Ivy died - need indoor inspiration! (Picture attached)

[AgainPlease]

Those of you with an excellent green thumb please help me. Be warned: you're talking to someone who killed an orchid because she didn't know it needed to be watered so here goes...

Our fireplace in the sitting room is the feature of the room and I had an ivy plant for a month or so before it died. The top leaves close to the soil went all crunchy and after some Googling I came to the conclusion it got too much sun... But our sitting room doesn't get much daylight?! I watered it once a week (too much? Not enough?)

Is there another kind of 'hanging' plant I could use instead? Or should I have another crack at the ivy and if so how do I take care of it?

Thanks so much!!!!

[AgainPlease]

Shameless bump

[shovetheholly]

Wow, is that your fireplace? It looks like it should be in a magazine!

I would take a guess that your ivy got dehydrated and maybe sunburnt if it's in sun. They are damp and shade-loving plants that enjoy humidity and I have rarely seen them look good in domestic houses. I don't think they make great houseplants, on the whole - so I reckon trying with something else might be better.

If you have sunny conditions, what about the string of beads plant - senecio rowleyanus- it's a succulent so likes drier conditions (do NOT overwater!)

If you don't have sun, you could try pothos, the devil's ivy which likes a shadier spot - keep it away from pets, though.

The way to check water levels is to look at the conditions the plant would have outside and try to replicate them as much as possible. Look at the soil as much as the plant - if you put a finger on it and it's really dry the plant needs water. It should not, however, be waterlogged, i.e. sitting with its feet in wet all the time, unless it's a bog plant!

[AgainPlease]

Thanks shovetheholly, you're amazing!

Yup that's our fireplace - I'm a budding interior designer so I'm grateful you say it should be in a magazine :)

I'll try the pathos as the room doesn't get loads amount of sun. Still sad that the ivy didn't thrive. Not to worry, thanks again!!

[shovetheholly]

There's nothing "budding" about that picture - you're there already!! Very talented, it looks fabulous.

We should have a thread about houseplants, actually. There are loads of lovely ones and they are often used really unimaginatively. I am sure someone who knows more than me will come along with better suggestions, so do hang around a bit before you order anything! The only other thing that springs to mind right now is tradescantia. It's been a long day, though, and I'm not firing on all cylinders!

[AgainPlease]

Thanks

And all of these I can get at my local garden centre, or must I find somewhere quite large with lots of stock and variety?

Indoor plants are a nightmare. Like you say, it's about mimicking the outdoor conditions to the inside.

Am currently holed up in bed with a book and MNing so certainly not firing on all cylinders today either!

[PinkSwimGoggles]

ivy is not a happy plant indoors.
what might work (and is difficult to kill :o )

• spider plant
  
• 'devils ivy' (epipremnum)

[bookbook]

depending on how big a leaf you would like -
maybe a heart leaf philodendron they are fairly tough things !

[Owllady]

If you've managed to kill an ivy there is no hope for you! :o

[AgainPlease]

I know owllady, I'm useless

[shovetheholly]

It's a mistake loads of us made when we started againplease!

I think the biggest leap in any kind of gardening (even looking after a houseplant) is the one at the very start, where you have a lightbulb moment that a plant, while static, is far more dynamic than an inanimate object - and needs nutrients, water, and care to survive. It sounds like your orchid death experience might have provided that already! So I bet you are actually now actually ready to have a slightly more complicated plant that needs a bit of care. Honestly, I promise - most plants are fairly easy once you get the hang of caring for them!

Plus, if you are an interior designer, having a knowledge and collection of really well-cared for houseplants could be really beneficial career-wise. All indications are that they are coming back from a bit of an unfashionable period - I think I saw on TV that sales are increasing, and I've noticed interior magazines like Elle are featuring them quite often! (I know someone who works as a set dresser for magazines and she is using them more). You can get such a range of colours, textures and flowers from them.

My sister has a datura that is absolutely wonderful. It has flowers like this - so elegant!