Country Life In The City

Poinsettias, whilst not a flower, are synonymous with Christmas. Love them or hate them, they are often given as gifts or used to decorate the Christmas table and generally give the house a christmassy feel. They are the top-selling potted flowering plant in the US and sells around 5 million  every Christmas.

Poinsettas need to be kept in a warm, well lit location. It needs watering well, but the compost should be dry before it is watered again. They should never be sat in water, indeed over watering is a common cause of death for these plants.

Roses are an all year round favourite. Commonly given in bouquets or Christmas hampers, roses are available in a vast array of colours and sizes due to the number of species now available. They do best in damp but free draining humus rich soil in full sunlight.

Gerbera Daisies are best grown in full sunlight for maximum flower production. It needs to be kept moist, especially when in bloom, but must not be allowed to sit in water. Gerbera Daisies can flower all year round if kept indoors, which is especially nice at Christmas. NASA experiments have also shown them to be effective in removing Benzene from the air.

Lilies are one of the most beautiful flowers and their scent fills up the whole room. They are best grown in full sun or light shade, although they are not particularly fussy as far as soil conditions go. They do need a well drained soil however and should never be planted where water collects during rainfall.