Stylish indoor plants and flowers bring a taste of the outside world into your home.
They have the power to create a garden feel in any space you choose.
When done thoughtfully, a plant in a pot that complements both the plant and room it is in can be the best decorative accessory. It transforms the room instantly and can become the focal point of any space.
There are many benefits to bringing plants inside: they bring charm to every space, they soften hard edges in austere rooms, and they help keep your air clean. Indoor plants take in toxins and return clean oxygen to the room, just as they do outside.
Indoor plants seem like a sure bet, but it can be hard to know where to start. Here are three suggestions to get started with indoor plants:
1. Mix & match in a lowpot
If you’re looking for a plant that can double as a centerpiece, consider combining a mix of small flowering plants with small green plants in a low pot.
For this design, try to choose plants that are all the same height to ensure evenness in any space. This will create the perfect centerpiece for your dining table, coffee table or kitchen island.
Plants to use: African violets, small ferns, sheet moss or Spanish moss to cover empty spaces
2. Create some drama in a statement vessel
For a more dramatic, structured indoor plant, use a smaller specimen plant in a stately vessel. You can choose which type of plant makes most sense for you, as light and space requirements will dictate what plant you choose.
This option would look great on a low side table in a living room, an entry table in a hallway or a master bathroom.
Plants to use: choose something soft and flowing like a Dallas fern or grape ivy, something bold and modern like a bird's nest fern, or something unique like a myrtle topiary
3. Make a DIY terrarium
Terrariums allow you to control the humidity of a plant’s environment, and making your own is easier than it seems. Start by buying an apothecary jar, which you can find at many craft stores or online. Once you fill it with dirt and a layer of pea gravel to aid in drainage, plant a variety of small plants. You can use different sizes to create a complex landscape. Place it on your kitchen counter, mantle piece, or bookshelf for a touch of whimsy.
Plants to use: 2-inch plants work best. Choose a variety of ferns plus a pink or white splash (hypoestes) to add color.
Contributing writer Barbara Schneider is one of the owners of Far Hills Florist in Centerville.