Here are the best plants to grow if you don’t have a lot of outside space

Since before lockdown, when I first left home five years ago I soon fell in love with buying, growing, planting and caring for a wide variety of plants.

I quickly learnt how picky some plants can be, and that others can handle or even thrive while being neglected, underwatered, and in low light.

If you want a nice houseplant that’s virtually unkillable, zz plants can tolerate any amount of humidity, prefer to be on the drier side, and can tolerate all light except for direct sunlight.

Even if you forget to water your plants, this one can survive pretty much anything.

Air plants are also a good option - they don’t need soil or a pot, so just put them in a plant holder, or even in a magnet pot for the fridge, and they’ll draw in the nutrients and moisture they need from the air.

Another good plant, which also has multiple uses, is an aloe vera.

It’s one of the hardest plants to kill, able to tolerate drying out and a variety of light levels, but is also a lifesaver in the kitchen.

I’m no stranger to accidentally injuring myself, often from a hot oven, falling over, or not being careful enough while chopping vegetables, but the gel inside aloe vera’s leaves can help with inflammation, pain, burns and irritation.

Outside of the kitchen, it also works wonders on heat rash and as aftersun.

All you need to do is cut off a lower leaf of the plant near the stalk and cut along the length of the leaf to get the gel out.

If you’d prefer to grow plants that you can eat, tomatoes can be easy to grow from seeds to vine-ripened fruits in a few weeks, all you need is a bright, sunny window.

Mint plants are also easy to grow inside, they just need indirect light, good drainage and the occasional misting with a spray bottle.

Basil can be a bit trickier to keep alive but if my mum, the notorious house plant killer, can keep one alive, literally anyone can.

A plastic container with well draining soil mixed with pebbles or sand, with a sunny spot, is ideal.

There are few things more satisfying than eating fruit and vegetables you’ve grown yourself, or seeing a plant flower or produce a brand new leaf.

What do you think of our suggestions? Do you grow plants, edible or otherwise? Join our Facebook group, Sussex Gardens, or email [email protected] to share your photos with us.