Plant care

Big, clean, saturated colour on a plant that wants one thing above all: light. Keep it bright, keep it cool, and never pour water into its middle.

Light

Bright, direct morning sun

Water

Soil only, never the crown

Temperature

18–21°C / 65–70°F

Tip: Deadheading

Pull spent stems out at the base, don't cut them

Weeks of dense, jewel-toned colour on a neat little plant. The coolest room in the house is the one that makes it last longest.

Light

Bright but indirect

Water

Keep evenly moist

Temperature

13–21°C / 55–70°F

Tip: Longevity

Deadhead often and it flowers for weeks longer

Rose-like blooms on a prairie wildflower that was quietly perfected in Japan. One of the few gift plants genuinely worth a second flush.

Light

As much sun as possible

Water

Let the top dry slightly

Temperature

20–25°C / 68–77°F

Tip: Second flush

Cut back after flowering and it usually blooms again

A Mediterranean woodland plant that flowers all through winter and rests through summer — swept-back petals above silver-marbled leaves, at its best when the room is cool.

Light

Bright but indirect

Water

From below, never the crown

Temperature

15–18°C / 60–65°F

Tip: Don't panic

Yellow leaves in spring mean it is resting, not dying

A succulent that flowers for months and asks almost nothing — as long as you let it dry out and give it a genuinely dark winter night.

Light

Full sun, 6–8 hours

Water

Let it dry right out

Temperature

10–21°C / 50–70°F

Tip: Reblooming

Six weeks of long, dark nights bring it back into bloom

The most theatrical bulb we grow. Every one arrives with its flower already built inside it, and the same bulb will bloom again for years.

Light

4+ hours direct sun

Water

Slightly moist, not the nose

Temperature

21–24°C / 70–75°F

Tip: Next year

Keep every leaf after flowering, they rebuild the bulb

Weeks of dense, saturated autumn colour for very little effort. Keep it cool and never let it go dry, and it will hold that colour a long time.

Light

Bright, no hot afternoon

Water

Evenly moist — check daily

Temperature

16–18°C / 61–65°F

Tip: Drainage

Take the foil sleeve off so the pot can drain

Our signature crop, and the one we are best known for. A spectacular season indoors and a long life in the garden afterwards.

Light

Bright but indirect

Water

When the surface dries

Temperature

16–21°C / 60–70°F

Tip: Florist trick

Pull the anthers as each bud opens and flowers last longer

A Brazilian rainforest epiphyte, not a desert cactus. The easiest of the holiday plants to bring back, and it will outlive most of your furniture.

Light

Bright but filtered

Water

Moist once buds set

Temperature

21–27°C / 70–80°F

Tip: Reblooming

Cool nights alone will set next year's buds

The white frosted tips are made by cold, not by breeding. Give it humidity and never once let it dry out — that is the whole job.

Light

Low to medium, never direct

Water

Never let it dry out

Temperature

15–21°C / 60–70°F

Tip: Humidity

Grow it under a cloche or in a terrarium

The classic parlour fern, and every one sold since 1894 descends from a single lucky sport. Arching fronds that soften a whole corner of a room.

Light

Medium bright, filtered

Water

Dry surface, then soak

Temperature

18–24°C / 65–75°F

Tip: Feeding

When in doubt, skip the fertilizer, it causes brown tips

Enormous mophead blooms in blue, pink or white — the only common plant whose colour you can shift yourself, and a living lesson in soil chemistry.

Light

Bright but indirect

Water

Thirsty — check daily

Temperature

15–21°C / 60–70°F

Tip: Thirst

Check it daily, it drinks more than you would think

Six to twelve weeks of double blooms on brittle, juicy stems. Water the soil, never the leaves, and give it room to breathe.

Light

Bright but indirect

Water

Top 2–3 cm dry first

Temperature

18–21°C / 65–70°F

Tip: Watering

Water the soil, never the leaves