We hope that this Perth winter is treating you well! Wet weather is the perfect time to indulge in a bit of indoor plant styling. My indoor plants have enjoyed a bath in the beautiful rain and they are all looking lush and green (for the most part anyway!). Before I bring them inside I do a little check for any dead or struggling leaves. I check the soil levels and conditions and make any top ups as required. Look out for any resident bugs too!
How you choose to style your indoor plants is of course a personal decision. We love seeing the different ways people use plants in their homes. So get creative! We will give you a few tips to consider to help you bring out your inner decorator.
Grouping
Where you have the space, repeating one style element within a small grouping can add impact and cohesiveness to your design. You may like to group a few of the same plant variety, such as cactus, one of my favourite! Another way to group is with colour. Think about the colours that are found in the leaves or the pots you have chosen. Choose ones that complement each other but don’t be afraid to clash colours! Sometimes clashing colours can make a great statement. It depends a lot on the surrounding décor. Groupings may be a mix of plants and other beautiful objects that you have in your home. Consider the different sizes of your items and play around with how they sit until you love it!
Pots and Pebbles
The container that you choose to place your plant in makes a huge difference to how it looks. Personal choice rules here but do take your plant into consideration when choosing . Choose a pot that has a drainage hole at the bottom to stop the soil becoming waterlogged. Some pots “breathe” better than others and always use a water tight tray underneath. This is particularly important if you have wooden flooring. Choose a pot that is large enough for your plant to grow into but not so big that it is swamped. I love earthen ware pots similar tho the one on the right. Baskets also make a nice outer container. Just make sure you line the inside or place a tray inside for the pot to sit on. A little kitten recently adopted my family and as a result I needed to cover the soil with pebbles. The pebbles prevent her from digging in the pots and they look pretty. As a bonus they also appear to keep sand flies to a much lower level. Do you love bright colours or do you prefer calming neutrals? Go with what you love!
Big or Small
Take a look in your home for empty spaces that you would like to fill. Once you have chosen a spot, (hopefully with good light, see our previous blog), consider the width and height of the space. If you need a plant with some height, I love Sanseveria (snake plant) as they grow quite tall and sculptural. This one in the image to the left is now over 1 metre in height. They may be easily propagated from cuttings so once you have purchased one you can multiply it over time. Elephant Leaf plants do quite well indoors and these, under good conditions, can grow lovely and large. Their big green leaves create a striking look in your home. If you have small but lovely spaces in your home then don’t miss out on the joy of indoor plants. Draw people’s eyes to a tiny arrangement of cacti or succulents. I always feel drawn into a space by plants and if they are small I want to go right up to them and say hello. So you see small plants may be just as eye catching as large ones if appropriate for the space.
Textures and Colours
Plants and containers come so many different textures and colours. Try combining a number of plants in the same pot, if it is large enough. This is one simple way to create a stunning visual feature for your home. Try to find plants that like similar growing conditions to give them a better chance of surviving together. A tray under a small container, such as the copper one (image to left), offsets the turquoise of the pot beautifully. The shiny surface reflects the succulent and emphasises the texture of the plant. The shininess of the tray is balanced by the matte finish on the sea shells. Textured shells make a great alternative to pebbles in smaller pots. Designed to be seen from above this grouping makes a lovely beach themed coffee table.
There is so much joy and love to be had from placing some plants inside your home. We hope that you enjoy them as much as we do. Release your inner creative and display them in a way that best reflects the plant and you. Some trial and error is definitely required when you first start out. So keep a close eye on your plant friends and soon you will both be enjoying a greener life!
Pot plants always make a lovely gift take a look at our potted plant page to send one out today.
