Houseplants as outdoor plants

Houseplant greenery is so welcome in winter, but I sometimes find indoor plants a bit of a nuisance to look after in the summer months.

Could you save space and effort by getting houseplants that go outside in summer and can then come back inside in winter? That would also save some money, as you wouldn’t necessarily have to buy so many bedding plants for your pots.

Some plants, such as dahlias and cannas, go dormant and their roots can be tucked away in a frost-free shed or garage. They would be no good as houseplants, even in the warmer temperatures of the home. But other plants, such as some begonias, keep their leaves all year round.

I consulted Stephen and Matthew of “The Horti-culturalists” Youtube channel about this and we came up with a shortlist of plants that can work both as houseplants and outside in a temperate summer.

The main issue is that homes have far less direct natural sunlight than the shadiest of gardens, and the ventilation in homes is not always ideal – plants can find it too stuffy, too draughty or too near something that is too hot, like a radiator or a fire.

However, there are some plants that are really easy to look after both inside and outside on a terrace or patio in summer. They include rex begonias (but not most other begonias), alocasia, some cacti, fatsia japonica, aspidistra, hoyas, monstera deliciosa and philodendron. You’ll have to check individual plants to find out when the outdoor temperatures are right for them to be taken out or brought inside.