They say it’s good to be in touch with nature – especially when it comes to trying to save the world’s rainforests – so why not jump in at the deep end, and bring a bit of jungle magic to your home and garden.

There are very much two routes to the rainforest aesthetic – the one with actual plants, and the one with things that look a bit like them – so in honour of World Rainforest Day (June 22), here’s how to handle both…

In the garden

The most obvious way to channel the rainforest is to borrow some of its inhabitants, and a respectable number of tropical-looking plants can survive and thrive in temperate climates with just a bit of TLC.

Most dark, broad-leafed plants do a good job, and even commonly-grown garden options like rubber plants can provide a base level of pseudo-tropical foliage.

Some hardy palms can endure even through the British winter, their fan leaves echoing David Attenborough better than almost any other plausible plant, while the umbrella-like fronds of the musa banana plant can also live contentedly in UK yards.

The bright white flowers of the arum lily look far more exotic than the petals that frequent most British meadows, while the bright red blooms of the ginger lily look positively Amazonian when emerging from the undergrowth.

Cactuses are definitely a certain kind of tropical, but can survive with very little attention and can give your home an exotic, overseas feel, even without being strictly rainforest natives.

In the home

House plants are your friend for bringing the rainforest energy, and small, potted trees can be excellent centrepieces in otherwise stuffy rooms. The bird of paradise plant looks joyfully jungly, with wide, verdant leaves stretching up to two metres in the air, while dragon trees and corn plants can do the same job nearly as well.

Of the more inanimate methods, don’t underestimate the power of a well-selected colour scheme. Dark browns and dark greens make up most rainforest colour palettes, and walls, rugs and fittings can all be made to match. In terms of materials, wood is an obvious go-to, but bamboo furniture is similarly naturalistic and affordable.

The more natural light you can marshal – as opposed to electric light – the better, and large windows and open rooms may feel more forest-y despite the evident lack of trees.

You could paint an actual rainforest scene on your wall, but it might give off nursery vibes, and leafy wallpaper is perhaps a more aspirational option.

For temporary forest vibes, compilations of ‘rainforest sounds’ have become popular on YouTube and other websites to help people relax and drift off to sleep. Trees rustling, the sound of running water, the buzz of insects, and the chirps of monkeys and birds combine to create an auditory cocktail that is, despite it’s wild inspirations, surprisingly soothing.