FT NEWS

In modern apartment living, bathrooms are our most personal spaces, but not always oases of delight. That’s where we go to freshen up, start a new day or end a long, hectic one. Liven up your bathroom with greenery, and it can also be where you recharge. Adding plants indoors, including the bathroom, can make us feel more positive and even lower our stress levels. To make your bathroom come alive with the energy and calm of nature, consider bringing plants inside. Here are the points to keep in mind.

Finding the right place
While the washbasin platform is the first area that comes to mind to keep a small plant, consider any and all flat surfaces, including windowsills, alcoves, the tops of partition walls and floor.

Like any other plants, sunlight should be the main factor to decide placement of plants; but if, like most bathrooms, yours doesn’t receive too much sunlight, don’t worry. Read on to know which plants do well in the dark, humid conditions of a typical bathroom.

Go vertical
If your bathroom doesn’t have enough flat surfaces to place the pots, consider hanging them from the ceiling, mounting them on the walls, or even setting up a vertical garden on a dedicated wall. Since the air in the bathroom is already humid, you won’t have to worry about watering these plants often, so even if the pots are high up, it is still okay.

Consider cascading vines and ferns kept high up on partition walls or hanging from pots above head level. They will immediately lend the feeling of a tropical forest to your bathroom.

Best plants for your bathroom
The best bathroom plants have low light requirements and are able to thrive in high-humidity conditions.

One of the best plants for the bathroom is Sansevieria (snake plant). This plant is almost impossible to kill. It can tolerate any growing conditions – no light or low light or direct light. You almost never have to water them, specially if they are in a bathroom. What’s more, their structure adds modern lines to your bathroom scape.

Other plants include golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum), spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum), peace lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii) and all types of bromeliads

Insider tip
It might come as a surprise to you that some of the most temperamental plants can do very well in your bathrooms. Try it – your orchids and ferns might just thrive in your bathroom! They need less light, less water and the humid environs of a forest: bathrooms can recreate that.

Less is more
If you are really crunched on space, then even just one tall plant can do the trick. Don’t hesitate from using non-conventional spaces like the top of a flush tank, even. All flat real estate in the bathroom is precious.

More is very cool
A lot of plants that thrive in the bathroom freshen the air, such as the spider plant, golden pothos and peace lily. Not only do they release oxygen but also clean the air of toxins such as formaldehydes.