I can easily spend an hour in a good houseplant shop, marveling at the sea of leafy green and deciding which specimen to make my own. Once upon a time, my final choice would have been based solely on aesthetics – the winner would often be the most unusual, or the largest I could afford. However, this didn't always lead to success – I'll admit, I've had prized new plants meet their demise within weeks.
The reasons for these failures varied, but all could have been potentially avoided if I'd shopped more carefully in the first place. Of course, mistakes make for valuable lessons, and I've now learned the 'red flags' to look out for when picking the best indoor plants for my home. I'm pleased to say that my current collection is thriving without being coddled (the exception is a calathea, but I'll get to that in a bit).
