Off the Urban Grid

Ornamental & Edible Indoor Garden

An indoor garden can be more than just for decoration. You can also add some edible crops, which can save you some money during the fall and winter. The basics of an indoor garden include foliage plants, vines and climbers, large and tall plants, flowering plants, succulents and cactus and edible plants. By adding all of these elements to the inside of your home, you creating a welcoming environment that can also nourish you and provide free and natural air purification.

Foliage Plants

These types of plants can provide a striking backdrop to your indoor garden. These are the plants that have foliage in bright colors and even patterns (blotches, speckles, strips and swirls). An excellent example is the peacock plant, because it has deep green olive-striped leaves with touches of yellow-green and purple similar to a peacock’s tail. The croton is a staple to any indoor garden, because its leaves have colors of yellow, green and red and you might find ones with pink and white.

Vines and Climbers

Creeping vines that cascade down create some vertical visual interest. Some common houseplants with these features include the wandering Jew and the spider plant. However, vines and climbers require substantial lighting. If your plants look weak and have dead leaves dropping consistently, they’re not getting enough light. On the other hand, if your vines have burned or scorched leaves, it’s getting too much light.

Flowering Plants

Who doesn’t enjoy brightly colored flowers indoors, especially during the cold, barren winter? Some flowering plants that will add color and perfume to your home include various begonias, wax plant and jasmines. Similar to the vines and climbers, these plants also need sufficient lighting in order to bloom.

Succulents and Cactus

If you want a Southwestern flair to your home, invest in some cacti. Try the jade, snake plant, aloe vera, barrel cactus, Christmas cactus, Easter cactus, hens and chicks, oldman cactus and rat-tail cactus. These thrive well indoors.

Edible Indoor Plants

Herbs can be easily grown indoors, because they can thrive in small spaces. However, you can also grow some varieties of citrus such as the Meyer lemon and calamondin orange. Some herbs you might try growing include chervil, chives, marjoram, mint, oregano, parsley, save and thyme.

An indoor garden is an excellent way to bring the outdoors inside. If you have a quiet sitting room that receives natural light, make it even more peaceful with a garden that you can enjoy the entire year.

Tags: edible indoor garden, indoor garden, ornamental indoor garden