VX wrote:
I'd really like to find a plant that will be happy on my bathroom
windowsill. The bathroom window is itself inside a conservatory
(added later I assume) and is set back from the rest of the wall of
the building and is usually in the shadow of part of the building
that projects more. Consequently it is only now starting to get
direct sunlight. The darker portion of the year the sun is in the
wrong position (I know- its the Earth that's in the wrong position)
and it only gets diffuse light, and not that much of it. I can't
help
thinking there must be some plants that like the more shaded areas
and would actually enjoy this location. Any suggestions welcomed!

Hessayon's _House Plant Expert_ gives a helpful series of diagrams of
possible lighting conditions tolerated by various plants. It's too
much to copy out here, but the book is very interesting, and I don't
disagree with it very often; it only costs as much as a
moderately-priced plant, so you might find it worth getting (mine was
actually only a quid from a charity shop).

My own very low-light plants (no direct sunlight at all) a ivies,
umbrella plants, scindapsus, begonia rex, spathiphyllum, and a little
ficus pumila I killed earlier this year by sheer incompetence. I'm
trying a croton (codiaeum) there at present. In a north window are a
rubber plant, another umbrella plant, and a boring kangaroo vine. My
small loo window faces east, and is home to a pelargonium which has
flowered all this winter, though it's too leggy to win any
competition; in the bathroom are a pelargonium, two begonias, and the
inevitable spider-plant. Your bathroom spot should be good for
African violets (but I ruined the last ones I had, so why listen to
me?).

Mike.