Greening up the gloom As winter wears on, ShopGirl brightens up her digs with a harvest of houseplants from the greenhouse

Winter gloom? Get a bloom.

Flowers and houseplants are the perfect antidote to the waiting-for-spring blues. It may be cold, windy and gray outdoors, but indoors, your home can become a lush, fragrant, tropical oasis.

All it takes is a little shopping, but you were up for that, right?

This time of year, I find myself drawn to greenhouses and the plant aisle of the grocery store. One whiff of the moist, peaty air and I feel like myself again. I also feel the need to buy orchids, violets and other growing things.

So that’s what I did recently at Sunnyside Greenhouse on Buck Street in Bangor. Sunnyside had a good selection of African violets (not to mention diminutive daffodils), so I picked up an unusual white and magenta combination for $5. It’s now brightening up my kitchen windowsill.

If you’re a violet lover – or an orchid lover, primrose lover or foliage-plant lover – Greencare Interior Plantscapes on Route 2 in Hermon is the place for you. The shop specializes in houseplants, and the selection is mind-boggling. When I visited last week, I couldn’t resist an air plant ($3.99), which is a type of bromeliad that needs no growing medium and flowers in the right light. There it was, hanging in the air from a bit of fishing line like a green and pink tarantula. I had to have it. And I liked it even more once I heard how low-maintenance it is. I also had to buy a garden-clog planter overflowing with ivy, philodendron and some sort of leafy green I didn’t recognize. The whole shebang was $9.99.

When I got back to the office, I looked up the unknown plant in “The Complete Houseplant Survival Manual” by Barbara Pleasant (Storey, $24.95). It’s a new book that will tell you everything you need to do to keep your plants happy and healthy. It will not tell you what the spiky, leafy thing in my planter is, however.

One plant that needs no introduction is the orchid, and, thanks to its popularity, they’re much more affordable than they used to be. You can find them at the supermarket, at a greenhouse, by the stem at specialty florists such as The Little Garden Shop in Surry, or at discount stores such as Target, where I picked up a show-stopper of a phalaenopsis for $14.99. I also picked up a Peter Rabbit garden journal for a dollar.

Though orchids have a reputation for being finicky, many varieties, including the easy-to-find phalaenopsis, or moth orchid, have needs similar to regular houseplants. If you’re still feeling a little daunted, check out “Growing Orchids” by Brian and Wilma Rittershausen. It’s huge, comprehensive, and on clearance for $5.99 at Borders. While you’re there, you can pick up a boxed miniature garden gnome for $6.95. It’ll make you smile every time you look at your potted palm.

After all, late winter is gloomy enough – it helps to have a little greenery, and a big sense of humor.

ShopGirl would love to hear from you! Send questions, comments or suggestions by e-mail to:

kandresen@bangordailynews.net, by U.S. mail to: Kristen Andresen, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor, ME 04402-1329, or by fax to: 941-9476. Tune in to ShopGirl at 5 p.m. Fridays on WLBZ-2.

Tips for choosing houseplants

. When buying flowering plants, choose plants with more buds than blossoms.

. Inspect the leaves closely for signs of stress or pests. A powdery white mass, pocked leaves or cobwebs could indicate an infestation, and yellow leaves could be symptomatic of poor watering or too much light.

. Know your environment. If your home has low light or is cold, some plants won’t perform well there.

. If you aren’t sure what will work for you, shop at a greenhouse, where the proprietors and staff are knowledgeable about everything they sell.