4 Plants to Create a Nature-inspired Bathroom

The pages of interiors magazines and galleries on Instagram are full of luscious indoor plants. From succulents to Fiddle Leaf Fici and Monstera, many of us are embracing the chance to bring some of Nature's bounty indoors. One of the popular places to house these indoor plants is the bathroom, lending a tropical spa-like feel to an often overlooked room. Not only do plants look great in bathrooms they also have a whole host of benefits. But not all of them will be able to survive in there. This week we're joined by Nicky Roeber, Online Horticultural Expert from Wyevale Garden Centres, who shares his advice for the best plants to keep in your bathroom.

You've stocked up on soft linen towels, ditched the plastic bottles and spruced up your shelves. Now for the finishing touch for your bathroom. Whether you want a jungle-style oasis of potted plants or just a few well-chosen pops of colour, plants can really elevate the design of your bathroom. They also help to purify the air and absorb dust, which should help make cleaning easier. Interacting with plants has even been proven to reduce stress and anxiety (National Institute of Health).

However, bathrooms aren't always ideal places for some plants to thrive in: very few of them get natural light; some even have no windows at all. They also fluctuate in temperature wildly — hot and steamy when we shower or bathe, but then very cold for the rest of the day.

It's important to look for plants that can withstand these environments, so below are a few of my top picks for you to consider.

Orchids

Orchids are an exotic-looking plant that are great for adding femininity to a bathroom. They get their moisture from humidity in the wild, so if you shower or bathe every day then you won't need to water them much at all. If you don't, you can mist them with a spray bottle of distilled water to get the balance right. Orchids enjoy lots of bright light but prefer indirect sunlight so it’s best not to place them right by a window if you get a lot of sun coming through.

Parlour palms

Parlour palms are small palm trees that grow on the rainforest floor. As a result, they actually thrive in low light conditions and shady areas, as they are used to growing under dense cover, and will embrace the high humidity from your shower or bath. Parlour palms are good for adding a tropical touch to bathrooms due to their lovely vibrant green colour. They also live for a very long time and grow incredibly slowly, so they barely need any maintenance at all.

Spider plants

Spider plants can freshen up your bathroom by purifying the air, getting rid of nasty particles like mould, dust, and toxins. They'll also survive in most conditions, so they should be fine in your bathroom regardless of fluctuating temperatures and light levels. They're quite a compact plant, so they're perfect for adding a bit of green to your bathroom without getting in the way too much.

Snake plants

Snake plants don't need pruning and they don't need much watering at all. They do like direct sunlight, so if you have a bathroom window then they would prefer to be near it, but don't worry if you haven't: snake plants are extremely resilient and can withstand most bathroom conditions. They make a very attractive addition to any bathroom, with dark leaves that can be bordered with pale green, yellow, or even red depending on the species.

Succulents

Succulents come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, so you'll be sure to find some to suit your bathroom no matter how much space you have. These plants actually store water so they can survive in dry and humid conditions alike; just be on the lookout for mould that could cause them to rot. As long as you allow the soil to dry out between waterings, succulents should be happy enough dotted around your bathroom.

These are just some of the best plants that will help to keep your bathroom fresh and looking great. Many others will suit your aesthetic, but it's best to look for species that don't mind low levels of sunlight, fluctuating temperatures, and humidity to find the perfect plant that will survive in your bathroom.

For more on creating a bathroom spa or beautiful bathroom linens go here and here.

Guest post by Wyevale Garden Centres