Desk-friendly plants

If you’re anything like us, African Violets, Orchids or Peace Lilies keel-over in your work space in no-time. We’re officially terrible at keeping plants.

Still, we love having a little bit of the outside, in, so we’re thrilled to have found three indoor beauties that thrive upon desks nearly almost all by themselves.

Aloe

While we’re all pretty familiar with the ‘Vera’ species, there are many other varieties in this plant’s family. This one, the Aloe Polyphylla (or Spiral Aloe), is drought tolerant so no need to worry should you forget to give it a drink every now-and-then.

Snake Plant

Named after its vertical-shooting leaves, this yellow-edged shrub will continue to flourish again and again - no matter how often it's neglected.

Chinese Evergreen

Jewellery designer Winifred Gundeck, whose home is featured on the Design Sponge blog, shows a shining example of why we should opt for this perennial plant. Not only does it blossom year-round, it makes quite the focal point, too.

                                             

What to plant in autumn

As the first crisp leaves hit the ground and the frost is still at bay, it’s the perfect time to channel your green-fingered goddess and sow seeds for next year. From vegetables to fruits and flowers, here are a few ideas to get you going, some of which are surprisingly easy to plant.

Garlic
Take cloves from a bulb you already have and scatter them about 5cm deep. Come spring, you should have your own home-grown crop. Simple!

Broad beans
Sow the seeds 5-7.5cm down, in single rows and about 15-23cm apart. Keep an eye out for weeds which you’ll want to keep the beans free from. With a little soaking (should there not be enough rain) you should be able to harvest the pods as soon as you see them swelling.

Raspberries
Plant summer-fruiting raspberries from now until November. Try growing yours in small containers with multi-purpose compost and using a small wooden cane, guide the plants as they grow. A little slow-release fertiliser in early March will make for juicy, delicious fruits come June.

Tulips
September into early October is prime-planting-time for tulips. Make sure you bury them about 15cm deep (measured from the bottom of the bulb) and space them about five inches apart. Water and a little straw mulch from now and then will see them through to flowering