Click and grow: the best houseplant subscription services for Londoners
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Receiving post usually consists of bills you don't want to pay or junk mail which goes straight in the bin.
Instead, look forward to the postman appearing – and create your very own urban jungle – with a houseplant subscription.
Garden centres seem a rarity in the capital and when you do find one, it can be hard work getting your flora home on public transport.
So we've rounded up four of the best monthly plant subscriptions that deliver succulents, cacti and trendy houseplants to your front door.
2. Lazy Flora
Best for: having an unusual variety of houseplants
Starting from £16 for a plant (without a pot) for three months
Founded by Claire after she struggled to find the time to make her home into a green oasis, this service offers both indoor and outdoor plants. Users can either pay monthly or make a one-time purchase.
Each plant can be bought without or without a pot and comes with a handy plant guide to help you keep it alive.
WHAT WE THINK
The indoor plant delivered by Lazy Flora this month was a dramatic Flaming Sword (Vriesea), featuring long, arched leaves and a central, bright red flower head. The plant and its white ceramic pot were both protected well in a thick layer of bubble-wrap, so unpacking it couldn't be simpler and paying an extra £5 for the ceramic pot means it arrives display ready.
The watering instructions on the accompanying plant-care guide are reassuringly fuss-free and the plants selected each month have a maximum height so they won't feel too big in small rooms.
The online subscription service perfect for London plant lovers who don't have a garden centre on their doorstep. Monthly subscribers will quickly build up an unusual and colourful collection of indoor plants, with recent 'plant of the month' selections including a stunning yellow hibiscus flower, a vivid fuchsia orchid and an exotic coffee bean plant.
3. Sprout London
Best for: those who are on a budget
Starting from £45 for three months
Born from an idea that sprouted when Gemma was gifted a cactus for Christmas, one of the brand's main goals is to help encourage city dwellers to embrace greenery.
Each package is sent with full care instructions to ensure your new plant baby lives to see another day, with subscriptions usually posted Monday to Wednesday in the first two weeks of each month.
WHAT WE THINK
A Madagascar palm and Blue star fern arrived from Sprout, each wrapped in tissue paper and damage-limiting plastic containers.
Small- to medium-sized, they came in standard terracotta-coloured plastic pots – so this is one for those who'd prefer to choose their own ceramics. A helpful 'how to' card gives you some top tips for looking after your new plants.
For £15 a month – the price of a bunch of five-day-guarantee flowers and a bottle of wine – we think it's a good-value option, even with the additional cost of buying pots.
Having never previously considered a joint plant and coffee subscription (£24), we were quickly converted by a sample of the freshly roasted Dark Arts coffee.
Forthcoming Sprout subscriptions include a Luxury one – think bigger, more sought-after plants based on current houseplant trends – which will cost £58 for three monthly sends; and, excitingly, a Plant & Ceramics one. Both are due to launch in November.
4. Bloombox
Best for: those looking to build their collection with plants from around the world
From £17 a month without a pot
Carefully curated to give both your indoor space a boost, Bloombox allows you to build your urban jungle by signing up for pay-as-you-go or annual membership.
Subscribers can choose to opt for a surprise plant with or without a pot and choose to receive one monthly or quarterly.
An in-house horticultural expert helps to ensure you have all the right tips to help keep your plant baby thriving.
WHAT WE THINK
We were given Crocodile Fern, an Australian native given its name thanks to the croc-like pattern on its leaves.
The plant arrived safe and sound and carefully packaged. A care card was slotted inside to help you keep it alive.
Here you'll find instructions on how often to water it, how to groom it and what environment to keep it in.
The classic white ceramic pot it came in was durable, stylish and simple. We loved the fact it was neutral, to go with any colour scheme.
5. Scandiscapes
Best for: hipster succulent fans
Starting from £10 for a monthly succulent subscription
Scandiphiles will love this plant subscription. Each month the service sends what they deem to be an easy succulent to look after inside a minimalist Scandinavian-inspired planter.
Newbies need not worry as it also comes with a pretty A5 plant illustration with care instructions on the reverse.
They also offer a bigger plant subscription for those who have more space, starting at £35 a month.
WHAT WE THINK
We received a medium-sized Sansevieria, or ‘snake plant’, with the pricier subscription and a Jade Plant, or ‘money plant’, thought to bring good fortune, in the other.
Each plant arrived carefully-wrapped and looking lush, accompanied by a helpful little illustrated card telling you where it likes to live, how often it needs watering and how best to ‘groom’ it.
The quality of the pots impressed us – ceramic and pleasingly heavy, they don't feel cheap. The succulent’s pot even had magnetic circles on one side, should you wish to attach it to your fridge, radiator or filling cabinet – ideal for small space living.