Tops among those hard-to-kill plants is the Sansevieria, or snake plant.   Horticulturists just love to tell the tale of a couple who received a snake plant as a house-warming gift and stuck it in the basement because they didn't like its looks.   Years later when they went to move and were hauling stuff out of the basement, they found the snake plant still looking much like it did the day they put it down there.

Well, that tale stretches the neglect factor just a wee bit, but the snake plant is among the houseplants that can go days, even weeks, with minimal attention.

You don't have to be a trained horticulturist to have nice indoor plants. Just be realistic about the growing conditions and time you can give plants and select accordingly. People can usually get the water and light needs down pact but they often forget to feed their plants. If you're forgetful, use the plant sticks or time-release fertilizers that release food over 60-90 days.

Wintertime can be hard on indoor plants because heating systems dry out houses, and houseplants typically need some decent humidity. Placing a plant on a saucer filled with gravel and water will improve the humidity level directly around a plant by as much as 30 percent. And the house heat in January and February can nourish the population of plant pests such as spider mites which love hot, dry places. Misting plants with cold water can often ward off mites.

Indoor plants always need good quality potting soils so air and water can easily penetrate and nourish the roots. Don't let plants stand in saucers of water. Water them, let drain and empty saucer in 10-15 minutes. The salts in standing water can burn roots.

Once you succeed with basic foliage, take on indoor plants with more interesting shapes, flowers and leaves. You'll find indoor gardening fine tunes your year-round skills. Houseplants also will help clean and improve your indoor air.

Here are some new indoor plants suggested by Kathy Scott, a buyer for McDonald Garden Center, and Pam Evans of Florida Wholesale, which supplies many local florists and garden centers:

Ficus Indigo - bred for lower light conditions, this weeping fig has extremely dark green, glossy foliage.

Ficus Spire - only ficus that tolerates very low light, this plant doesn't drop its leaves. It's slow growing and grows in a columnar shape, which makes it good for tight spaces.

Aspidistra Starry Night - Commonly known as the cast-iron plant because it doesn't take much care, this Starry Night variety has smaller leaves than Elatior and has small yellowish-white specks all over. It's also great for low-light areas.

Chrysophyllum - Genus of more than 80 species of tropical evergreen trees, this new Satin Leaf introduction is native to the Caribbean. It has a tall trunk with green leaves with copper undersides. It needs medium light indoors and can be a bit pricey because it's so unusual.

Spathiphyllum - Called spathe flower or peace lily, the new Ceres variety features a compact habit in a flat green with brilliant white multiple blooms.

Ferns - Full-sun ferns such as Kimberly Queen, which also can dry out between waterings, and Macho, which can be hardy outdoors to Zone 8 if given good protection and a mild winter.

Alocasia - For the more adventurous houseplant growers, try Polly, commonly known as the ``African mask'' for its heart-shaped leaves, wavy margins, silver veins and burgundy leaf colorations. Or, Black Velvet which has white veination along black-velvety leaves. They need a bit more light than low-light conditions.

Here are some other new varieties that debuted last year and are good for homes or offices with low- to medium-light conditions:

Moth orchid, or Phalaenopsis - People should not be fearful of orchids, especially the moth orchid. Orchids grow in every part of the world, except Antarctica; there are more species of orchids than any other flower. Moth orchid is forgiving, flowers last 3-4 months, often longer. Orchids like crowded pot, repot every 3-4 years. They do well in temperatures 70 during day and 60-65 at night. The Lady Slipper or Paphiopedilum, is the Southeast Asian cousin to Virginia's native lady slipper. The tropical Lady Slipper likes medium light, moist soil and cool temperatures at night.

Chinese Evergreen, or Aglaonema - Tolerates an office or house with low light and low humidity. Even works with no windows as bright light washes out color. Needs wet-dry cycle; water when dry to touch. Feed once a month. Varieties: Stars with speckled leaves; Moon Shine with silvery gray foliage; Silver Frost with a light greenish/gray cast foliage; Deborah with white stems and midribs; Queen of Siam with white stems and leaf stalks; Rembrandt with pink flushes to the stem stalks; Stripes with a pronounced striped pattern; Penny, silver and shades of green; and Mary Anne, a sturdy plant with mottled leaves.

Snake plant, or Sansevieria - Difficult to kill. You can let it get too dry and it forgives. Thick, pointed leaves that grow upward in cluster from underground stem. Likes medium light and monthly feeding. Black Gold with gold margins on leaves colored so green that they look black.

