Houseplants - Good for the soul

 During the cold winter months I really pay special attention to my houseplants. As I was repotting one plant that needed some fresh soil, I started thinking about why I like houseplants in particular. For me, it's the convenience of gardening indoors without the great responsiblility to plan, plant and maintain an outdoor garden. I would love to be able to have a gorgeous outdoor garden. In my ideal garden, which would be my Heaven on Earth, I would have every color of flowers in differing heights and many butterflies and hummingbirds visiting my garden. There would be several birdfeeders, a birdbath and in my wildest imaginations, I would have a fountain, gazebo, a garden bench and a koi pond!

But I know I'll never have all that. I work full-time and just don't have the time or energy for such a wonderful sancuary. So, houseplants for me are just a little bit of heaven for me. Why do I like them so? I guess because it's the peace it brings when I'm watering them or plucking a spent bloom off an African Violet or watching a tiny shoot that my mother gave me grow into a beautiful full-grown plant. (This one brings me the most joy, since she's passed away and I think of her everytime I do my dishes because the Snake Plant she gave me is sitting there on the windowsill.)

When the world doesn't seem to slow down, but speed up and I feel a bit anxious or stressed about the many things I have to do, I can take a few minutes to appreciate how the dappled sunlight hits the leaves and listen to the birds and watch two squirrels chasing each other around the tree in my backyard from the kitchen window.

Datura Suareolens (Angel's Trumpet) - Trumpet-shaped flowers that hang their heads down low. Flowers in the end of summer. Needs bright, direct sunlight and will tolerate outdoors during the summer away from the wind. Medium room temperature ( 64-71 F). Propagate from cuttings in the Spring.

Callisia Elegans (Striped inch plant) - Grows fast in average room temperature. Store at 50-59 F in winter for dorment period, watering only sparingly. Propagate by cuttings.

Aeschynanthus Lobblarius ( LIpstick plant) - Grows well in hanging baskets. Needs bright light and normal room temperature. Likes to be spayed with tepid water during blooming period. Propagate by cutting.

Paphiospedilum Hybrids ( Venus's Slipper) - Need bright, filtered light. Use flourescent lighting in August to bring on blooms. Has dorment period by which you can water sparingly.

Aphelandra Squarrosa (Zebra Plant) - Large leaves with white veins and yellow blooms. Needs bright, indirect light. Room temperature. Requires resting period at lower temps, not below 55F . Water generously during growing period, keeping soil wet. Repot every spring.

Aloe Variegata (Partridge-breasted aloe, Tiger Aloe)- Succulent plant that grows to about 12 inches. Sharply pointed leaves. Needs plenty of light but not as much in winter.

Lithops Fulleri (Living Stones, pebble plants) -  A succulent that looks just like stones or pebbles! They have no visible stems and measure about 2 inches in diameter. They need several hours of direct sunlight a day. Normal room temperature.