Flowering house plants Blooms with staying power

In the second part of our new series, Sarah Gerrard-Jones unveils a range of great-value house plants that will give you flowers for months on end

- Sarah Gerrard-Jones

Every year, millions of house plants are bought while in bloom, only to be discarded like a bunch of wilted cut flowers when they enter a period of rest. While I do not condone throwing away plants after they've flowered, I understand the desire to fill our homes with interest and colour year-round.

Instead of wasting money on one-season wonders, opt for house plants that flower for longer. Many varieties of begonia, such as 'Comte de Lesseps', have not only pink flowers that keep on blooming, but also the bonus of beautiful spotted leaves, too. The African violet, meanwhile, can also flower continuously and with proper care live for several decades - that's a lot of return on your investment.

African violet

Streptocarpus (formerly Saintpaulia)

African violets, native to the coastal forests of Kenya and Tanzania, grow in moist, low-light conditions on the forest floor, but don't let this mislead you into thinking they prefer to be far from a window. Given that the light in our homes can be at least 50 per cent dimmer than that found outside, find a spot on a windowsill facing east, west or north, and water only when they are starting to get dry.

These plants dislike water pooling on their leaves, which can potentially cause rotting, so it's a good idea to give them a drink from below by placing the pot into a bowl of water. If you prefer to use your watering can, blot away any excess water with kitchen paper.