An indoor garden is most commonly called an indoor garden, but people also use terms like smart garden, hydroponic garden, or indoor growing system. These names usually describe how plants are grown indoors rather than something completely different.
In everyday questions, people often mix these terms or use them interchangeably. For example, many refer to any countertop growing system as a “hydroponic garden,” even if it still uses some form of growing medium instead of soil.
You may also hear informal or incorrect terms such as “plant machine,” “automatic planter,” or “indoor farm.” While these are not technical names, they usually mean the same thing: growing plants indoors in a controlled environment.
The most important distinction is whether plants grow in soil or in water with added nutrients. Both approaches still fall under the general idea of indoor gardening.
From real use, most beginners do not need to worry about the exact term — understanding the growing method matters more than the name.
