The day of the Victorian Conservatory is long past; however, you can create an indoor oasis. Especially as the summer heats up, having a refreshing retreat for lounging, reading a book, chatting with friends over a glass of iced tea is welcome.

Think about using an array of indoor plants to create your own retreat from the summer heat. Houseplants, also called indoor plants, brighten up your home or office. The benefits of indoor gardening are numerous. My son reminds me of the clean air provided by indoor plants that take in carbon dioxide (which you exhale) and in turn release oxygen for you.

Indoor plants also brighten the room, providing a cheerful sight for those grey and often dreary winter days.

Indoor plants are an important part of decor in homes, offices and other buildings. By the way, many plants in your outdoor garden make for good indoor houseplants too. Start planning early to identify what plants you want to bring indoors when fall arrives. When in doubt, we urge you to experiment and see if you can grow a particular plant indoors. After all, the challenge is half the fun of gardening. Shop for the soil and containers you will need well before the fall season is over and while the selection is still good.

There are a couple of things you need to consider in selecting plants to bring indoors. First and foremost is whether the plant is suitable for your indoor climate. An indoor climate gets much less sunlight, so plants that thrive in full or partial shade are good candidates. They must also be small enough to fit into your pot or container, and the root system must be comfortable in that contained area. They must also be tolerant of the cooler and usually drier weather that exists in your home during much of the winter.

Outdoors, your plant received lots of sunshine. Through the fall and winter months, there is less sunlight for your plant. And once you bring it indoors, there is even less light. When bringing a plant indoors, condition it by slowly reducing the available light it receives. At first, give it as much sunlight as possible. This means placing it in the sunniest window, even if this is not its final winter destination. Gradually move it away from the light. After several days, move it to where you want it to stay.

Selecting the right pots is primarily a matter of taste. But, you should also select containers that are large enough for the root system of your plant now and through the winter months. You should also select pots with drainage holes in the bottom of the pot or container. (Some pots do not have drainage holes.) Many plants are drowned by too much watering and no place for excess water to go. A good pot will have drainage holes and a small dish underneath to capture any excess water that seeps out. Your plant will thank you for it!

The variety of houseplants is varied and broad. There are flowering types or non-flowering types. You can grow Cactus, small shrubs and flower bulbs. You can even grow a variety of herbs. Most of these however, require more sunlight, which is often at a premium indoors and in winter months.

We commonly think of only a quite limited number of houseplants. In actuality there are hundreds if not thousands of varieties.

The most common houseplants include: African Violets, Amaryllis, Begonia , Bonsai, Cactus , Coleus, Forced Bulbs , Geraniums , Impatiens (A great shade lover with glossy leaves and showy flowers.), Ivy , Paper Whites, Paradise Palms or Parlor Palms (There are many other types.), Philodendrons , Poinsettia , Rubber Plants , Spider Plants.

Found primarily in the rain forests, bromeliads are one of the planet’s most fascinating flora. Often referred to as the “other orchid,” the two epiphytes share an ability to improve air quality, making them doubly attractive as interior landscaping. In their native environs, bromeliads derive their moisture from the air, not their host, scrubbing the air of particulates and gases before releasing clean oxygen back into the environment. For sheer variety of color, shape and texture, bromeliads in the wild are unsurpassed.

Bromeliad blooms are a wonder of variety and longevity. They come in an astounding array of colors and shapes. Some remain tucked inside the rosette of leaves, while others grow into plumes reaching two or more feet in length.

Numerous factors contribute to bromeliad blooms: time, light and water are just a few. One of the most important variables is temperature, with a minimum requirement of 50 degrees.

Many of the more popular types of bromeliads, including Aechmeas, Guzmanias, Neoregelias, Tillandsias and Vrieseas, bloom naturally during the spring, summer and fall months. Guzmanias require purified water and more humidity than other types.

It is possible to prematurely force a bloom by exposing a bromeliad to ethylene gas, a natural byproduct of decomposing organic matter. Commercial products such as Florel, often used to ripen tomatoes and other fruits and vegetables, have successfully been used to produce bromeliad flowers.

The Common Milkweed produces a profusion of sweet-scented lavender flowers in mid-summer and is the mandatory food source for the caterpillars of the Monarch butterfly who feast on the leaves.

Growing well in any well drained soil, it does spread rapidly by rhizomes so it is best planted in a large area with other wildflowers and native grasses. It is deer resistant and makes great cut flowers.

Height—1-2 feet; Blooms—June to August; Full sun, Soil—sand to clay; water—dry to medium.

• Ready-to-use plant protector
• Clear, flexible polymer coating that holds moisture in plants and reduces stress caused by temperature extremes, transplant shock and dry environment
• Biodegradable and Nontoxic

Name: Jason Lewis
Position at Wegman's: Sales
Hobbies: Snowboarding, Spending time with my family
Favorite food: Shrimp wrapped in bacon glazed with teriyaki sauce
Favorite plant or flower: Lantera Maritima "Bicolor"
Favorite garden center product: Goldrush
Any message to the customers: "Watering and proper sun and shade conditions are the key to happy plants."

Trivia Question: What is the origin of the word “pumpkin”?

Question, answer, and winner from July 6th edition:

Question: What is the most popular melon in the U.S.?

Answer: Everyone answered watermelon so we still declared a winner; however, the correct answer is cantaloupe.
"The cantaloupe is the most popular variety of melon in the United States because of its refreshingly rich flavor and aroma and minimal number of calories."

Winner: Janice Parry