the ones that made it (the houseplants i managed not to kill)

Been busy these last few months bringing the garden indoors, and it’s been an interesting journey. Three months in and I’ve managed to keep most of these plants alive, whew. Notes below.

Happy trails—trailing, vining houseplants:

• Pothos or Devil’s Ivy. Lots of varieties: Jade, Golden, Marble Queen, and more. Its nature is more sturdy and upright than the philodendron. Keep it lightly watered (but not soggy); mist every now and then; and you’ll have a happy plant.

• Philodendron. A common houseplant, but uncommonly beautiful. Heart-shaped leaves that spill over the edge of most pots if you give the plant time. I rate this one a perfect 10.

Plants that look like they’re from outer space:

• Pilea peperomioides, the Chinese Money Plant. This plant cranks out huge coin-shaped leaves at a fast clip. It’s also very greedy for indirect light. If it could, this pilea would push neighboring plants off the sill so that it could have the entire sill to itself.

Pretty in pink—houseplants with pink stems and veins:

• Algaonema, Chinese Evergreen. Perhaps one of my favorite houseplants. Robust, low fuss, and beyond pretty. It stores water in its trunk and produces vibrant leaves. More than 20 varieties to choose from, but varieties have different colored stems and veins.