Find plants perfect for your home and earn Virgin Points

A seasonal change is a great time to spruce up your surroundings: a well-placed mirror, crisp sheets, or a lick of paint are simple changes that make a huge difference, but you can also add new life to your home without a drill and spirit level.

Along with being a great way to decorate without decorating, adding indoor plants to your décor brings colour and freshness. But aside from looking great, indoor plants can have health benefits such as improved sleep and reduced stress and anxiety.

Better yet, many types of indoor plants are available through several of Virgin Red’s fabulous partners, so you can save points as you pick up the perfect plant. Don’t know where to start? Read on.

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The air purifier

Better known as the snake plant, dracaena trifasciatas are one of the most popular options for house plants because they’re easy to care for, can survive in most surroundings, and best of all, improve air quality wherever they are.

How do they purify air? Snake plants are succulents that absorb toxins and produce pure oxygen even at night, making them a great choice for bedrooms to improve sleep quality. Nab one with a pot and wooden stand from M&S (up to three points per £1).

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Pet-friendly plants

While plants have many upsides, some can be toxic for pets and children so it’s important to choose types you can not only care for, but will be safe in your home.

One of the best-loved pet-friendly plants is the calathea, also known as the prayer plant. It gained this nickname because while the leaves widen and flatten during the day to get as much light as possible, when the sun goes down they close and resemble prayer hands. Bloom & Wild (up to 12 points per £1) and John Lewis & Partners (up to six points per £1) both stock various types of calatheas.

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Small space savers

Not having space to create a personal greenhouse doesn’t mean having several plants is impossible. If DIY is best avoided, many plants look perfect on shelves, storage units, and bookcases making an instant difference. Alternatively, there are several ways to hang plants from the ceiling, and Wayfair (two points per £1) has an entire ‘How To’ guide plus the items needed to achieve it.

English ivy and pothos are perfect for trailing down walls but can be toxic for pets if ingested, however boston fern is easy for new plant parents to care for and is a safe alternative. All are available via Bloom & Wild (up to 12 points per £1).

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Shade lovers

Colourful and interesting looking plants tend to prefer bright, indirect light and a decent amount of humidity, but if you’re after a type that likes shade there are a few to choose from.

The corn plant is perfect for beginners as it doesn’t need watering very often and prefers shade, while the aspidistra – aka cast iron plant – is famous for not being fussy and prefers medium to low light over strong sunshine. Etsy (up to two points per £1) has cast iron plants of many sizes to suit several budgets.

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Windowsill succulents

If you lack green thumbs, opt for succulents as they need very little attention and can survive irregular watering. The miranda plant holds a lot of moisture so doesn’t like frequent watering, the crassula can live without sunlight, and the entertainingly named haworthia big band needs bright light but prefers to dry out a little before being watered.

John Lewis & Partners (up to six points per £1) has many sets if you can’t choose.

Skin saver

Aloe vera has been used for thousands of years to heal sunburn and rashes, among other skin issues. But instead of buying a tube at a chemist, why not have a constant supply at home?

The plant is a stemless succulent which needs bright, indirect sunlight and likes to be watered thoroughly (until the water drips from the drainage holes) but infrequently. The gel shouldn’t be ingested and if a leaf is removed at the root it won’t disrupt the entire plant. Pick one up from B&Q (one point per £1) and add it to homemade lotions and body scrubs as needed.

Pretty décor, health benefits, and some Virgin Points? A win-win.

P.S. We always do our best to include the most up-to-date information but Virgin Red offers do change from time to time. Click on each offer for the current points rate and all the details.

Want more fun rewards in your life? Find out more about Virgin Red, the reward club for Virgin, and become a member for free.