Leesten very carefully, I will say zees only once… Ok enough of the punning. This week I am heading indoors for my six. I have to warn you I am a bit of a houseplant killer. My green fingers in the garden seem to disappear when it comes to plants in the house and I treat ’em mean, not intentionally, but because for some reason I always forget to feed and water them. I am aiming to rectify this with the help of Alys Fowler’s inspiring book Plant Love: How to care for your houseplants.
I am joining in with The Propagator’s Six on Saturday meme where we share six things from our garden each weekend.
- Aloe vera and friends
The Aloe vera of my title was one of three succulents bought for a tenner from the Columbia Road Flower Market in London. The other two sadly died, so she now has some new friends – a Calathea and two spider plants bought as a threesome from Homebase for a fiver. I do like a houseplant bargain.
2. Pilea
I bought this Pilea from a lovely shop near us called From Victoria. I have already repotted it once, but I think it will need to be repotted again soon. It has moved around the house and is now in our new bathroom.
3. Indoor garden
My mum made me this little indoor garden in a cardboard box as a Christmas present. I’m afraid I have forgotten the names of all the plants, but it is a cheery addition to the kitchen windowsill.
4. Hyacinths
I had almost forgotten about the hyacinths I planted and left outside in the bottom of our mini greenhouse. Thankfully, I remembered them and have brought them inside into the warm where hopefully they will soon bloom.
5. Ceropegia linearis
I have not been a very good owner to the Ceropegia linearis or Chain of Hearts, which is why it is looking really sorry for itself. I think I need to repot it and give it some TLC, although according to Alys Fowler it can stand ‘an epic amount of abuse in the form of drought’.
6. Ficus elastica
Another Homebase bargain. I wanted a nice big plant for the sitting room and this does the job for a tenner. Next on my wish list are a Monstera deliciosa or Swiss Cheese Plant and a Maidenhair Fern.
Carrots and Calendula 
Same name ‘Chain of Hearts’ in French. My sister had one that was very pretty and that even bloomed but mealy bugs( cochineal ) killed it.
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How do you say it in French?
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Simply “ chaîne des cœurs” ❤️-❤️-❤️…😄
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Well I think your plants look very healthy! You should see mine ……. Lovely in the white pots, really shows off the plants to perfection.
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Thank you – these are just the survivors 😆
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I liked all of your plants and especially the white pots! The hyacinth planter looks antique. Is it?
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Thank you. My mother was going to give it to charity and I rescued it so it is probably quite old!
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What beautiful, healthy house plants! Lovely Six.
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Thank you!
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Your houseplants look very healthy to me. I miss Homebase. Ours shut a few years ago.
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You do much better than I at houseplants! Enjoyed seeing all the indoor beauty there. And what a darling gift from your mom.
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I don’t have many windowsills so houseplants are not a feature here, and also I have underfloor heating which is not good for the bigger plants. I would like one of those ‘string of beads/pearls’ (Senecio rowleyanus) though as I once had one and it was very beautiful.Goodness knows what happened to it. Be careful wanting a Monstera deliciosa though. I had to throw mine out as it grew far too big and was taking over the lounge!
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I did love that programme when I was a kid. It used to make my father cry with laughter. I cannot see the name “aloe vera” without imagining saying it with a cockney accent and following it up with something like “how’s your lumbago?”.
Just me? Ok…
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Life was definitely better when Saturday nights were spent in the company of René and Yvette.
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Your Aloe vera looks like the real thing; but I really do not know what the real thing looks like anymore. One that I purchased as such grew up to be Aloe arborescens. Another grew up to be an unidentified aloe with short and wide leaves. Growers will grow what is easiest, and just label it as Aloe vera.
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