If you want to make your kitchen space more welcoming and warm, incorporating plants and flowers is the perfect way to create a calm, inviting sanctuary. So making sure you have the best plants for kitchens is important!
It'll not only look great but as they are proven to have a calming and relaxing effect on us, they can help you to de-stress after a long day. Let's face it, there's something special about coming home and seeing those luscious green leaves staring back at us - no judgement.
The Best Plants for Kitchens
The best indoor plants for kitchens include varieties that don’t require too much up-keep, such as spider plants, succulents and rubber tree plants. Plants usually thrive in kitchen spaces as they’re often bright, open rooms, so growing conditions are suitable. However, it’s important to take factors such as light and humidity of your kitchen into consideration when choosing your plants to ensure they have the best conditions to thrive in.
Natural, biophilic kitchens have risen in popularity in recent years, as many more people want to create bright, open spaces by bringing the outside in. Adding natural materials and greenery to the heart of the home can add warmth and a pop of colour in an easy, cost-effective way. Here’s what you should consider when choosing your kitchen plants:
Space and Light
When choosing your plants, it's important to consider how big your kitchen is, and if your plants will have enough space to fully grow without getting cramped. If your plants are crowded together, they may not have enough space or access to light, meaning growth may be stunted.
Different plants also need varying amounts of light, so have a think about the areas you would like the plants to go and how much light these areas receive throughout the day.
Care Required
It’s crucial to ensure that you research the plants you choose to put into your kitchen to ensure you’re looking after them properly. Some require little watering and sunlight, such as succulents, whereas others require more consistent care.
Have a think about how much time you want to spend caring for your plants or more importantly, whether you’ll remember to!
1. Spider Plants
Spider plants are able to grow in a variety of different conditions; they grow best when watered once a week, and are suited to areas such as window sills that receive moderate sun throughout the day. However, you should avoid leaving them in an area which receives full sunlight, as this can scorch the leaves. Spider plants also have health benefits as they remove pollutants such as carbon monoxide from the air.
2. Succulents
Small kitchens are suited to smaller plants such as succulents, as they’re small, compact and can fit into tight indoor spaces. Succulents also work in kitchens that lack natural light, as they require sun protection and shaded areas for most of the day. These plants are the perfect low-maintenance houseplant, and can survive in slightly humid conditions such as kitchens.
3. Rubber Trees
Rubber tree, (also known as rubber fig), plants are great choices for kitchens as they won’t mind a slightly more humid, bright environment and only need to be watered around once a week. The dark green leaves have a large surface area which will bring a beautiful pop of colour to your home decor, which is pleasing to the eye. These plants are best placed on the floor as they can grow up to 6-10 feet tall, so bear in mind that they need a fair bit of space!
4. ZZ Plants
ZZ plants are a popular sought-after house plant and are perfect for people who struggle to keep plants alive. Although it doesn't like complete shade or direct sunlight, it will thrive on a window-sill which gets a small to fair amount of light throughout the day. These plants are leafy, aesthetic and can grow nice and tall, so will be a perfect addition to your kitchen.
Where to Place Plants in the Kitchen
If you have enough floor space, large plants such as ZZ plants and Rubber Trees are best suited when placed on the floor in a sturdy pot to allow enough space for them to grow upwards. Smaller kitchen plants can also be placed on windowsills and worktops, as well as shelving units.
Many people also choose to have hanging plants in the kitchen, such as ivy and strings of hearts, which will add a lovely feature to your kitchen, brightening up the space and making the room appear larger.
Best Herbs to Grow in the Kitchen
Most herbs can be grown indoors, including basil, chives, mint, rosemary and thyme. You can either grow herbs from seeds or cuttings, or simply buy a small plant and put it in a larger planter. Herbs grow best when exposed to direct sunlight and require regular watering to flourish. Growing them in the kitchen also ensures that you have easy access to herbs whilst cooking!
The Benefits of Plants in the Kitchen
Having plants around the home is a great way to incorporate nature into your home, purifying the air and adding a sense of calm. Many natural and spa-inspired homes include plants as they promote wellness and tranquillity, and they're proven to boost your mood and productivity.
The Best Plants To Prevent Kitchen Flies
Flies are a common problem in the warmer months of the year, so it’s useful to know of the plants and herbs that can help to prevent flies from entering your kitchen space. Basil, rosemary, lavender and lemon balm are all known to repel flies and mosquitoes, making them great options for small kitchen plants.
Fake Kitchen Plants
It can be difficult to keep plants alive - some require lots of watering, direct sunlight and cooler temperatures which may not be possible in a humid kitchen environment. If you're worried that you can't give them the care that they need, fake plants may be the way to go! Synthetic plants can look just as good as real plants, and require absolutely no up-keep.
We hope this blog has given you all the inspiration you need to incorporate a touch of nature into your kitchen! We’ve also carried out a survey to find out the most popular house plants across the UK which makes for some interesting reading.
