Whether you fill your home with a collection of houseplants or select just one or two specimens, houseplants provide a myriad of benefits.

The beauty of the flower, foliage, color and structure of plants is undeniable.

You can find foliage or bloom in colors to compliment almost any color in your home.

You can create vignettes of varied foliage as you would outside, contrasting ferny, spiky and round-leaved plants.

You can even create mixed containers using a composition of “thrillers, fillers and spillers.”

You can use the design principle of repetition to create visual impact.

Houseplants provide something living and green in the depths of winter when the ground is blanketed in snow. This can be good for your well-being.

When you decorate for the holidays, include a new plant or two, such as amaryllis or poinsettia.

Forcing bulbs, such as hyacinth or paperwhites, to bloom in February provides an indoor springtime environment, while outside you may have to wait until April.

Bringing tropical plants indoors to be treated as houseplants during the winter months can save you money and help you increase your collection from year to year.

Some plants can also satisfy your sense of smell and touch.

The aroma from brushing against a scented geranium (Pelargonium spp.) can provide a moment of calm or even joy.

Some have furry leaves that are a pleasure to touch.

Some indoor plants can be useful in the kitchen.

Snipped herbs for soup, a just-harvested lemon for fish, or lettuce leaves for your salad are all possible given a sunny window or fluorescent light.

The convenience is enhanced by saving money and a trip to the grocery store.

Please note that some houseplants are poisonous. Avoid those that may harm your pets.

Houseplants cannot provide their benefits if they get sick or die. You want to be successful, so follow some simple rules.

First, know the conditions where you want to place the plant and then select a plant that will do well in those conditions, just as you would for an outdoor site.

The gardener’s adage of “Right Plant, Right Place” also applies to houseplants.

The plant tag should explain its requirements.

The two most important conditions are the levels of light and humidity.

Indoor light is considered direct where a plant can receive the sun’s rays, in front of a bright south-facing window.

Succulents thrive in direct light.

Indirect light levels are defined as high, medium, and low, measured in foot candles.

You can provide supplemental light with a proper lamp.

Plants also need varying amounts of humidity.

A high humidity area, such as a bathroom, would be perfect for a fern but not a cactus.

Low humidity can be raised by adding a humidifier, misting plants, grouping them together, or placing a tray nearby filled with pebbles and water.

Second, as in your outdoor garden, decide on how much time you want to spend on maintenance.

Some houseplants may be very time-consuming with misting, pruning and repotting.

If you want a relatively maintenance-free choice, make a closed terrarium or choose a tried-and-true plant.

Snake plants (Dracaena spp.), pothos (Epipremnum aureum) and philodendrons (Philodendron spp.) thrive in indirect light, medium and low light conditions and need to be watered only when the top inch or so of the soil is dry.

Finally, and most important, start with a healthy plant. Look it over carefully in the garden center and reject it if it shows signs of disease or pests.

“Growing Green” is contributed by Diane Dorn, Lehigh County Extension Office Staff, and Master Gardeners. Information: Lehigh County Extension Office, 610-391-9840; Northampton County Extension Office, 610-813-6613