GARDENING: A taste of the tropics at home in Mayo

Happy New Year to you all! Can you believe it’s almost the end of January already? The days are getting longer and there’s already a feeling a spring in the air. Now we can admire the snowdrops and crocuses pushing through the earth and fresh leaf mould to great us. Soon we will be enjoying the sun-coloured daffodils too.

While we still have some time to rest before launching into the new gardening year, I would like to talk about the fun and benefits of having houseplants.

We’ve all probably kept houseplants in the past, perhaps given as a gift or picked up on a whim from the local supermarket. The majority of houseplants here are evergreen and tropical or subtropical. As I write, I am currently visiting my Japanese homeland of Okinawa, which is situated in a subtropical climate. Here, I can see all those houseplants I have in Ireland growing in the ground, and it’s a good opportunity to study how they grow outside and under what kinds of conditions.

Most of the plants sold as house or indoor plants like indirect sun, warmth and moist air (excluding cacti and succulents), as they grow in the under growth of large trees in a jungle-like environment.

Snake plants (Dracaena Trifasciata), Swiss cheese plants (Monstera Deliciosa) and rubber plants are probably the easiest plants to grow. They all love indirect sun, but in Irish winter, I would pop them on a sunny windowsill as the daylight hours are short and the temperature is very mild in the house. Don’t forget to adjust the position when the daylight hours get longer, otherwise the direct sun will burn their leaves.

Water them and let them drain well too, as they hate sitting in wet soil – make sure the soil is dry before watering again. In the winter, water them less to avoid root rot. They also benefit from being misted having their leaves cleaned with a soft cloth from time to time.

The tropical rainforest plant Philodendron seems to be another current trend, and they come in a number of attractive varieties in garden centres. Some have great patterns and colourings on the leaves and stems, as well as interesting leaf shapes. As they naturally grow in the rainforest undergrowth they prefer filtered sunlight and moisture in the air, but they hate wet feet! 

My favourite tropical houseplant is Medinilla magnifica (the rose grape, or love plant), which is native to the Philippines. The stem is succulent, and the leaves are wide and glossy with a leathery texture. The flowers are magnificent, growing in panicles up to 50cm long, with pink bracts. In the wild, they grow in the forks of large trees where debris like dry leaves and moss gathers, drawing their sustenance from this decaying detritus rather than from the tree itself. A Medinilla magnifica never fails to impress visitors every time it bears flower heads.

Be aware the drooping flowers are very long, so remember to plant it in a deep flower pot and place it high on a plant stool. In the west of Ireland, it’s best to leave this plant in the sunniest, warmest room, even though the textbooks say avoid direct sun; my plants are happy in the most prestigious position in my house.

After I left my cottage garden behind and moved to another house in the Westport hinterland, I started to collect more houseplants, especially cacti, as the new house has many south-facing windows. You can live alongside these easy, unique and interesting plants for a long time, like companions. It’s easy to see their attraction when we care for them properly and watch them take on new growth.

Last but not least are tender geraniums. They come in many shapes, colours and growing habits. My favourites came from a friend, and I love to think about how many people or generations have grown and passed on these varieties. Geraniums are easy to propagate, so I give them to friends and appreciate the joy that they spread.

A word on soil: Most house or indoor plants need well-drained soil, so your best option is to get some compost made for indoor plants. The nutritions run out quickly, so adding some feed or re-potting every year would be recommended. If you are making your own soil, make sure to add perlite and vermiculite to the compost, so the soil is not compact.

Having houseplants is like having pets; they are living with us, so don’t forget to nurture them. In return they will clean the air, reduce our daily stress and help us maintain a positive mood – all scientifically proven!

Eriko Uehara Hopkinson is a member of the Clew Bay Garden Trail. A chain of beautiful and unique private gardens, the trail opens to the public during summer to raise funds for charity (see www.clewbaygardentrail.ie for more). Each month, an article by a trail member will appear in these pages.