How to Choose Bathroom Plants

Few of us are fortunate enough to have bright, airy, spacious bathrooms; so choosing an indoor plant to suit can be a tricky task. Likewise, for the less green-fingered, knowing which indoor plants will thrive or barely survive in your bathroom can be confusing and the end results sometimes tragic! Here is our quick guide to choosing plants to suit your bathroom.

Plants for a Dark Bathrooms

With many bathrooms lacking in natural light, it is important to consider how this can affect your choice of indoor plant. Luckily, many lush and exotic plants can actually thrive in dark, wet environments owing to the rainforest being their natural habitat. This is especially true of the Peace Lily, which will bloom in low light and loves warmth and moisture, making it the ideal addition to brighten your bathroom!

PERFECT PLANTS FOR DARK BATHROOMS: PEACE LILY

Plants for Humid Bathrooms

Did you know that indoor plants can actually prevent and reduce damp in your home? This is all to do with the structure of a plant’s leaves and how much moisture they can absorb. Fortunately, there are several plants which absorb the bulk of their moisture from the surrounding air through their leaves, leaving your bathroom dryer and less damp-prone naturally. Plants with a good foliar uptake include Boston Ferns and Parlor Palms, both of which will help reduce high humidity in your bathroom and save your walls and furniture from damp.

PERFECT PLANTS FOR HUMID ENVIRONMENTS: BOSTON FERN, PEACE LILY, PARLOR PALMS, NEST FERN

Low Maintenance Plants

If like many of us you buy a plant with all the best intentions of looking after it carefully but fail after just the first week, then these low maintenance plants are for you. Possibly the easiest to grow and near impossible to kill, the hanging Pothos plant will nonetheless reward you with glorious green foliage year-round and are well suited to darker, most moisture-laden bathroom environments. Sky-plants are also a great low maintenance option, as they don’t require soil and will pull the water they require from the air- making them perfect for humid bathrooms!

PERFECT LOW MAINTENANCE PLANTS FOR YOUR BATHROOM: SKY PLANT, POTHOS PLANT

How to Style Bathroom Plants

House Plant Shelves

Putting up a few floating shelves not only adds extra storage space to smaller bathrooms, but is the perfect place to add accent details. Simply placing a selection of houseplants in plain white or terracotta pots creates a gorgeous green plant wall, with graduating colour as a nice alternative for a statement wall. From the minimal cactus to the luscious jade plant, our Creative Director Zoe used a combination of faux and real plants, with a mixture of textures and subtle variations in colour.

PERFECT PLANTS FOR HOUSE PLANTS SHELVES: ALOE, JADE PLANT, SNAKE PLANT, BOSTON FERN, CACTUS, YUCCA

Hanging Gardens

Mimic the lush canopy of a tropical forest and create a spectacular installation in your bathroom, simply by hanging a few planters! This is especially well suited to the space above a freestanding bath and looks infinitely better than a drab shower curtain. Repurpose an old ladder to suspend your hanging plants, or for a sleeker look simply secure from a beam or piece of copper piping.

PERFECT HANGING GARDEN PLANTS: SPIDER PLANTS, STRING OF PEARLS, GOLDEN PATHOS, HEARTLEAF PHILODENDRON

PLANTS FOR BRIGHT LIGHT BATHROOMS

If your bathroom is blessed with abundant natural light, you have a wide array of options for selecting the best plants to thrive in this bright environment. Tropical plants that adore bright indirect light are ideal choices. Among the most popular bathroom plants for bright light are air plants, known for their unique ability to thrive without soil. With their delicate and elegant appearance, these plants can be displayed on a bathroom shelf or in a hanging basket, adding a touch of natural beauty to your space.

PERFECT PLANTS FOR BRIGHT LIGHT ENVIRONMENTS: TROPICAL PLANTS, AIR PLANTS.

THE MOST POPULAR BATHROOM PLANT

When it comes to the most popular bathroom plant, there is one that stands out among the rest—the snake plant. Known for its dark green foliage and ability to tolerate low light, the snake plant is a top choice for many. It not only adds a touch of elegance to your bathroom with its tall, upright leaves, but it also thrives in high-humidity environments, making it a perfect fit for the bathroom. With its air-purifying qualities and low maintenance requirements, the snake plant is a favourite among plant enthusiasts.

MOST POPULAR PLANT FOR YOUR BATHROOM: SNAKE PLANT.

BATHROOM PLANTS THAT FIT THE DECOR

If you're looking for bathroom plants that not only thrive but also complement your decor, there are several options to consider. The polka dot plant is a popular choice with its vibrant, variegated leaves that come in a range of colours, adding a playful touch to any bathroom. Another elegant option is the bird's nest fern, which features glossy green leaves and a beautiful rosette shape, perfect for adding a touch of sophistication to your guest bathroom. For a classic and timeless choice, the peace lily with its elegant white flowers and heart-shaped leaves is an excellent fit for any bathroom decor.

PLANTS THAT GO HAND IN HAND WITH BATHROOM DECOR: POLKA DOT PLANT, PEACE LILY.

Walls Of Green

Living walls or vertical gardens are no newcomer to the world of interiors, yet they remain the most dramatic. Succulents, being incredibly low maintenance yet high impact, are the perfect plant for achieving this look and placing one in your bathroom gives the plants just the right level of moisture. You can buy a vertical garden, or tailor one to fit your space with a simple wooden frame, potting soil and chicken wire for a fresh, contemporary look.

PERFECT PLANTS FOR LIVING WALLS: DESERT ROSE AGAVE, ALOE, JADE, WAX AGAVE.

Bathroom Bouquets

If you're not keen on curating an indoor jungle and rather a pared-back look, a bath bouquet is a quick, pretty way to incorporate greenery into your washroom. A bath bouquet can be simply styled on your vanity or tied with some twine and hung from a shower rail. Rather than choosing flowers, opt for aromatic foliage like eucalyptus, lemon verbena, sweet bay or rosemary that will create a soothing scent in the steam of the bathroom.

PERFECT BATHROOM BOUQUETS PLANTS: EUCALYPTUS, ROSEMARY, THYME, LEMON VERBENA, SWEET BAY LEAF.

Why not share your botanical bathroom ideas and inspirational interiors via @myroperrhodes on our Instagram page?