House plants in the Netherlands: tips to make your Dutch house bloom

Let's go green 🪴

House plants in the Netherlands — is there any better way to make your house feel fresh and homely?

This country is famous for its amazing tulip seasons, colourful fields and general love for greenery. Bring some of that luscious flora inside and enjoy all the benefits of having house plants in the Netherlands. 🌿

The Dutch truly love plants. If you walk around the city during the spring or summer time, you will see typical Dutch house façades covered with climbing green plants and flowers, like wisteria and roses. Dreamy, right?

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9 indoor plants that will flourish inside your Dutch home

If you’re keen to decorate your interiors with some green, here are some amazing plants that are suitable for your Dutch home!

man-holding-multiple-house-plants-in-front-of-face-in-the-netherlands

👍 TIP: Not sure where to start? A mixed box of plants perfect for Dutch houses is the easy answer. You’ll get 10-12 different plants to spread the joy around your home — for just €24.95. What a korting (discount)!


1. Monstera Deliciosa

Commonly known as the Swiss Cheese Plant, thanks to the holes and splits of its leaves, this is currently the “must have” trendy plant. She reigns on Instagram, quirky cafés, and soon your home.

monstera-deliciosa-plant
Image: Plantje.nl

We recommend it if you have big spaces because it grows bigger and bigger! It likes to be in a spot where it can soak up lots of sunlight, but that isn’t too hot — perfect for the Netherlands!


2. Chlorophytum Comosum

Commonly known as a Spider Plant because of its long leaves and daughter bushes (spiderettes), this is the perfect plant to hang. The coolest part will be after you hang it and it starts to grow those spiderettes: the bushes that dangle down from the mother plant!

Chlorophytum-Comosum-plant
Image: Plantje.nl

They require well-drained soil and bright, indirect light. Of course, a plant as cool as this will have very specific requests!


3. Sansevieria Trifasciata

Commonly known as Mother-in-law’s Tongue or a Snake Plant due to the shape of its leaves, the Sansevieria converts poisonous substances into oxygen! Thanks Ms. Trifasciata!

Sansevieria-Trifasciata-plant
Image: Plantje.nl

With all the love it gives us, we have to reciprocate it. Luckily, this plant is easy to take care of: it mostly just needs a big pot, so it can grow vigorously.


4. Maranta leuconeura

Commonly known as Prayer Plant, this elegant plant is native to the tropics. The name is because they close their leaves in the night, just like someone kneeling by their bedside and praying before sleep. Maybe it’s a good present for your religious relative?

Prayer-plant
Image: Plantje.nl

It multicoloured leaves are also very attractive, so it’s not just characterised by its religious tendencies. It prefers humid conditions and well-drained soil.


5. Philodendron Scandens Brasil

This plant’s bright green duotone leaves will brighten up your home so much, it’ll feel like spring year-round. These plants hang and climb, although we’d also recommend putting them on your window and letting them grow along the windowsill.

Philodendron-Scandens-Brasil-plant
Image: Plantje.nl

Note that these plants need high humidity and indirect sunlight with slightly moist soil. They’re quite low-maintenance, so if you keep these three things in check, they’ll be happy and level up your home!


6. Calathea Medallion

Don’t freak out if you hear a small noise coming from this plant. Just like the prayer plant, the leaves close in the evening and unfold again when the first light comes through the windows in the morning.

calathea-medaillon-plant
Image: Plantje.nl

This gorgeous, multicoloured, moving plant is not only classy, but she’s also low-maintenance. A Calathea likes shade, and only needs watering twice a week!


7. Goeppertia Ornata

Goeppertia is a variety of Calathea. The leaves have pink stripes radiating out from the central vein, looking almost like someone painted the lines by hand. The dark green and baby pink combo is very in right now, she’s one with the trends!

calathea-ornata-plant
Image: Plantje.nl

She’s like that cool kid in school that you want to be friends with, but once you start hanging out, you realise she’s a big high-maintenance. She needs bright, indirect light, and a lot of water to make sure her soil is always moist. Nothing but the best for Ms Ornata.!


