A beautiful potted plant generally provokes the same wary reaction from me as the sight of a baby in a stroller: lovely, but looks like a lot of work to keep happy.
Not so, according to Real Simple (at least not when it comes to house plants). Here are a few ideas, spotted on the magazine’s website, to turn the tables; house plants can actually make your life easier:
(N.B.: For more house plant inspiration, see “The Plant Portraits of Mieke Verbjilen.”
Photography courtesy of Real Simple.
Above: A Phalaenopsis orchid loves humidity, so a moist bathroom is an ideal home; you won’t need to water the orchid as often. For growing tips, see “DIY: how Not to Kill an Orchid.”
Above: If you have an assortment of potted succulents, you can create still-life vignettes—in the living room, down the center of a dining table, or lined up on a window sill. For more ideas for displaying plants on tabletops, see “10 Easy Pieces: Wardian Cases.”
Above: A low maintenance fern, which doesn’t require a lot of sunlight, will thrive in a bedroom.
Above: Put a heavy fiddle leaf fig tree on a wheeled caddie to make it easy to move around.
Above: Create an inexpensive tabletop tableau by mixing three colors of African violets in an urn. (N.B.: Want to see more of our favorite photos? See what we’re pinning and then follow us on Pinterest here.)
N.B.: For more ideas, see:
- Design Guide: Happy Houseplants.
- The Fig & I: Tips to Caring for Fiddle Leaf Fig Trees.
- The Orchid That Owned Me.
Finally, get more ideas on how to plant, grow, and care for various houseplants with our Houseplants: A Field Guide.
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