A potted history of houseplants

Three years after he was crowned, William was struggling to keep the whole of his new kingdom under control. In the winter of 1069, he led his army north, determined to crush those that kept rising against him. The written sources describe how his forces destroyed swathes of York ...  Show more

Ever wondered how to trick an enemy army into fighting a battle that doesn’t even exist? At 34 Rutland Gate in London’s Knightsbridge, an arresting inscription commemorates Brigadier Dudley Clarke as "Master of Military Deception". Bound by the Official Secrets Act, Clarke’s geni ...  Show more

How did plants power imperialism? Gardening may be a quintessentially British hobby, but many of the familiar plants in our lives have a global – and colonial – history. From “fern-mania” leading wealthy Victorians to decimate environments around the world collecting ferns for t ...  Show more

Houseplants are having a moment right now. In 2020, 66% of people in the US owned at least one plant, and sales have skyrocketed during the pandemic. Meanwhile, Instagram accounts like House Plant Club have a million followers. Over the past decade there has been a steady stre ...

Interest in houseplants has exploded in recent years. But what causes floral trends, and prices, to grow? Zachary Crockett sows a few seeds.