Easy house plants to brighten up your home

Tos trailing houseplant is so easy to grow and has rounded, fleshy, bead-like leaves, which form along the trailing stems, creating a lovely waterfall effect. We recommend popping it on a shelf for a beautiful focal point.

Water: Avoid overwatering, particularly in winter
Light: Bright, indirect light
Temperature: Maintain temperatures above 10°C in winter

With its beautiful white Lily flowers, this plant can bring a touch of elegance to any indoor space. This air-purifying plant will not go into full drama-queen mode if you happen to be heavy-handed with the watering can, and since it prefers to be nice and warm, it's perfect for indoor living.

Water: Fine with overwatering, keep soil moist but not soaking.
Light: Prefers indirect light but can withstand low light
Temperature: Can survive in low temperatures, but loves warmth, anything from 18-26°C

This plant is so fabulous, it's been used as a design on textiles and clothes for decades. It loves humidity, so if you want to add a splash of pizazz to your bathroom, put one of these plants in there for you to enjoy while you're in the bath.

Water: Once every one to two weeks when soil has dried out
Light: Medium to bright indirect light
Temperature: Anything over 15°C (the higher and more humid, the better)

The large and luscious leaves of the peperomia make it stand out from the crowd. Although it can grow both inside and outside, the protected indoor climate will keep it happier. Sweet-smelling little flowers grow from time to time, but they don't last very long and need to be picked off when they start to die. Other than that, your little raindrop doesn't need much attention.

Water: Only when soil is dry
Light: Bright, indirect light
Temperature: Average home temperature, i.e. 18-26°C

This little palm tree's popularity is credited to its surviving power (OK, and because it's beautiful). If you tend to forget about your plants and then panic when you get home thinking they'll all be dead (although that might be the case for some of them), the parlour palm will reduce stress as it'll still be there waiting for you, all bright and perky.

Water: Water every two to four days when the soil's top 2-inches is dry, make sure water is drained
Light: Bright, indirect light, but it will survive in bouts of low light
Temperature: Room temperature, 18-26°C, it likes to be humid (great for the bathroom)

Whether you've got this beauty in a hanging plant pot, hanging down from a high shelf, or climbing up a wall, the hedera helix will grow wherever you guide it, even providing a carpeting effect when used in a floral or plant arrangement. For extra fast growth, and optimal condition, sprinkle a little plant fertiliser in your English ivy's soil around once a month.

Water: When soil is dry, making sure the water is drained. It does love a good daily misting
Light: Indirect bright light
Temperature: Around 18-22°C, preferably humid

Beautiful, minimalistic, air-purifying, pollution-fighting, and low-maintenance. What more do you want from an indoor house plant? How about medicinal properties too? You got it! Keep your aloe vera plant out of direct sunlight and the cold and it will reward you by growing fast and strong and staying alive for years on end.

Water: Soak every one to two weeks when soil is completely dry
Light: No direct sunlight
Temperature: Not too cold, 13-27°C

The great thing about the schefflera, in addition to how pretty it is, is that is can adapt to any lighting conditions, so whether you've got the blinds up or down, if the sun's out or if it's a typical grey English day, your little umbrella plant will be fine even with artificial light, staying alive for your plant-enjoying pleasure.

Water: A good watering once a week when the soil is dry, mist the leaves every one to two days
Light: Bright, indirect light
Temperature: Not too cold, not too hot, around 14-18°C

A plant that looks great and can stay alive even if you forget to water it for a month? Yes, please! The snake plant loves bright, indirect sunlight but won't complain if it's left in the shade, and a once-a-week watering is all it needs to thrive. Fun fact: Another name for the snake plant is 'Mother-in-Law's Tongue'…

Water: Try to water once a week, don't overwater
Light: Bright, indirect light
Temperature: Anything between 15-28°C

The calathea is a cute air purifier with snazzy, crinkly leaves that are a deep red on the underside, providing some understated glamour and colour to the home. They don't like to be overwatered (perfect for the forgetful among us) and they like to be in the same temperature as we do; not too hot, not too cold, just right!

Water: Every one to two weeks when soil is dry halfway down, make sure it drains, mist leaves in between watering
Light: Loves the shade, thrives in indirect light
Temperature: 15-23°C, doesn't like to be cold

"No, none for me thanks," says the fast-growing philodendron cobra when you offer it water, but its soil is still slightly wet. This plant prefers to stay dryer, saving you the hassle of daily watering, and it also does just fine if left in the dark for a while too. With its big statement leaves, and no-pressure maintenance, this is just our kind of plant.

Water: Once a week only when top of the soil feels dry
Light: Bright, indirect light but can tolerate the shade
Temperature: 20-26°C during the day, over 13°C at night

With strong roots and tough, long spiky leaves, the dragon tree brings an exotic beauty to the home and only needs a low, indirect light to thrive, along with evenly-moistened soil. It grows fast and before you know it, you'll be needing a bigger pot. Keep it away from pets though, as this little number is toxic to cats and dogs.

Water: Keep soil evenly moistened, water with room temperature water when top 1-2 inches of soil is dry
Light: Medium, indirect light, although can tolerate low light
Temperature: Keep out of the cold and wind. 18-25°C during the day, over 13°C at night

Requiring very little water and happy to live in most light conditions, you’ll notice the foliage of this plant is brighter if it gets more light. You'll see even more spectacular growth if you give it a feed with liquid fertiliser once per month in spring and summer.

Water: Check weekly and if the top two inches of soil feel dry it’s time for a drink. Will require less water in winter
Light: Happy in anything except direct sun.