The Little Botanical

House Plant - Small Stoneware Pot

£21.50

When it comes to decorating a home, many people focus on paint colours, furniture and soft furnishings. Often plants come right at the end or sometimes even get completely overlooked. However, we think that house plants are so important to a home for a number of reasons. As you can imagine, we are always surrounded by plants – without them we would feel pretty bare! If you’re not sure what you want to go for or how you want to use them, then let us help to show you how. We’re sure that by the end of reading this page, you will be a convert and soon will have a little home jungle of your own.

Following your style

Whatever the size of your home, it can benefit from some foliage. It can help lift a room, bringing it to life by bringing actual life inside. This is perfect when the weather might be a bit chilly outside or if you don’t have a garden. You don’t need grass for greenery! Furthermore, if your home is on the smaller side then you will be pleased to hear that plants can actually make a room feel bigger.

So how can you incorporate house plants into your style? This is a hard question as there are so many ways to do this.

Plant shelfie

We love plant shelfies, with plants either in rows or grouped with other items like books or candles. By raising plants up, you’re helping to make them more visible and in your line of sight. They can also be useful if you have any pets and you want to keep their paws off the plants!

Plant gang

Another top favourite is a plant gang. Here you can mix and match shapes and sizes. This creates some interest and the contrast can highlight the lovely features of each. For example, go for a Zamioculcas next to a Boston Fern for a mix of colours and structures. The fern will spread out with its feathery little leaves while the zamioculcas grows more vertically with cleaner lines.

Make a statement

Another way to bring some style with your house plants is to go for a statement plant to bring in some height. We absolutely love the Monstera Deliciosa for this – it is the plant for the job! It has huge fan-like leaves with holes in, giving it the nickname ‘swiss cheese plant’. If you put this anywhere, it becomes a huge talking point. It is also a quick-growing plant and if you want to see it increase in size, simply re-pot it and watch in awe.

Space-savers

If you really don’t have a lot of space then go for a plant that won’t emphasise this. The spiky sansevieria are perfect as they grow tall and straight. They can fit neatly into small spaces as a result of their structure and their leaves won’t block views or give a feeling of encroachment.

Show some colour

If you prefer some colour with your house plants, then consider how you want to bring this in. Of course, most house plants are green but there are some that bring in different shades or tones. Devil’s Ivy has streaks of yellow across the leaves, which give a subtle variation. If you are looking for something a bit more then we highly recommend a flowering house plant. For the ultimate use of colour, there is always the magical hydrangea. Why go for one colour when you can pick something that changes over time?!

Caring for your house plant

If you’re new to plants and a little nervous, don’t be worried and simply follow the care instructions we give with each plant to keep your house plants happy and healthy.

Watering

Most plants don’t need water more than once a week and for some it is even once a month. There are some that go against this rule, such as ferns, as they are a little more needy and need watering at least once a week. If it is a large plant, try watering from the base or even putting in the sink for around 10 minutes. This way the water really gets soaked up by the roots, where it is most needed. You can also give some generic house plant feed around every other month. This acts as a little top-up to keep them going.

If you aren’t sure if your plant needs water, pat the soil to see if it feels a bit dry or check if the leaves feel a little dry or droopy. Be careful not to overwater too – don’t let plants sit in water!

Dusting

Just like you need to dust your pictures or window sills, you also need to dust your plants! When dust settles on the leaves, it can prevent the leaves from properly photosynthesizing. You don’t need to do this on a weekly basis, try doing it once a month. All you need is a lightly dampened cloth and a delicate touch. Simple carefully hold the leaf to give it some support and then gently wipe or brush the dust off.

Heat and light

Many house plants do like a bit of sunshine but it is important not to let them get too hot. Some can get scorched leaves so it is good to avoid direct sunlight! Furthermore, we recommend keeping plants away from radiators. If you can, try rotating your plants either in different places within a room or even just turning them around a little.

When the weather changes outdoors, be aware of how it can affect your plants indoors. If the temperature shoots up and a plant that had received relatively little light is now in direct sunlight, it might be a bit overwhelming. If you move a plant just a foot away it could be enough to make a difference.

You may also like

Recently viewed