Howea forsteriana (kentia) £59.99
Position: bright but indirect light Soil: fertile: good potting compost Rate of growth: slow Hardiness: tender (indoors only) Current height: approximately 120cm (including pot) Pot covers: choose a 26cm pot cover to give a good fit over the pot. One of the most popular palms which if you stepped back into the Victorian times would have been seen in many a drawing room. They are still popular today as they are easy to grow, evergreen and will compliment most rooms. Keep them away from direct sunlight as this can burn the leaves, and away from cold draughts. Home care: The golden rule is not to leave this plant sitting in water,- they like a moist soil but won’t like to have the roots being sodden so feel the top of the soil before watering. In the winter it will still need watering but not as much. It likes humidity, so mist the leaves regularly in hot weather or if it is in a warm room. Avoid repotting until it is really potbound as they don’t like to be disturbed.

Beaucarnea recurvata (pony tail palm) £39.99
Position: a well lit place with some direct sun Soil: fertile: good potting compost Rate of growth: slow Hardiness: tender (indoors only) Current height: approximately 85cm (including pot) Pot covers: choose a 26cm pot cover to give a good fit over the pot. In time this plant will grow to around 2m or more. It is an interesting-looking plant with a bulb-like base that holds onto water (which means you don’t need to water it very often), with a topknot of slender leaves that cascade around the stem. This pony tail palm does not need humid air, so copes well with centrally heated rooms. Home care: Water well, making sure the excess water drains away freely. These plants dislike overwatering, so let the compost get quite dry before repeating the process again. Repot only when necessary, using a pot only a few centimetres wider than the bulbous base. Air temperatures should not dip below 7C in winter.

Yucca elephantipes (spineless yucca) £29.99
Position: bright light, can tolerate full sun Soil: fertile: good potting compost Rate of growth: slow Flowering period: summer/autumn Hardiness: tender (indoors only) Current height: approximately 95cm (including pot) Pot covers: choose a 20cm pot cover to give a good fit over the pot. These bold, striking plants with their sword-like long green leaves growing out of a trunk never fail to impress. They are one of the few houseplants that really do love the sun, so ideal as that stand alone specimen for the conservatory. Grown for it’s foliage and shape, it can have white bell shaped, scented flowers but this is rare. Home care: Place in a sunny spot, although it will take some shade. It is quite tolerant of temperature in the home but don’t let it fall below 7C. Water more often in the summer, feeling the top of the soil before you water, and reduce the watering through the winter months.