Thanks so much for the nice comments on my little Elephant Planter yesterday! I love using unexpected containers for plants, so I thought I’d show you a few more from my house today. Many of you have also mentioned you can’t keep anything alive, and while I’m no green thumb, I have found a few hardy varieties of house plants that I’ve yet to kill practically raise themselves. Low maintenance is the key!
I told you about the Air Plant yesterday, and here’s another one perched in a sea shell by my Kitchen sink. Occasionally, I put him in a bowl of water overnight, then shake it out before putting back in the shell.
You’re aware of my Fiddle Leaf Fig love from this post. The tall one in my Breakfast Room is still going strong, so I decided to try a bushier version in the Entrance Hall. They love light, and this one is flourishing by the door. To get the tree look, you just prune off the lower leaves (I have to do that to my taller one every few weeks).
And even though it was suggested, I don’t haul my Fiddle Leaf Figs outside for a thorough soaking. Once a week, I walk around the house with a pitcher of water giving all the plants just enough to soak the top of the dirt (so it doesn’t drain out the bottom). Once a month, I add plant food drops to the water. And a few times a year, I drag all the plants to the sink (or outside if they’re too big), and shower off the leaves to remove dust. It may sound like a lot, but it’s literally 5 minutes a week. Not a bad investment for all the glorious green accents!
My Dining Room table felt naked, so I placed this Birds Nest Fern in a clam shell bowl from Pier 1 (seen here). The leaves are so interesting, and it doesn’t shed like typical ferns. The runner is a recent Z.Gallerie find, and one small step for the Dining Room makeover!
After Amber praised them, I added a Money Tree to my collection. When you notice the plant starting to lean towards the light, just spin it around halfway and it will balance back out. The perfect pot still eludes me for this one.
Not only are plants the perfect pop of green, but they are great decorating accessories. This Janet Craig works to hide the cord in the Drop Spot.
Succulents are my latest favorites, and I love to plant them in the nooks of odd objects. I put a few pebbles in the bottom of this shell for drainage, then a few more around the soil of the plant for decor and to help hold them in place. I only water my succulents when the dirt is bone dry.
Could it be any cuter on my Living Room shelves?!
Another one lives in a crystal votive on my Kitchen window.
As does the coolest and hardiest plant of the bunch, the ZZ. I don’t think I could kill this plant if I wanted! I love the waxy leaves and height.
I’ve used Magnolia leaves in the past for projects, but recently discovered they’ll stay fresh if you put the stems in water. These have been on my coffee table for over a month!
Shay Geyer was so sweet to send me this gorgeous orchid, and with a few ice cubes every week, it continues to bloom. Fingers crossed I can hang on to this beauty!
The driftwood is from the beaches of Tofino, and the vase is Target.
The final plant, and the one I have on almost every surface of the house, is Pothos Ivy. They are slow growers for me, but extremely hardy. They come in so many different sizes too, making them perfect for anywhere.
And while I have a multitude of different planters, the basic white Ikea pots hold most of my plants. It’s hard to beat crisp white paired with nature’s perfect color. And the Ikea price tag!
Like I said, I’m not a horticulture expert, but these plants and methods are what work for me. So do you decorate with plants, faux or real? Do you have any secret tips for helping them flourish?
This makes me want to go buy some plants! We have a fake cactus and that's it. Yes, my husband has actually killed multiple cacti before. I bought him the fake one as a joke, but it's ended up staying!
I did the same thing with my fiddle leaf fig…added a bushy one to compliment the tree. My plan is to switch them out every so often since the home of one is sunnier than the other.
I have one house plant – a baby fern and it's almost dead. I swear I can't keep a plant alive – maybe I should try some of your plant suggestions. Thanks for the tips!
Wow…you've got TONS of pretty green. I've just recently discovered the joy of plants and can't get enough now!!
I don't think I have seen so many plants in my whole life! Who says you don't have a green thumb?!? All are so bright and cheery!
