Indoor plants: Easy, affordable way to inject colour and life in your home via bathroom plants

Don’t blow your cash on an expensive makeover, there’s an easy and affordable way to inject colour and life and create a genuinely soothing atmosphere in your home.

Avril Treasure

4 min read

July 9, 2021 - 7:27PM

News Corp Australia Network

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Today’s bathrooms are less about practicality and more about a luxurious space in which to retreat from the world and rejuvenate mind, body and spirit.

Think five-star sanctuary or sweet-smelling spa, if you will. If your washroom isn’t quite there yet, an easy and affordable way to inject colour and life and create a genuinely soothing atmosphere, is to introduce a handful of lush plants.

BEST INDOOR PLANTS FOR YOUR BATHROOM

Sounds good, yes? Of course it does. However, you will need to choose your plants wisely and also, care for them too as bathrooms tend to be get steamy from hot showers, and are often low in natural light.

To make it that much easier for you we chatted to senior horticulturist at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Kayte Wilkie, about everything you need to know about plants in the bathroom and keeping them healthy, too.

Choose your plants wisely

Why plants are great in the bathroom

There are a bunch of reasons why indoor plants are excellent in the bathroom.

Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, plants make us feel happy and help us sustain a connection with the outside world, says Kayte.

“You can get creative. Mix up pot designs, sizes, foliage colours and textures to create a really beautiful look in your bathroom,” she says.

Plants have many health benefits, too.

“Some plants, like the peace lily and mother-in-law’s tongue, can purify air and remove toxins, which is perfect for indoors,” Kayte says.

“Plants also absorb moisture from the air, so they could potentially reduce mould in the bathroom.” With easy access to water, you’ll always remember to give your plants in the bathroom a drink, too.

How to choose the right plants

When it comes to selecting the right plants for your bathroom there are a few factors to consider.

Firstly, Kayte says you need to take into account humidity.

“The bathroom is one of the most humid rooms in the house, with showers and baths producing moisture that bathroom plants can absorb,” she says.

“Choose plants that prefer the humidity, meaning they like to absorb moisture through foliage, like reed palms or bromeliads.

“The main issue that comes from too much humidity is the increase of bacterial and fungal disease, which then negatively affects the growth of the plant. Some plants, such as succulents, don’t like excess humidity and may not thrive in the bathroom.”

Next, you need to factor in how much sunlight your bathroom gets. If there’s adequate light, you have more options for plants.

Plants make us feel happy and help us sustain a connection with the outside world

“If your bathroom does not have a window or does not get a lot of natural sunlight, choose plants that prefer darker conditions. Typically these are plants with dark green foliage, such as my personal favourite, Zanzibar gem,” says Kayte.

“You can always consider installing an LED light if your bathroom has no windows.

“Finally, as the temperature in our bathrooms can rapidly change when we have showers and baths, it’s important to select plants that can tolerate the fluctuations, as some plants won’t cope. The cast iron plant can handle temperature changes and looks fantastic, too.”

Where to put your indoor plants

As with any room in the house, choosing where to position your plants indoors depends on the space.

Kayte says to think about the different levels in the bathroom and make the most of the area.

“Hanging plants are a great idea in the bathroom. You can also place the vines of trailing plants such as golden pothos on hooks or even along the shower rod.”

To create a lush rainforest vibe, position bushy plants on the top and middle shelves.

Mix it up.

“I like to mix up pot styles and use a selection of plants on the vanity or windowsill to create texture and different shades or green. Plus, that’s where people’s gaze tends to be drawn.”

You can find pre-potted hanging plants at nurseries such as Flower Power or the garden section of Bunnings. Many stores also sell hanging kits including hooks.

How to care for your indoor plants

Just like small humans and fur babies, indoor plants need to be cared for, too.

Kayte’s says one clever way to keep your indoor plants in great nick is to keep them on rotation.

“If you have the space, have two or three of the same plant and keep two outside (and away from frost) and place the other in the bathroom,” she says.

“Rotate them every three weeks or so in order to give them a bit of a recharge. This will mean you have healthy plants both indoors and outside.”

A win-win if ever there was one.

Kayte adds that it’s important to keep the leaves of your plants clean and dust free, as dirt can block sunlight and slow the process of photosynthesis, which may result in slow growth for your plants and worse, make them more susceptible to illness.

“You can dust the leaves, or I like to plonk my plants in the shower to have a wash and drink.”

Some plants, for example ferns, tend to dry out in the cooler months so it’s a good idea to have an atomiser spray bottle on standby to mist the leaves and plant.

Finally, to ensure that your plants are happy and flourishing, Kayte recommends feeding them a liquid fertiliser once a month.