Bringing the outdoors in: best garden plants for creating indoor displays in Scotland

As we move through Scotland’s seasons, the weather can often feel unpredictable—cold winters, rainy springs, and fleeting sunny days. But just because the outdoors isn’t always cooperating doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the beauty of plants inside your home. Bringing garden plants indoors allows you to enjoy nature all year round, creating stunning displays that brighten your living space and lift your mood.

As a trained horticulturist and a lover of everything to do with plants, I believe in the transformative power of greenery. Whether you want to enhance your home’s aesthetics, enjoy the therapeutic benefits of plants, or simply bring a touch of nature into your indoor spaces, there’s a wealth of garden plants that can help. In this post, I’ll share some of the best garden plants for creating stunning indoor displays.

Why bring the outdoors in?

Plants are much more than decor; they have proven mental and physical health benefits. In Scotland's urban and city environments, where green spaces can sometimes feel distant, bringing plants indoors creates a meaningful connection to nature.

Plants lift your mood, reduce stress, and enhance cognitive function. There’s something incredibly soothing about tending to greenery or simply having lush plants around. Adding plants to your home also creates a calming, natural aesthetic that enhances any room. In urban environments, indoor plants act as a meaningful bridge between you and the outdoors.

Best garden plants for indoor displays in Scotland

For Foliage

Evergreen plants add a lush, consistent foil to your indoor displays, creating long-lasting visual interest. Spruce is a fantastic choice—it smells and looks like a Christmas tree with stunning blue-green foliage. Perfect for creating festive, long-lasting displays.

Taxus baccata, or yew, offers dark green foliage that acts as a beautiful contrast and foil in any arrangement. Eucalyptus is another excellent choice. While its not the most commonly grown garden plant, having a potted eucalyptus at your back door gives you access to foliage all year round.  By coppicing the plant (keeping the main stem at around 0.5-1m tall, and allowing fresh foliage to grow from that),  s you can enjoy fresh foliage all year round, ideal for cutting and bringing indoors.

For Colour

When it comes to colour, you can bring warmth and vibrance to your indoor displays with plants that offer bright and cheerful pops of colour. Cornus, or dogwood, has vibrant stems in stunning yellows and reds. They add a burst of energy and brightness to any winter arrangement.

Variegated holly, with its yellow and green or cream and green foliage, offers a Christmassy and festive touch that brightens any indoor arrangement. Choisya ternata, also known as Mexican Orange Blossom, has limey yellow foliage and a lovely herby scent. It’s a beautifully sensory plant for bringing indoors in winter.

For Flowers

While there aren’t as many flowers blooming in the garden during winter, you can still enjoy a few beautiful floral touches indoors. Viburnum tinus, for example, starts to bloom in December. Its pink and white buds last a long time in a vase, adding a delicate, cheerful touch to your displays.

Mahonia, known for its striking yellow, sweet-scented flowers, is a popular choice in wreaths and arrangements, adding a festive and fragrant touch. Hellebores niger, or Christmas Rose, has elegant white sepals that are perfect for floating in a bowl of water. You can admire their intricate beauty while adding a touch of winter wonder indoors.

Tips for successfully binging outdoor plants indoors

Water

Keep your cuttings and branches in vases with fresh water to prevent wilting and maintain their appearance.Cut the stems at an angle before placing them in water to improve water absorption.

Temperature

Indoor temperatures in winter can vary, so try to maintain a stable temperature range of 10–18°C (50–65°F) for your foliage. Avoid placing near direct heat sources, such as radiators or fireplaces, which can dry out the leaves and reduce the vase life.

Parting thoughts

Bringing garden foliage indoors is a simple and effective way to add beauty and life to your home. Whether you want to enjoy greenery in a city flat or have a larger home, the plants mentioned above offer stunning, resilient displays. They bring a touch of nature indoors while providing a therapeutic connection to the outdoors all year round.

If you’d like personalised advice or want to create a bespoke indoor plant display tailored to your home and lifestyle, get in touch. 

Get in touch today for expert guidance on bringing the outdoors in. Let’s create a thriving festive display together, bringing beauty, peace, and a deeper connection to nature into your home.