Oh, boy. This post puts me to shame. I so need green plants in here. It's bad. I am down with the fresh flowers all the time but plants tend to come here to die. i really need to change that. Succulents have been a new found friend of mine, too, as I can not do as much damage. Beautiful plants, Cassie. I think that is super important in a home.
Love the plant suggestions! My houseplants are a source of equal pride and anxiety for me – but I've managed to keep a few alive since freshman year of college – a money tree and a zz, i think. Aloe is also an easy one!
http://www.voyage-on.blogspot.com
This is slightly embarrassing but I have zero plants in my house, real or fake! I've been thinking about buying something for some time but have taken the plunge yet.
This might be a dumb question but where can you buy a birds nest fern like yours? One of those would be perfect on my kitchen table
You've got a LOT of plants…I'm impressed! I have one and struggle to keep it alive/not looking like withering crap.
Sidenote…where did you get the a-z bookends? I need!
Hi Nat!! No dumb questions! 🙂 I picked up the Birds Nest Fern at Calloways, but it's probably a regional nursery. Home Depot or Lowes may carry them, but most likely a nursery will. Just call around, it's a common plant, so they'll know what you're talking about. And I think there are a few varieties, so tell them you want the one with scalloped edges. Good luck!
I absolutely love that you put your air plants in seashells, Cassie! Everything looks so beautiful!
I love all your plants! You've introduced me to a few new ones I'll be on the look out for. And I have to tell you how much I adore the air plants in the shells! LOVE! Thanks for the house plant tour! ~KIM @ Sand & Sisal
Adorable! I love them all! I'm working on adding a few more plants to the house. I always forget about them and they die:(
Now I know what to do with that conch shell sitting in my closet! I got your email from Shelli at A La Mode Maven on the necklace order. I'm getting a new shipment of the mint and orange bauble necklaces today! Want me to send you a PayPal?
http://www.winetastegirl.com
I really need some plants in my house; mine are faux and my cat still insists on trying to eat them. I have yet to figure out how to keep my sweet little fur baby cat out of live plants! If you have tips I definitely need them. We've tried everything we can think of down to putting toothpicks in the dirt so she can't sling it everywhere. Well, she just ate all the leaves and then we had a bare plant and a sick kitty. Silly cat….
I love all your plants! I dont really have any in my house, but I should change that!
I so want to add more plants to our home. Thanks for the suggestions of those easy to care for. My orchid bloomed for 3 months using the ice cube method, sadly I think once we turned on our air conditioning it got too cold. The plant is still thriving on our back porch, but no blooms 🙁
Love real plants! They add such a fun, vibrant color to any decor. I have a bunch in my classroom that will be coming home with me over the summer. I am so happy that everything has survived the school year but am nervous about the three months they will live with me at home. The lighting is different and I'm afraid. But I'll try!
One thing you may want to do, something I did after discussing with a coworker, is to add the ivy to the same containers as your taller, tree like plants. I did it with two types of ivy – pothos and English (or something similar) and it looks great. I like the pothos better but wanted more variety. I may end up replacing the other ivy with pothos just for fun though and it fills out the container so nicely and covers the dirt too!
I've been wanting to try air plants. My local nursery sells them of all different sizes and I'm so tempted!!! You may have inspired me to make a trip just for them.
Seriously, I kill everything. I'm even concerned for the safety of succulents in my (incapable) hands! I have no idea why I didn't inherit my mom's green thumb…but I think I might give those air plants a try…that sounds promising! (c;
We have no plants in our house- I think when we bought it all my apartment plants were dead so I never replaced them. You've given me lots of ideas so I think I have a weekend project now!
Plant palooza! I dig it- I totally want one like yours by the front door. And so funny, I have that same Z Gallerie runner on our breakfast table right now:)
love that ikat table runner from Z Gallerie. Happy to see that it is still available as I was looking for one in just that color! Thank you!
Where did you get your table?
Hi — which table are you referring to? 🙂