Maranta leuconeura is one of those houseplants that I’ve had for longer than I can actually remember! Which, of course is a good sign that it’s a plant that has longevity. These plants are easy going, slow growing houseplants — a great choice for smaller spaces. I particularly love the interesting foliage and way that the plant moves its leaves throughout the day. Today’s post is all about how I care for my Maranta leuconeura and I will be covering the topics of: light + positioning watering humidity + leaf care fertilising flowering pests + treatment repotting potting mix (+ pots) + propagat ..read more

Cherry blossom season has arrived! Welcoming these blooms is a classic signifier of Springtime for many of us. It’s colder up here in the North of England and so it generally takes a while longer to warm up. As such, I’ve noticed a tangible lag from the blossom blooming in London and the South to what’s happening in these parts. It’s also that time of year where my camera roll is completely inundated with photographs of blossom. The varying hues of blush are pretty hard to resist, really. Here are some words on the cultural aspects of blossom season, alongside some photos from the last couple ..read more

Painting the Chapel was never going to be a speedy undertaking. So over the last few weeks I’ve been a little quiet online as I’ve spent most waking hours in my overalls, in varying degrees of being covered in paint! The extra daylight has made it possible to work for longer into the evenings which has been brilliant for this task. For today’s Renovation Diaries post, I wanted to show you how we’ve been getting on with painting the Chapel. Alongside this, I’ll share the initial plans for the kitchen, moving the front doors and beginning to lay the floor… So. Much. Painting! As much as I l ..read more

For today’s Repotting Diaries, I’m working through some more of my houseplants that need a bit of a transformation. There’s a bit of propagation potting up to do and a couple of pots that need an upgrade. Also, a few plants could do with a chop and I’m going to amalgamate some others together into one, larger planter. After a winter of living on site in the Chapel renovation project, my plants have really put up with a lot over the last few months. Dust, draughts and even the odd splatter of paint… oops! I really do appreciate their resilience at times like this – it’s another reason I prefer ..read more

For today’s post, I’ve put together a top ten of my favourite houseplants to give as gifts. Plants make excellent presents for all kinds of milestone moments, but they also cater for those everyday gestures of gratitude too. Congratulatory wishes sit alongside ‘thank yous’ or ‘thinking of you’ sentiments, wrapped up in a plant pot-sized offering of your choice. And that brings me on to the subject of the post – and a question I’m frequently asked online and in real life too. Here are some things you’ll want to consider when giving houseplants as gifts, (including ones to potentially avoid!), a ..read more

Spring has sprung! According to the astronomical calendar, in the northern hemisphere March 20th marks the first day of Spring. The Spring equinox, or vernal equinox as it’s also known, celebrates the seasonal shift towards lighter days and warmer temperatures. For nature lovers, the Spring equinox inherently brings with it much optimism for new life and growth. For those of us nurturing plants at home too, the start of Spring can feel equally as exciting. After their winter rest or dormancy period, some of my houseplants are starting to stir here at House Plant House. Winter windowsill propag ..read more

Some photos from the last few weeks. Train window views of flooded fields and half-submerged trees. The river Ouse was very high. Walking around a city. Blue skies and low sun. But not quite used to the hustle and bustle. Rural weekend walks, noticing the snowdrops and beginnings of crocuses popping up in sunny patches. Shady areas aren’t in bloom yet though. Daffodils are the same – not quite open in cooler spots but they line the roadside with their happy splashes of yellow. Early March light is creating new shadows indoors and out. Standing with my back to the kitchen window and feeling the ..read more

We’re talking plant care today as I’ve put together a care guide for Strelitzia, commonly known as Bird of Paradise, Crane flower/ Crane plant or (confusingly) banana tree. In recent years, Strelitzia, or BoP as I often refer to them, have certainly become more widely available. If you have been thinking of purchasing one of these striking foliage houseplants I hope you find this post helpful in understanding their care requirements a little better. Introduction In warmer climates Strelitzia grow outdoors as garden plants, whereas in cooler conditions like the United Kingdom, they make for a ..read more

In this mid-week Renovation Diaries post, the Chapel interior takes shape in a big way. I will share some of my salvaging finds and discuss how I am incorporating them into the design. We work on the re-building of some of the original panelling and I set about restoring my nan’s old table too. A plastering job of epic proportions commences and everything starts to look a little more like we are getting closer to moving in! I wanted to add a note here that I’m going to be sharing weekly renovation updates on Wednesdays as an additional post when I can. Posting once a month just wasn ..read more

One of my favourite aspects of growing plants is propagation, which will come as no surprise to regular readers of House Plant House! For today’s blogpost, I wanted to share an update on how some of the propagated pots in my plant collection have fared over the last few years – from what they looked like when planted to how they are growing now. Introduction Documenting plant progress via photographs can be a really helpful way to track growth; tracing how they’ve grown over time through a clear visual record. I know not everybody photographs their plants, but it’s a habit I’ve developed over ..read more