Hello to all -

We are currently making plans for a new energy efficient home and my wife and I have hit a snag relative to the idea of an indoor "plant garden". I would like to locate a growing area built of stone against a sunny wall in the great room. It would be upwards of 20 feet long, 3 feet deep, and 3 feet in width. Since the walls and floor are made of concrete there are no moisture or mess issues. I would also route a watering system hooked up to our rain barrel outside to take care of that. I would propose populating it with all sorts of plants which could thrive in this environment, and maybe a living Christmas tree.

My wife says that indoor plants need to be rotated regularly to foster symmetric growth, and that some plants would get too much water and others not enough, some plants need more sunlight than other plants, and some other potential issues.

The question: is such a proposal feasible and sensible? Are there plants which would work well in this arrangement? What would some other drawbacks be? Where can I find information on this sort of thing?

Many thanks in advance.

Marty

Try a Christmas tree! "Norfolk Island Pine" can grow to 7ft in your home, its best to buy a large specimen since the growth is slow, also try "peace lily's" or a large and showy "Kentia palm" another good palm tree is "Neanthe Bella". Aglaonema (Chinese Evergreen) is another good plant for interior gardens its main focal point is its variegated leaves.Philodendrons are another good choice some ground and vining verities are available. its best to try it out.

Hi Marty,

It is clear that you are about to make a substantial investment in plants here. Your wife's concerns are valid. Therefore, it is really best if you get some professional help from a local interior landscaper. Only a professional can properly evaluate the available light, temperature, etc. and recommend suitable plant varieties. To do that they would have to make an on-site visit. Irrigation is more complicated than you realize and there is the issue of mineral seepage from the concrete. A water vapor barrier is probably required. It may also be advisable to keep each individual plant in its nursery pot an then use some type of mulch or top dressing to disguise this. There are so many considerations, including design, that I cannot begin to address them all here.

If you do this on your own, you are bound to make some serious mistakes and lose many of your plants. Get it right from the outset.

Contact me if you need further assistance.

~Will

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Will Creed
wcreed@HorticulturalHelp.com
My website