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Bring the Outdoors Indoors

16 January 2014

A conservatory acts as a dual extension; it not only adds space to your home, providing you with another room for entertaining, relaxing or finding some peace to get on with your work, but it also serves as an extra part of your garden. The vast amount of natural light, coupled with the fact that you have such a great view of the outside world, gives a conservatory a natural feel that you wouldn't get from an all-brick extension. The best way to make the most of that is by making good use of plants inside the conservatory to connect the outdoor space with the indoor one.

Look for inspiration

While you may already have favourite house plants, it's a good idea to diversify and local greenhouses or nurseries are really useful for finding out what's available. If you're lucky enough to live near somewhere such as the Eden Project, for example, you could spend a day there making notes, chatting to the experts and picturing the fabulous plants in your own conservatory. However, there's no need to travel far as there will always be somewhere local where you can view and discuss plants.

Dare to be bold

Within the constraints of the space available to you, try to make a statement with the plants you choose. There are plenty of places in a house where you can fit a begonia but it requires the bright, warm splendour of a conservatory to do justice to something such as a dwarf banana plant (Musa valentino), a large, healthy Swiss cheese plant (Monstera deliciosa) or the vibrant bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae). Any one of these would bring a touch of the exotic to your home.

Caring for your plants

Only you can know how much time and effort you can devote to tending to a conservatory full of plants, but with a bit of research you can find something to suit your lifestyle. Many exotic species seldom flower, so if you want the beauty of bright blooms on a regular basis, look for those that will meet that requirement, such as hibiscus. Always check how large a plant is likely to grow before you buy it as it can be very difficult to move if it becomes too large for the space and get care advice from the retailer.

With a copious amount of foliage, and perhaps even a healthy supply of blossoms, your conservatory can achieve the atmosphere of a tropical garden, without the expense of the air fare.

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