There are, of course, infinite variations and combinations that you can employ in setting up your indoor garden, but basically there are three main approaches to the arrangement of house plants:
1) Individual pots which can be set up and moved about at will.
2) A tray or box arrangement (almost always in a window) in which a number of different plants are grown together.
3) Terrariums (also known as Wardian cases) of which only the smallest or bottle variety are truly mobile.
For the beginner, obviously the easiest arrangement, individual pots, is the best. Here, each plant can be given completely separate attention. The likes and dislikes of the plant can be catered to, and the chances of success are greatest. The arrangement possibilities are limitless. There are any number of holders and shelf arrangements on the market designed to help you arrange your indoor garden to show off to the best advantage. These accessories are discussed in detail in Chapter 2, The Equipment You Need, where they are also illustrated. Suffice it to say that starting an indoor garden in the least ambitious way, with individual pots rather than with a window-box or pan arrangement, is safest, cheapest, and probably in the long run the most satisfying way to begin.