Surinder’s Indoor Garden – FineGardening

Today’s GPOD is a reminder that a great garden doesn’t just have to be outside, nor does gardening have to end when winter sets in.

I am Surinder Chadha, a resident of northern New Jersey. I am a Master Gardener who enjoys year-round gardening. Gardening has been my hobby for sixty-five years. Like most other gardening hobbyists, I enjoy my outdoor summer garden. I am lucky to have an elevated deck on three sides of my home that gives me an opportunity to enjoy a big outdoor summer garden while avoiding the rampant deer population in New Jersey. In winter, I enjoy my indoor garden with a wide variety of plants such as multiple varieties of Begonia, spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum), silver inch plant (Tradescantia zebrina), Asparagus fern (Asparagus setaceus), Boston ferns (Nephrolepis exaltata), bougainvillea, Thanksgiving and Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera hybrids), Ficus, purple passion plant (Gynura aurantiaca), queen of the night (Epiphyllum oxypetalum), multiple varieties of jade plant (Crassula ovata), crown of thorns (Euphorbia milii), Oxalis, and multiple varieties of Philodendron such as green, polka dot, golden, and split leaf. There are few other exotic plants whose names I do not know.

Flowering houseplants, like this pink begonia, typically need very bright light to keep blooming through the winter.

These huge skylights let in tons of light to allow Surinder’s houseplants to thrive. But if you aren’t lucky enough to have that much natural light, remember that modern LED light bulbs produce good-quality light for plants and are very energy efficient, making them a practical choice to add light where you don’t have windows.

There is a lot of interest right now in rare and unusual (often variegated) houseplants, but any houseplant that is healthy and thriving is a wonderful addition to the house.

I love how the high ceilings allow these hanging plants to trail to huge, dramatic lengths.

Every corner of the home has houseplants, bringing life and beauty to the space through the long winter.

What a magical space! I wonder how old some of these plants are. If you are impatient to have huge houseplants, lots of light and fertilizer will help. If you don’t have a lot of light indoors, putting your plants outside in a shaded spot for the summer will help them bulk up faster.

Begonias are often grown as annuals outside, but many of them will make the transition to houseplants for the winter easily and bring a lot of beauty. Plus, you can save on buying new annuals in the spring.

Huge spider plants and pothos (Epipremnum aureum) make a beautiful curtain of green. Both of these plants are very easy to grow (particularly the pothos) and widely available, so there is every reason to get some for your own indoor space!

Have a garden you’d like to share?

Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!

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