Plants to Liven Up Your Home

Indoor plants add a burst of life and fresh air to your apartment.

Here are some of the best indoor plants that can add some much needed life into your home this spring and summer.

Health Benefiting Plants

There are many indoor plants you can purchase that will positively impact your health. The most common houseplant people have that is beneficial to your health is Aloe Vera. Aloe Vera is extremely easy to plant and maintain, requiring a terracotta pot with a mix of sand and potting soil, and only needs to be watered once every two weeks. Aloe Vera is used to treat sunburns, used for skin care, and has a plethora of other uses. 

Flowering Plants

Flowering plants can bring some much needed pop of colour to your home. Not only will they bring some colour, they also bring sweet smells, and help filter the air in your home. A few great plants to start with include anthurium, poinsettia (be careful if you have pets, as they can be toxic if eaten), hydrangeas, African violet, and many others. These plants are all easy to maintain, requiring watering typically once a week, while keeping them exposed to sunlight throughout the day.  

Foliage Plants

Foliage plants provide a more unique aesthetic, as they typically don't have the vibrant purples and yellows, rather they have long dangling fronds, and are usually much larger than a flower. Some of the more common foliage plants include arrowhead plants, spider plants, rubber plants, and Chinese evergreen plants. These plants provide you with some great health benefits, primarily filtering the air in your home, while being extremely easy to maintain. 

Edible Plants

There are many plants you can grow indoors that can help put some food on your table. Typically an indoor edible plant will be more of a garnish, rather than a meal, but there are ways you can grow microgreens in your home. Microgreens are sprout type plants, such as broccoli, celery, lettuce, peas, and many more. They are easy to grow, you just need a container and fill it ⅔-¾ full and make the soil damp, then sprinkle your seeds over the soil and cover the container with a lid to seal in the humid environment. Over the next few weeks you'll see your plants sprout, and after a few months they'll be ready to eat. Other edible plants you can grow indoors include green onions, basil, rosemary, mint, and many other small aromatic and flavour enhancing herbs.