Add a bit of greenery to your home’s décor with a few new plants. Match the plants to your style and the growing conditions in each room to create the desired results.
Consider the time you have and want to invest in caring for plants when selecting and placing them throughout your home. If you prefer to give your plants lots of attention and are attentive to watering, add a few challenging plants and those that like consistently moist soil. If you are busy or prefer a more hands-off approach, look for drought-tolerant plants that thrive with minimal care. Check plant tags and reliable resources for information on the light, water and care needed before purchasing your plants.
Start with one room and once you are satisfied with the results, move to the next. Dividing any project into smaller parts will be easier on your budget and schedule and often results in greater success.
Focus on the room where you spend the most time or feel it needs a greenery boost. Perhaps it’s your living room, family room or a reading nook. Use large floor plants to create a focal point, provide height and balance in the room and brighten bare walls. Fiddle leaf and weeping figs, rubber plants, dragon tree (Dracaena marginata), and palms are a few popular plants often sold as indoor trees. Set them on a plant caddy to protect your floors and make it easier to move them for cleaning and maintenance. Add some decorative artificial lights if needed.
Add some welcome color to any room. Neon pothos with its bright chartreuse leaves, crotons with its multicolored leaves, dracaenas with striped variegation and Raven ZZ plant with its purple-black foliage are just a few to consider. Incorporate a few low-maintenance flowering plants like anthuriums, bromeliads and moth orchids.
If you spend a lot of time cooking, washing dishes and cleaning up, your kitchen may be your priority. A windowsill herb garden provides fresh herbs to include in your favorite recipes. Their fragrance can make clean up a bit more tolerable.
Create a sense of calm and promote a good night’s sleep with greenery. The beauty, oxygen and boost in humidity plants provide is also beneficial. Consider adding a few trailing plants grown in hanging baskets or displayed on shelves. The cascading foliage provides a bit of screening and softens hard surfaces for a cozier look.
Take advantage of the humidity in the bathroom and enjoy a splash of greenery when stepping out of the shower or tub. Try some ferns, air plants, prayer plants and other tropical plants that benefit from this environment.
Don’t overlook your home office. Research found looking at and tending plants can help increase focus and creativity.
Evaluate your home’s décor and do a bit of research before you start shopping. Like any home project, planning can help save time and increase success.
Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including Small Space Gardening. She hosts the “How to Grow Anything” DVD series and the Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio segments. Her website is MelindaMyers.com.
Photo provided by Melinda Myers
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