Yesterday, we covered the steps you should take before committing yourself to a plant – it’s important to do research & put time into the decision, rather than impulsively buying that pretty vine-y thing you’ve never heard of before! Only then can you guarantee you won’t be tossing your plant away after a few weeks. Plants take time, patience, & love if you want them to flourish!

Now let’s talk variety: you may think that starting simple = limited variety, but nothing could be further than the truth. Take a look at this looooong list of possibilities!

Consider creating a terrarium!
This article on HGTV.com takes you through all the steps to create this simple & elegant garden. While I was doing research for this article, I stumbled over these little guys, & I think I’m going to have to try this next. They can grow in virtually any glass container – wouldn’t this be just a great thing to keep on your desk at work? Your own little forest to remind you of what’s outside. How fun!

Flowering Plants: Sadly, as beautiful as flowers are, most of them thrive on full sun & are quite finicky – definitely not for the beginner. There are, however, a few great flowering plants you should feel free to try! Among them:

» peace lily
» clivia
» african violet
» dancing ladies (streptocarpella; not to be confused with the ‘dancing ladies’ orchid!
» kalanchoe

Succulents: Possibly the easiest things to grow! I have one happily growing on my desk right now, & two others at home. Give them a bit of sunshine, & lots of water during the summer, but otherwise, they’ll grow under just about any conditions! Take a look at all the fantastic-looking possibilities in this category:

» christmas cactus
» cacti (the possibilities are endless!)
» jade
» aloe vera
» hen & chicks
» haworthia

Foliage: The easiest & most plentiful of the “easy to grow/hard to kill” varieties of plants. There’s something here for everyone, & plenty to create a world of green about you!

» spider plant
» ferns
» arrowhead plant
» corn plant
» ivy

» lucky bamboo (actually a variety of corn!)
» rubber tree
» prayer plant
» ponytail palm (don’t water it too often!)
» wandering jew
» pothos

» janet craig
» fatsia
» snake plant
» screw pine
» philodendron

Herbs: A great, healthy way to season all your cooking &, surprisingly, many are easy to grow in a sunny window. According to HGTV, these are the easiest varieties to try:

» basil (essential to tomato & fresh basil salad!)
» thyme
» parsley
» rosemary
» oregano (you’ve never had tomato sauce until you’ve made it fresh with these herbs!)
» chives (fantastic when added to an omelet)
» mint (try it in your hot chocolate!)
» sage (nothing beats the fresh stuff!)
» garlic chives (a great alternative to growing true garlic!)

Check out that article for all the info on growing your own indoor herb garden!

& finally, Vegetables: If you have a south-facing window that gets plenty of sun, this may be an option for you! The Virginia Cooperative Extension has a great, keep-it-simple article on container vegetable gardening. They mention:

» carrots
» radishes
» lettuce (many varieties!)
» tomatoes
» peppers

It would be a bountiful summer indeed if you grow these! Enjoy the fruits of your labor, & be sure to have fun!

Does anyone have other ideas? Have you had easy luck with other varieties?