The aspect of a conservatory is crucial however to the success of plants grown inside it. South facing conservatories can be boiling in summer, but are often warmer & therefore more pleasant in winter.

North-facing conservatories are cooler in summer & may not require roof blinds to lower the heat gain, but are even colder in winter, thereby perhaps needing roof blinds to help keep the ambient temperature up. Roof blinds, possibly fans or air conditioning and lots of opening windows & roof vents all help to cool the room down (windows in the roof are especially good for releasing the heat).

In winter, central heating radiators or portable heaters help to make the conservatory liveable during cold spells, for you & your plants. For a comfortable temperature in summer, south facing conservatories almost always require roof blinds. North & East facing conservatories may not require roof blinds in summer, but will need heating in winter: thermal roof blinds will help keep your heating bills down & your plants healthy.

Stone or ceramic tiled floors are best for plants, as the regular watering will not damage them. However avoid white tiles, which can be very glary, & wood floors which may expand when wet or scratch easily if heavy plant pots are moved around.

The failure of conservatory plants to survive is due to two main reasons:

• the extremes of temperature during the year
• the prevalence of glasshouse pests and diseases

Extreme Temperatures

Most plants are unhappy in temperatures which are decidedly chilly in winter and boiling hot in summer, or even very cold at night and baking hot during the day.

A thermostatically controlled heater is advisable during winter, which can be left on to warm the room each night if the temperature falls below the minimum setting, & avoids damaging frosts.

In the summer, make sure that at least some of the windows are left open during the day, & blinds closed over the roof otherwise your plants will be suffering: what’s needed is a pleasant & relatively steady temperature all year round.

Pests & Diseases

When you visit the garden centre, choose the healthiest looking plants you can, with no wilted or yellowing leaves or pest damage, & treat any sign of pests as soon as they occur.

Conservatories can have a moist atmosphere especially in winter, which means that plants are susceptible to fungal diseases. If there is fungal growth, mildew or rust, remove affected leaves and spray with fungicide.

Water your plants regularly; the amount and frequency depends on the season, and in summer you will probably need to water and mist your plants every couple of days.

Feed plants during the growing season, and check them for warning signs of problems. Yellowing leaves indicate a draughty position, or over-watering, whereas wilting or droopy leaves mean lack of water. Too much direct sunshine may result in burnt leaves, so move the plant to a shaded area, or draw the conservatory roof blinds over that section of the conservatory.

The failure of conservatory plants to survive is due to two main reasons:

• Aeschynanthus, a delicate trailing plant for hanging baskets with evergreen leaves and red flowers in summer.
• Cacti are trouble-free as they have developed to withstand the extremes of temperature in the desert. They need minimal attention other than watering once a week or so during the summer.
• Codiaeum (croton). This colourful plant enjoys the bright light in the sunniest part of the conservatory, and will grow to about 80 cm tall under glass. Water regularly during the summer & feed regularly during the growing season. The temperature should be kept above 12 degrees centigrade during the winter for best results.
• Tradescantia Easy to look after, these trailing plants have pretty variegated green and white leaves, or green leaves with purple undersides. For strong growth, water regularly.
• Nephrolepis is a fern, which flourishes in a conservatory as it is tough , even coping with a sunny position, but don't let it dry out. Excellent for hanging baskets or pots, hanging off tie-bars or brackets in the conservatory roof.
• Ficus benjamina "Starlight" is a larger, variegated version of the small 'weeping fig' tree, attractive in the conservatory on the floor. This plant is always covered in pretty green and white foliage, although it will drop a number of yellowed leaves during the winter.
• Dracaena marginata "Colorama" is a shrub with spiky red and green foliage. lovely foliage shape, & looks great on the floor, usually reaching about 1 metre high.
• Spathiphyllum has large leaves and white flowers. This plant likes to be kept moist, so spray weekly during hot weather. Try to protect from too much direct sunlight by drawing the roof blinds over the area it occupies.
• Billbergia nutans makes a good conservatory plant and can live on a windowsill for years. A very tolerant plant even in conservatories. It is a bromeliad, related to the pineapple requiring watering only when really necessary and feeding only occasionally.
• Brillantaisia Guianensis A medium sized herbaceous, tropical shrub with tall spikes of purple blue flowers. Can grow up to 8ft tall but benefits from pruning. Large, fiddle shaped leaves and hairy stems. Suitable for a spacious conservatory to show it off to the full.
• Dombeya is a large shrub with large heart-shaped leaves and dense heads of little pink flowers which hang from long stems. Does not like the frost but fine in a cool conservatory. Can be pruned after flowering in mid summer but best in a large conservatory where it will create a dramatic impression.