There is something magically silent about green things in winter. In the gray winter, when everything outside grinds to a halt, a jolt of green indoors can provide warmth and life. A winter garden isn’t just for plant enthusiasts, but for anyone who seeks a little peace and color when nature is asleep.
Even small homes or apartments can enjoy their indoor gardens, especially if you’re smart about light and space. That is part of the reason some developers today are designing greenery into their renovation plans. For those applying for multifamily loans in California, features like indoor gardens can add real value.
Choosing the Right Space for Your Indoor Garden
While not every room is appropriate for a winter garden, you don’t have to have a greenhouse to make it work. And most of all, right there is where you’d want to be. It may be a corner in your sunny living room, a small unused alcove in a home office or den, or even a slice of your kitchen near a window. Yes, light is an obvious, huge consideration, but comfort is a consideration, too. If the spot you’ve designated is too cold or too crowded or too far away from your everyday path, you may never actually use it. It’s also the reason you should choose a place you naturally pass through, or over which you already like to dawdle.
Consider how that space feels at different times of day. Does it catch the morning sun? Is it still pretty warm, then, even in January? It can also really be the bridge between a successful indoor garden and having everything just fall apart. If you have giant-ass windows or a skylight in the front room, all the better — but don’t sweat it if you don’t.
And then there are times when proximity to water comes into play, making life easier. You are more likely to tend to your plants if it doesn’t feel like work. A space close to a sink or a watering can will prevent your indoor garden from becoming an out-of-sight, out-of-mind project. Most of all, choose a room that you enjoy gazing at. If it brings a smile to your face, you’re already halfway there.
Lighting Does Matter: Both Natural and Artificial Remediations
Light is the lifeblood of every garden, and in winter, there can be precious little of it. In colder parts of the U.S., daylight hours can contract to the point of flopping down. That’s why getting to know light — both natural and artificial — is of the utmost importance when constructing your indoor garden. First, look at the way light enters your house. South and southwest exposure windows offer the most even light of the day, while north and northeast exposure windows can be a bit wan for some sensibilities.
But fret not if your home is not blessed with sunlight. There are great artificial light sources that can replicate the sun’s light and nourish plants to be healthy. LED grow lights have evolved in a big way over the past 10 years. They are energy-efficient, tiny, and built to deliver plants precisely the light spectrum they crave. Some of them even have a slick, minimalist look that can play nice with home interiors, so that you don’t feel like you’ve planted a lab in your living room.
When it does, in this scenario, timing is everything. There’s still a need for resting periods for plants, as occurs in nature. So, using lights on timers can establish a rhythm that helps your green things thrive. This also frees up one more thing on your daily to-do list.
Reflective surfaces can enhance sunlight as well. Mirrors or light-colored furniture that you haul outdoors and place near your garden can bounce available light back onto the leaves, which in these short winter days will need all the help they can get. But regardless of whether you’re basking in sunbeams or growing under LEDs, getting the lighting right will make your indoor garden feel alive — and not just like a pale shadow of the summer, but its new kind of growth.
Picking Plants That Love the Indoors
Not all plants can adapt to the low light and dry air of indoor living — especially in winter. But a lot still can — and some even do well in it. The secret is selecting varieties that suit your surroundings and your lifestyle. You don’t want a garden that screams for rescue all the time.
Surprisingly, many tropical plants are well-adapted to giving up their outdoor habitats. Peace lilies, rubber plants, and snake plants are just a few examples of the many types of greenery that thrive in average home conditions. They don’t need a lot of fussing, and if you forget to water them when you’re busy, they are somewhat forgiving. Ferns and Calathea are suckers for humidity, and look handsome in bathrooms or near kitchens where it’s moister. Here are some good plants for your winter-weather indoor garden:
- Peace lily – elegant, low-maintenance, and great for indirect light
- Pothos – fast-growing and adaptable to almost any indoor setting
- Snake plant – thrives on neglect, tolerates dry air
- Rubber plant – bold foliage and easy to care for
- Calathea – prefers humidity and adds striking patterns to your space
- Herbs like rosemary, thyme, mint, and chives – decorative and practical
With enough light, the herbs can be grown nicely indoors and trimmed occasionally. They’re not just decorative — they’re useful, infusing your winter meals with fresh flavor. Just be sure you know what each type of lid is looking for. Others like drier soil, while still others require more moisture. Some love the blazing sun, others are too shy to face it.
