Three small houseplants sized for a desk or a windowsill, chosen so none of them takes much looking after.

Peperomia obtusifolia 'Variegata', the variegated baby rubber plant, is neat and bushy with thick fleshy oval leaves in cream and green. Aloe vera makes an upright rosette of fleshy grey-green leaves and stores its own water, so it copes with being left alone. Maranta leuconeura 'Fascinator', the prayer plant, stays low and spreading, with dark green leaves marked by red veins that fold upwards in the evening.

The aloe wants the brightest position of the three, so treat the group as a bright indirect light set and turn the maranta so it is shaded from direct sun. Keep them between about 15C and 25C, away from cold draughts. Let the peperomia and the aloe dry out well between waterings, because both are fleshy and both are far more often killed by overwatering than by neglect, and keep the maranta a little more evenly moist. The maranta is the one that wants humidity and soft water; hard tap water browns its leaf edges. Feed monthly through spring and summer, and pot the aloe into a gritty compost when you move it on.

Supplied as three established plants in 1 litre root balls, ready to pot into containers of your own. Aloe is harmful to cats, dogs and rabbits if eaten, which surprises people, so keep it out of reach.

Cultural Information

Common Name: Variegated peperomia, aloe vera and prayer plant

Fully Grown Height and Spread: Peperomia 20 to 30cm; aloe 30 to 60cm; maranta 20 to 30cm

Growth Habit: Compact and bushy, upright rosette, and low and spreading

Perfect For: Desks, windowsills, shelves and small rooms

Foliage: Cream and green fleshy oval; grey-green succulent; dark green with red veins

Flowering Time: Grown for foliage

Planting Position: Bright indirect light indoors, with the prayer plant shaded from direct sun

Soil Type: Free-draining, peat-free houseplant compost, with gritty cactus compost for the aloe

Hardiness: Tender, indoor only; keep above 15C

Maintenance: Easy; water sparingly and use soft water on the prayer plant

Seasonal Interest: Evergreen foliage

Type: Houseplant collection of three plants