A tropical paradise for indoor plants - greenhouse gardening

Sunset, Feb, 1996

It may be cold, gray, rainy, or snowy outside, but some lucky gardeners can pretend that winter doesn't exist by stepping into their greenhouses. The conservatory shown here belongs to George Little and David Lewis of Bainbridge Island, Washington. While it represents indoor gardening on a grand scale, their achievement can provide ideas for much smaller spaces.

In the middle of their custom-built conservatory, Little and Lewis dug a 9- by 16- by 2-foot pool sealed with a rubber pool liner. In the pond, a number of plants - including tropical water lilies and several species of tropical thalia - glow in containers, along with floating plants such as water hyacinths. Around the room are pots of angel's trumpet (Brugmansia), bougainvillea, ferns, orchids, and passion vine.

A thermostatically controlled propane space heater maintains the air temperature at 65 [degrees] during the day and 55 [degrees] at night. Goldfish in the pond keep the water clean and free of insects.

If you don't have space for a greenhouse, try growing water plants in pots set in a south- or west-facing window. It's easiest to grow these plants in plastic nursery cans set into larger ceramic pots that are filled with water.