Today’s temperature reminds me they call it “the dog days of summer.” Woof, it’s hot out there.

Too hot, in fact, to get our gardening gloves out. So let’s take it indoors.

I have plants all over my house. Some are vibrant and thriving, some are clippings working to take root, and some are in repair. The state and need of the plant dictates where it lives. For example, I have a healthy, large African Violet that lives on our kitchen table and basks in the sunlight. But up in my bathroom, on the tiled garden tub, lives a pitiful African violet who’s roots got too dry and is now struggling. My husband operates the Plant Revitalization Center on the tiled tub, by the way.

In my sunny foyer and my office live a variety of peace lilies, philodendrons, and more African violets; I also use a tall conservatory in the foyer to root clippings in water in a variety of glass vases. In my shaded living room there’s a philodendron on top of our television cabinet with long tendrils that flow over the sides. Upstairs we have pothos and a Christmas cactus, a couple of African Violets, some impatiens started last summer, and a fern.

I’m usually very successful with house plants; but one time my mother-in-law gave me a beautiful (and I’m sure expensive) orchid. It only took me about two weeks to kill that sucker … you’ll notice orchids are not on my current list of house plants. One was enough.

* What plants do you grow in your home?
* What plants do you avoid?
* What do you think are the easiest houseplants? The most demanding?
* What houseplants do you give as gifts? Do you ever give dish gardens?

source : www.wral.com