Let’s hope the weather is going to be kind to us in the run up to Christmas. With the second lockdown taking effect this week, we are all going to need our outdoor spaces yet again.

I know that we are going to find it much more difficult with not being able to use the garden as another room of the house, without wrapping up and praying for dry weather. It certainly won’t be possible for my elderly mother to sit out there now due to the cold but I’m sure I will be able to find things to do to get me out for some fresh air.

With virtually all my winter preparations complete outside, this week has been about pottering and completing small tasks outdoors that I have just kept putting off. Now is also a good time to take stock of your indoor plants. I’ve probably got over 80 of various sorts throughout the house and if I’m being honest, they do tend to get neglected through the summer months when my garden takes centre stage.

Taking care of plants indoors can be a bit tricky. You need to consider so many things, such as lighting and watering. Probably the most common cause of plant death is over-watering. Indoor plants will need water, light and warmth in order to survive. Variegated plants (those that have leaves with white edges or white flecks) often need more light than their green cousins, so keep them nearer to a window so that they can get all the light that they need.

Plants acclimatise slowly to different surroundings by changing their leaf orientation and structure. Consequently, it is best if you can try not to move them around, as they may not adapt as easily as you think.

An extremely easy plant to look after is commonly called a snake plant, you may also know it as Mother-In-Law’s tongue. It has been a favourite house plants of almost everyone for almost always, or so it seems.

You will have seen them around, quite often in shopping centres due to their ease of maintenance, they have stiff, thin leaves. The plant is also known as sansevieria and is resilient and, more importantly, can be placed in low light. The added bonus, they do not require too much water either. So, due to their hardiness, snake plants make an excellent match as a house plant if you are not too confident.

I have several at home, one I only recently acquired. It is a gorgeous sansevieria Victoria or “Whale Fin” and one I’ve had for several years, sansevieria “Starfish”. They both clearly resemble their names to a tee. Read more of Geoff’s garden at www.driftwoodbysea.co.uk