8. Asplenium Nidus

Commonly known as Birds Nest Fern, this plant has simple light-green fronds, and it is quite easy to manage. They’re tropical, and in their natural environment, they’re often very moist and blocked from the sun by their taller plant friends.

Asplenium-Varen-plant
Image: Plantje.nl

So they love to chill in the shade at the perfect temperature: not too hot, and not too cold. Be careful putting it next to the window! And don’t let the soil fully dry out. If you give it regular water, it’ll be happy.


9. Pilea Peperomioides

Also referred to as a Chinese Money Plant (or as the Dutch so adorably call it, Pannenkoekenplant), this is a very funny plant and is easy to take care of. Not only that, but they make their own babies! You can have an endless supply of them by cutting off one of the many branches it’ll grow and replanting them.

Pilea-Peperomioides-plant
Image: Plantje.nl

They’re very low-maintenance. Have you got a window in your house? (For your and the plants’ sake, we hope so!) Can you water in once per week? Then you’re set. With lots of light and regular watering, this plant will last you a long time.


House plants in the Netherlands: where should you shop?

Our top recommendation for buying plants is Intratuin (and no, they didn’t sponsor this article, we just really love them!) Intratuin is much more than a garden centre. They have a huge variety of indoor and outdoor plants and flowers.

man-in-greenhouse-things-to-do-in-delft
This is a plant nerd heaven! Image: Depositphotos

If you would like to turn your home into a rainforest, we also recommend Plantje for its huge selection. You can find any information about your dream plant on their website, and they can deliver it to your doorstep! 🌱📦

House plants in the Netherlands: how to grow plants inside your own home

Besides being good at taking care of balconies and gardens, the Dutchies are also spending a lot of time at home, especially during cold winters.

Recently the trend of in-house plants or the common “urban jungle” concept has caught on. If you steal a peek through the big Dutch windows from the street, you can see a lot of hanging pots and a variety of plants making the binnen more beautiful.

Indoor plants not only make your apartment look colourful, but they are also good for the interior climate. They release oxygen and control the humidity in your home. 🧘

home-office-with-many-plants
House plants can really brighten up a room! Image: Freepik

House plants in the Netherlands can be truly addictive. We can start with just one, and before we know it, we have 20 plants in a 30-square-metre studio apartment. We are here to give you even more ideas for how to have plants be the only form of decoration in your home.

Tips for house plants in the Netherlands

If you feel like you don’t have a green thumb, perhaps these tips will help:

Get to know your plants

Observe your plants and try to understand what they like or not. Taking care of your plants is a process. Everyone can learn, and if you spend time with your green friends experiencing different solutions, you can achieve great results!

A little goes a long way

It is always better too little water than too much. Watering your plants too much can cause irreversible damage. Let op!

A matter of direction

Keep in mind where your windows are facing. If you have a house facing the east or west, it really helps to give a balanced amount of sunlight to your indoor plants.

Meanwhile, if your apartment is facing north or south and you have lots of sun during the whole day, you can grow any cactus without any problem! 🌵

Green care is self-care

Taking care of plants can be a form of meditation: planting, re-potting, watering, and trimming the leaves are all actions that we are not used to doing anymore. It will keep you away from your phone for a while, and you can see the outcome of your care and effort in a few weeks!


What’s your favourite plant that you own? Bonus question: do you name your plants? Tell us in the comments below!

This article was originally published in September 2019 and was fully updated in June 2023 for your reading pleasure.

Feature Image:Freepik
Fabrizia Sbrega
Fabrizia Sbrega
Fabrizia moved to the Netherlands 11 years ago from Italy. After so many years, this country is still able to surprise and amaze her. Amsterdam is a city where you never get bored: it is vibrant, continuously changing and with always something to do. Recently she dedicates a lot of time to her plants and she is starting a new plants event company. If you need any help with your flowers and plants, do not hesitate to contact her.

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2 COMMENTS

  1. hi!! i have always had really bad luck with plats but desperately want to look my house look great with a few 🙂 especially on my balcony but my balcony receives very direct sunlight all day so im not entirely sure of what type of plants i should get. I thought aobut getting plants that do well in full sun but when i search, i only find plants that do well in “tropical climates” … I live in the netherlands.. Any suggestions? Would really appreciate some tips :p

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