Forever feeling inspired by interior landscape, Ian became hooked on house plants after receiving his first, a peace lily, at age four. “From a young age, house plants were my playground. When I was just 13, I decided taking care of house plants and interior design was what I was going to do for a career.”

And so, he did. Over the years, Ian has built his career around interior design and has won a number of awards for his hard work. Now, he has released his brand new inspirational book At Home with Plants, a publication all about finding news way to use plants in the house and how to take care for them.

Whist working as creative director at Indoor Garden Design, Ian noticed a significant number of people were asking him the same questions: “What plant can I put in my kitchen?”, “what plants work well in bathrooms?”, or “what house plant is best for a bedroom?”. Thus, the inspiration for his book began. Ian explained: “These questions are exactly what formulated the book. The information, tips, and care guide inside are there to answer all these important questions, and the book should be a really useful source for readers.”

The book is broken down into chapters that focus on different rooms in the house. It discusses ideas for different areas, styling tips and horticultural support, and danger signs too. At the end of each chapter, a selection of plants suitable to the room is revealed.

However, Ian noted: “It’s important to know, the book isn’t just about creating wonderful displays. It and is informative about what plants work well together, and about how you can look after them. “People become so worried they’re going to kill them, when often it’s really just about the environment.”

Ian also clarified that you can’t just place a plant anywhere. Drainage, sunlight, and temperatures are all factors that need to be carefully considered. And of course, depending on the room, these are all factors that can vary intensely.

SNEAK PEAK

“The brightness of light needed by each plant varies, they do all need light to some degree for at least 12 hours a day in the growing season. When deciding which houseplants to have where, take into account not only the amount of light they require but also the light levels in each room. Observe where the light comes in and when, where any shadows form, and how the light moves and changes in intensity during the day. In general, light levels are reduced the closer you are to the ceiling, which is worth noting when choosing plants for cupboard tops or hanging plant displays.”

Ian hopes At Home with Plants will encourage people to fall in love with house plants and enable a deeper understanding for their care. He added: ”There should be a space for house plants in all our lives. If I can encourage more people to love house plants, this will be a great achievement.”

At Home with Plants was released earlier this week and is available to buy now. Please see here: At Home with Plants: Amazon.co.uk: Drummond, Ian, O’Reilly, Kara: 9781784721947: Books