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A Potted History of Houseplants
Look around the room. Is there a succulent on your windowsill or a leafy Monstera lurking in the corner? Have you ever thought about how these exotic plants became a presence in our homes, offices, cafés’, and restaurants? Okay, I know you picked up the succulent at the school fair and the Monstera came from a no-frills discount supermarket, but what I mean is where and when did the houseplant habit originate?
The reason behind this train of thought is that I recently gave a talk about houseplants to members of a local charity, Haringey Circle. This charity is run by older people, and those younger with a disability, to live their best life. Sharon Grant OBE, Chair of Haringey Circle, explained how it all came about, “I set up Circle with a colleague 4 or 5 years ago although we only became a registered charity in 2024”. Sharon added, “we do all this on a shoestring – as trustees we are unpaid, and we have no office for our part-time member of staff, who does the communications work”.
Did you know that one fifth of Londoners have no access to a garden? When approached by Circle to talk to their members I felt that houseplants would be a good subject to talk about because indoor plants are accessible to all.
Houseplants didn’t originate indoors; we brought them into our homes. I began my talk by holding up a bonsai tree, which everyone correctly identified. I chose this specimen for a reason. It is not known exactly when plants were first grown indoors in containers, but it is probable that the practice originated in Ancient China more than 1000 years ago. Written records show that growing small trees and shrubs indoors became symbolic of wealth and high social status across the Chinese Empire. The Chinese art of ‘penjing’, of growing small trees in trays to recreate natural landscapes, was taken by Buddhist monks to Japan where it developed into the refined art of bonsai practiced by scholars and nobility.
In the Middle East, around 600 BC, in the city of Babylon we find another early record of houseplant cultivation. In this city, ruled by King Nebuchadnezzar II, the fabled Hanging Gardens were commissioned for his homesick wife, Queen Amytis, to remind her of the greenery and hills of her homeland.
Growing houseplants also became part of the mediterranean culture of wealthy Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans who kept potted houseplants in their palaces and villas.
Exotic houseplants started being brought back to England by 17th Century Sea Captains. And by the end of the 17th century fragrant spring bulbs grown in pots, such as narcissi, hyacinths and tulips, were being brought indoors to be forced into flower early in winter.
The 18th-century saw more of nature coming indoors, with cabinet makers producing tiered staging and metal stands with removable trays to better display the indoor plant collections of the well-to-do. In the tropical heat of the Palm House at Kew Gardens, you will find a record-breaking plant – the Eastern Cape giant cycad. This is the oldest pot plant in the world. The venerable leviathan arrived at Kew in 1775 after Kew’s first plant hunter, botanist Francis Masson, brought it from the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.
Things really took off with the invention of the Wardian Case. This early type of terrarium, a sealed glazed enclosure designed to protect and transport plants, was invented by accident in 1829 by British doctor Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward. The case revolutionized global botany by allowing delicate plants to survive long sea voyages without watering or exposure to harsh weather and salty sea spray – but with access to light. These portable greenhouses also sparked the original Victorian houseplant boom by providing protection to delicate flora from urban and domestic pollution. This invention allowed tropical plants to thrive in draughty, smoke-filled Victorian homes.
The British houseplant market has subsequently experienced many booms as fashions rise and wane. When I started growing cacti in the 1970s as a schoolboy my mother told me she had already been through an earlier cactus craze in the late 1940s. And when I see young couples filling their homes with tropical foliage plants it seems to mirror the houseplant boom of the 1960s, driven then by the suburban housing boom and the counterculture movement’s desire for natural living.
So, let’s finish by mentioning some of the benefits to be gained from growing houseplants. Environmentally, houseplants create natural humidity, helping reduce problems with dry skin, sore throats, and dry coughs. Indoor plants act as filters removing household toxins from the air and converting them into plant food. Psychologically, nurturing indoor plants has been shown to reduce stress and boost positive feelings. Many people develop an emotional connection with their foliage family. Do you talk to your indoor plants, or maybe give them names? Finally, owning houseplants is a great social catalyst; after the talk I noticed how several of the attendees started chatting to each other about their indoor plants, sharing tips about their care. I couldn’t have wished for a better outcome from my talk.
Find Out More:
Haringey Circle: https://haringeycircle.com/
The above link tells you how you can join, volunteer your time and skills, or donate to help support this local good cause.
Sharon Grant OBE told me more about the work of the charity, and what it can offer to its members – “We set up Circle because it was clear that the difficulties that many older people had with managing their health and relationship with services had to do with them being lonely and isolated – few friendships or family, or neighbour involvement, struggling on their own. The research evidence is now clear in fact that people who are isolated and not connected in their community get sicker more quickly and deteriorated mentally too. You are far more likely to stay well for longer in old age and to hold off dementia if you are involved in your community …people really have had their lives transformed by the friends they have made by joining together in the various activities we offer.”
Sharon further explained: “There are lots of reasons people find themselves isolated in later life. Some are newly retired and after a few months, having lost work-related friendships, suddenly find themselves lacking social contact. Others may have been caring for someone for years, had to forego a social life in effect, and when the person dies find they have no-one. Family might have moved away, and as people age their friends die. Some may have had to move house or have had to move into sheltered housing and lost contacts.”
Haringey Circle aims to reach 1000 members in the coming months, so please share the website with anyone you think might be interested in joining or come in and pick up a leaflet from Alexandra Palace Garden Centre. The Charity sends out an email each week with their various activities and members can sign up for any that they are interested in.
The Owl and the Garden Centre:
Capital Gardens is a family run business and we value our community connections. A previous project we were involved with was ‘The Big Fun Art Adventure’, a free public art trail that featured over 30 giant owl sculptures and 20 smaller owlets scattered across the London Borough of Haringey. The event was presented by the North London Hospice in partnership with Wild in Art. The eight-week event ran until mid-October 2024 and raised funds for the North London Hospice through an auction of the sculptures designed by both celebrities and local artists.
Capital Gardens sponsored one of the owl sculptures, ‘Owl Toten’ by the Haringey based artist Lewis Campbell. We purchased the statue after the event ended, and he now roosts outside the Glasshouse Café at Alexandra Palace Garden Centre for all to enjoy. So, why not pop-in for an owl selfie!
https://northlondonhospice.org/
