SILENT MIGHT

By Adrienne Wild 23/12/2007

Give your traditional Christmas decor a boost with some trendy flowering houseplants – they make long-lasting gifts too…

Narcissus
The white, trumpeted flowers of the Paperwhite Narcissus will fill a room with sweet fragrance. Bulbs need to be planted at the beginning of November for Christmas flowers, but you can buy bulbs in bloom now, and you’ll usually find they’re growing in a bowl of gravel or planted in a decorative glass vase filled with water, so no soil is required.
SURVIVAL SECRET: Add a lump of charcoal to the water to keep it smelling sweet and keep the plant cool and the flowers will last for up to three weeks. If it’s too warm growth will become taller and weaker causing the top-heavy flower stems to flop over.
HOW MUCH? Around £5 from florists.

Cyclamen
Look out for the dwarf varieties that come in shades of pink, red, white and purple and often have a light fragrance. Consider planting them en-masse in a shallow bowl for maximum impact.
SURVIVAL SECRET: Cyclamen like cool conditions and a north-facing windowsill is ideal. They are sensitive to too much water. Remove spent flowers and faded leaves complete with their stalks as any remains will rot quickly and spread to the rest of the plant.
HOW MUCH? Around £2.99 from garden centres.

Hyacinths
Hyacinths produce the most intoxicating scent and are best displayed in individual pots. The colour range includes blue, pink, red, yellow-cream and white.
SURVIVAL SECRET: Plenty of light and a cool temperature are essential for the flowers to last up to two weeks. It’s also important to keep the compost moist, but avoid water logging otherwise the leaves will yellow.
HOW MUCH? From £3.99 from florists.

Jasmine
Forget the traditional Christmas wreath and opt for a hoop of sweetly scented white jasmine and it will fragrance your home for up to six weeks. This evergreen has the potential to reach 10ft tall, so bear that in mind when the growth season starts in spring.
SURVIVAL SECRET: Avoid putting jasmine near a radiator. A southwest-facing windowsill is ideal, but be aware that if houseplants are behind curtains on a windowsill at night it can get chilly.
HOW MUCH? Around £5.99 from garden centres

Poinsettia
The bright red bracts of poinsettia are traditionally associated with Christmas, but if you shop around you can take your pick from salmon, pink, creamy-yellow and ivory shades as well.
SURVIVAL SECRET: Given bright light and cool temperatures poinsettias will last for two or three months. However, overwatering, lack of light and cold draughts will cause the leaves to fall off after wilting, so find them a cosy spot near a window in the living room.
HOW MUCH? Around £2.50 from supermarkets.

Kalenchoe
Fool-proof Flaming Katy, or kalenchoe, has shining green leaves with scalloped edges and produces brightly coloured flowers, which last up to eight weeks in red, ivory, yellow and orange plus Day-Glo pink and purple.
SURVIVAL SECRET: Grow in a cool room on a south-facing windowsill and they should remain in flower for three months providing you water with tepid tap water rather than cold water, which will shock the plant.
HOW MUCH? Costs from £2.99 from garden centres.

Cactus
The curious ruffled lobster-like flowers of Christmas cactus come in shades of rose-purple, red, orange and white, and while they last individually for only a few days, they open in succession to give a continuous display. Stand them on a plinth or plant them in a hanging basket.
SURVIVAL SECRET: Plants flourish in cool temperatures and prefer their roots to be kept almost dry. Only water when the top half of the soil in the pot feels dry to the touch, and use rainwater, if possible.
HOW MUCH? Around £3.99 from garden centres.

Amaryllis
Amaryllis are now on the heels of poinsettias as Britain’s favourite Christmas plant. Look out for one of the highly fashionable Snow White varieties. This produces as many as three stems and up to six blooms, which can be cut and displayed for weeks in a vase.
SURVIVAL SECRET: As soon as the flowers start to open, move the plant to a well-lit cooler spot. Each flower should last about three weeks, but a great big bulb should provide at least one or two more flowering stems.
HOW MUCH? Pay around £7.99 for a gift box and £13.50 for a flowering plant at Asda.