Herbs are an obvious choice for the kitchen, especially if you can find a warm and sunny spot for them. If you struggle to keep supermarket herbs alive, try growing your own from seed on the windowsill. This will save you money, plus the plants are likely to be healthier and last a lot longer.

Air plants are like beautiful, mini ornaments but it can be easy to forget they need to be looked after like other plants. If you place them in your kitchen near the sink it’s easy to give them the occasional dunk in water or a quick spritz with your mister. Place them somewhere in your regular eyeline and you’ll be less likely to overlook them.

You’re getting something out of the oven and catch your arm on the hot oven shelf, we’ve all done it. Aloe vera plants are legendary for their ability to heal burns, simply snap off a leaf and apply the gel inside directly to the burn. If you have a sunny spot and don’t overwater it, your Aloe vera will happily thrive with very little care.

Kitchens can be humid environments, which perfectly suits humidity lovers like the Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata). This fern looks great displayed in a hanging pot which can be placed in the vicinity of moisture sources such as the sink or cooker. Beware temperature fluctuations though and keep this plant out of direct sunlight.

The perfect plant to add interest to your kitchen shelves is the Ficus pumila. This tough little plant will cope with lower light levels and will trail beautifully, providing vertical interest. It loves moisture so water it every 3-4 days in a warm room. Look out for the variegated form if you fancy something slightly brighter than the straight green variety.

Visit Simply Garden at 51a George Street, Hastings, for expert advice, gardening essentials, plants, containers, courses and talks. 01424 319093 simplygarden.org

Our Editor, Lucy picked up some excellent plant tips from Sarah at a recent Simply Garden talk at The Printworks, Hastings, where she found out about IKEA’s great new range of plant pots and cultivation units. Here are three of our favourites for kitchens…

TEST SATSUMAS plant stand with 5 plant pots, £30

SATSUMAS plant stand with 5 plant pots, £30

TEST KRYDDA cultivation unit, £19

KRYDDA cultivation unit, £19

TEST BITTERGURKA plant holder with LED cultivation bulb, £35

BITTERGURKA plant holder with LED cultivation bulb, £35

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