, whilst purifying the air. From cacti and succulents to climbing plants, our Top 10 recommendations will result in a show-stopping conservatory plant display.
Cacti
Cacti make the best conservatory plants, being lovers of full sun and hot temperatures, whilst requiring minimal watering. Varieties such as Opuntia fragilis (brittle cactus) will survive all year round, flowering in the summer months whilst Opuntia Microdasys Albispina (bunny eared cactus) is characterised by its wide and flat pads which grow out from like ears - a fun and eye-catching plant for your garden room.
Succulents
For novice gardens, low-maintenance foliage such as succulents is ideal for indoor plants to fill your conservatory. Crassula ovata (jade plant) needs a sunny spot in your conservatory where the plant can grow. Also known as the money plant, it has fleshy oval-shaped leaves and is believed to bring good fortune.
Echeveria makes a great conservatory display. There are many varieties for all tastes and all are truly striking plants. Producing large rosettes in a vast array of colours, it can tolerate very dry conditions but needs bright light.
Senecio rowleyanus (string of pearls plant) is the ideal hanging plant to add quirkiness to a conservatory. This succulent is a stunning addition, tumbling over the edge of an indoor container or hanging basket. Sedum morganianum (Donkey’s Tail) is a similar cascading succulent that is ideal to hang or display on a sill or shelf.
Palms
If you have a large conservatory, palms make fantastic houseplants when grown in containers. Why not try the Howea forsteriana (Kentia palm), a perfect palm for growing indoors that will add height and drama to a garden room. Beaucarnea recurvata (Ponytail palm) will thrive in a dry and humid environment. With its wild-haired foliage, it adds flair to your conservatory and is very slow-growing so can be enjoyed for years to come.
Large Plants
To bring a tropical vibe to your conservatory, why not try these plant ideas? Hibiscus rosa-sinensis will bring a splash of colour with its attractive trumpet-shaped blooms. Available in a multitude of shades, it likes to be well watered during the growing season from spring to autumn and is at home in a large container.
Bougainvillaea evokes memories of holidays and can be brought back to your abode and conservatory so you have a slice of the Mediterranean to relax in. A climbing plant can be trained on canes and needs at least 5-6 hours of bright indirect light.
All our conservatory picks above will take you to a warmer place when our summer skies are grey.
They will all grow in large pots with drainage holes. It’s important to keep the compost moist for all plants by watering and feeding, but only water in winter when needed and the soil is dry.
