Inspired by BBC2’s The Great British Garden Revival series to make house plants fashionable again - but fed up with plants dying on you? Christmas could be a good time to fill your home with colour.

Poinsettia

Poinsettias are a great seasonal plants but have a reputation for being short-lived and difficult to maintain, even over the relatively short period they are in our homes or offices.

They will last longer if you unwrap them from their sleeves as soon as you get them indoors. Keep them warm. Poinsettias come from Mexico and central America, so don’t like sitting in cold cars, cold buildings or being watered with cold water. They will do better in warmer, draught-free locations.

Further tips:

White or pink poinsettias will look better for longer display periods. Red ones tend to fade if left in low light for over three weeks.

While they can consume a lot of water, poinsettias should never be allowed to stand in water.

Wilted poinsettias may have their life span reduced but try soaking the root ball with warm water. It can often revive them. Revival should occur within one hour, so give it a try.

What about alternatives to poinsettias?

If poinsettias don’t get your horticultural juices flowing, there are some good alternative seasonal plants to consider.

One plant that you might consider is the Hippeastrum, often called Amaryllis (which is a related species, but not the one you’ll commonly find). It is a bulbous plant that is often in flower at this time of year. They are available in a wide variety of colours and this spectacular plant is easy to care for.

The word cactus conjures up images of the spiky, desert plants seen in cowboy films. However, the cactus family is diverse, and one attractive member of this group is the Christmas cactus, part of the Schlumbergera genus. These plants, originally from the cloud forests of Brazil, are easy to look after. They can be induced to produce flower buds by keeping them relatively cool (10°C – 15°C / 50°F – 60°F) for six to eight weeks. Better still, they can live for more than 100 years.

Tips for indoor plants in the winter

If your offices are shutting down over Christmas, or if you are going away on holiday, spare a thought for your indoor plants.

Most indoor plants are a lot more robust than you think, and can manage quite well for a week or two without much thought, but there are ways to ensure you won’t come back to a collection of dead sticks.

If the lights are going to be turned off, turn down the temperature a little as well, otherwise the balance light temperature and water will be lost and plants will suffer.

Don’t turn the thermostat too low, some succulents can’t cope with temperatures below about 10 °C. Sansevieria (Mother-in-law’s tongue) will go mushy and smelly. Orchids will also be unhappy if they get chilled.

Don’t be tempted to over-water the plants “just to be on the safe side”. If it is cool, or darker than usual, the plants can’t make use of the excess so you might damage the roots and the soil structure. If you have an irrigation system installed (office plants often do), then your plants will manage perfectly well for two or three weeks.

Baubles, lights and fake snow are best reserved for Christmas trees as they damage foliage.

Decorate the soil surface with a seasonal top dressing – pine cones look festive without risking any damage to the plants.

Kenneth Freeman is head of innovation, at Ambius, landscaper and supplier of plants to commercial premises.