7 of the best indoor plants to keep over winter

While the garden may lose its vibrancy through the winter months, you can still inject some natural colour into your surroundings with winter house plants, and we aren’t just talking about the Christmas tree! There are plenty of lovely indoor plants that thrive through the winter months, and conservatories and windowsills with plenty of natural light make for perfect growing conditions.  Whether you prefer bright flowers, sweet-smelling aromas, or lush greenery, these plants are guaranteed to brighten up your home over winter.

1. Lemon tree

Citrus trees make attractive and interesting indoor plants. They produce fragrant white flowers, followed by the fruits which take four to six months to reach their full size. Once ripe, the lemons can be picked any time, and will retain their flavour for several months if left on the tree. Brilliant yellow lemons are both eye-catching and can come in handy in your next gin and tonic! Lemon trees enjoy high light levels, so they will thrive in your conservatory or placed on a windowsill that gets a lot of sunshine.

2. Hyacinths

These bulbs grown into a beautifully blooming cluster of flowers guaranteed to fill the house with their strong floral scent. They will flower over the Christmas period, and can be planted outside come spring time so you can continue to enjoy them for years. Hyacinths thrive in cool, bright conditions – perfect for the conservatory!

3. Cyclamen

A pretty, delicate plant that blooms in a variety of colours ranging from pure white tinged with palest pink to magenta, mauve and even scarlet. The plant will grow best on a cool windowsill, and if the spent flowers are removed it will continue to flower throughout winter.

4. Azalea

The bright pink and purple flowers of azalea will add some colour to your home over winter. These plants prefer cooler rooms, making it another great addition to your conservatory. Avoid placing close to radiators as this could dry out the foliage.

5. Christmas Cactus

A Christmas-flowering plant that survives well in centrally-heated homes. This plant will make a great addition to your Christmas decorations, with bright pink flowers. It requires less light than a lot of plants, so will thrive happily in living rooms.

6. Poinsettia

The UKs best-selling house plant for Christmas thanks to its festive red and emerald leaves. The cheery plants need bright light away from strong sun and draughts. A choice location in the conservatory could be ideal, or close to French windows or on a windowsill.

7. Correa

Also known as Australian fuchsia or ‘Dusky Bells’, these evergreen shrubs produce a shower of bright nodding bell-shaped flowers. Correa make perfect winter conservatory plants, as they like sheltered conditions. Correa will flower through autumn and winter, injecting some much needed colour into your house.

Do you have any favourite winter house plants? Tell us which grow best in your conservatory.