Peace Lily, or Spathiphyllum - Likes low to medium light; flowers better in medium light. Likes to be slightly moist; doesn't like to dry out or will wilt and droop. However, never let it stand in water. Likes above-average humidity. Varieties: Taylor's Green, a deep green with rounded leaves; and Sparkle with naturally shiny leaves.

Philodendron, or Philodendron - Likes low to medium light; needs low maintenance. Bush type doesn't trail but grows into low, compact plant. Needs wet-dry cycle. Varieties: Prince of Orange with different shades of orangey-red that fade to a copper, then green; Autumn with new growth in copper and flame orange that fades to green; and Black Cardinal with chocolate-looking new growth.

Weeping fig, or Ficus - Likes medium to high light; wet-dry cycle; monthly feeding. Midnight, bred to retain leaves unlike the old Ficus which shed its leaves. Midnight foliage dark, glossy. Prune tips of any ficus at least six times a year, even more, to encourage growth all along the stem.

Dumb cane, or Dieffenbachia - Needs medium to high light; wet-dry cycle; monthly feeding. Varieties: Sparkles with high variegation in leaves; Starbright with white-green variegation in long, narrow leaves.

Corn plant, or Dracaena - Takes low light, low maintenance in home or office; needs wet-dry cycle. Can buy tip plant that never develops the cane part or the cane with growth sprouting off it. The cane on a small corn plant is probably seven years old. It takes many years of tropical conditions to get the cane part. Varieties: Warnecki with variegated leaves; Lemon-lime with lime green variegation.

Arrowhead, or Nephthytis - Likes low to medium light; wet-dry cycle. Varieties: Creamy Illusion with a touch of pink color; and Infra-red with solid pinkish-mauve colors.

Ivies, or Hedera - Medium light, keep soil moist, great for topiaries. Glacier with white variegation; and Gold Dust with yellow variegation.

HOUSEPLANT CARE

Here are some general guidelines for healthy houseplants. The labels that come with plants generally specify what that individual plant needs.

* Use good quality potting soil. The lighter the bag of soil feels, the better the soil quality is because it contains ample vermiculite and perlite to let air and water get through the soil to nourish roots. Use containers with drainage holes. Know your plant's watering needs. Overwatering is just as bad as under watering. If the soil pulls away from the sides of the pot, the plant has dried out too much. Many houseplants need a wet-dry cycle. Water when dry to the touch. Too much water will suffocate roots.

* Know your plants' light needs. Bright sun is different from filtered sun, and bright shade is different from light shade. Light intensity affects the green pigment known as chlorophyll and affects the ability of flowering plants to bloom. The average household temperature - 55-68 degrees - is sufficient for most indoor plants.

* Generally feed your plants once a month. If you tend to forget, use the fertilizer sticks that release food over 60-90 days. Products such as Green Leaf and Osmocote also release food over an extended time.

* For lush indoor plants, save the water used to boil vegetables and eggs, says Mary Stokes of Newport News. Let the water cool, then water your houseplants with it. The water is filled with nutrients good for plants.

* Control pest problems organically with essential oil of pine, says Dawn Palumbo, who runs The Plant Lady indoor plant-care business. Put 20-25 drops of oil of pine, available at nutrition and health food stores, into a 32-ounce spray bottle. Spray the plant, wipe visible bugs off with a soft cloth and spray the plant again. Repeat at weekly intervals until there are no signs of bugs.

* Clean your plants with soapy water, says Dawn. Use 2 tablespoons baby shampoo to one gallon water. Put soapy water in spray bottle, spray plant and wipe with soft cloth both top and bottom of leaves. This removes dust, dirt and any bugs hiding under dust layer. The soap also helps repel future bugs by changing the taste of the plant. Use leaf-shine products sparingly; too much makes plants sticky. Several cleanings in-between can be done with feather duster; be sure to always check for new bugs because a feather duster is much too good at spreading bugs from plant to plant.

CUT-FLOWER CARE

If Cupid brings you some roses for Valentine's Day, follow these tips from the American Horticultural Society:

* Roses are very susceptible to air bubbles lodging in their stems. The bent necks that result from this can be prevented by cutting the stems under warm water. Make an angled cut with a clean, sharp knife. Don't crush the end of the stem because this will greatly decrease vase life. Thorns can be removed as long as you don't injure the stems.

BOOKS TO READ

``Orchids Simplified'' by Henry Jaworski, published by Chapters, 100 color photographs and step-by-step instructions for home care. $25.

``Growing and Displaying Orchids,'' step-by-step guide published by Whitecap Books, gives potting, problem and displaying tips. $12.95.