Indoor Gardens–Guest Post by Patricia Hall

Patricia Hall is an online florist who came across my DIY enamel flower bucket a few weeks ago, and generously offered to share some of her knowledge about how to bring a bit of nature indoors!  Thank you, Patricia!

Indoor-Gardens and how you can use them as a natural décor for your home

While many people desire a more natural look for their home, they often feel at a loss when it comes to understanding how they can create this effect. The truth of the matter is that an indoor garden is a perfect choice when a natural, leafy texture is required in a certain room, and as long the room in question has plenty of light, there are few plants that cannot be grown in the home. Consider the options that most popular for homeowners and think about how to create the desired effect.

 

Choosing Plants

There are many plants that are suited for an indoor garden. Postal flowers and catalogs are a good choice when a homeowner is considering a new garden but is unable to get to a garden center. A cheap florist may also have plenty of potted plants that are ready to be taken home. Before deciding on what plants to purchase, consider the light needs and the eventual size of the plants in question. Many indoor gardens do very well with dwarf varieties or plants that are otherwise small in size. Be sure to choose plants that are going to create the desired effect. For example, some people adore the look of plants that have flowers and blooms, while other people prefer plants that have only showy foliage. Consider the desired effect and find plants that play to it accordingly. Also remember that different plants have different care requirements. A coleus plant, for example, has bright showy leaves and requires an absolute minimum of care. On the other hand, an orchid is a plant that has a gorgeous floral bloom, but the care itself is more difficult. An orchid needs to be regularly watered through flushing clean water through the bark substrate. This is time consuming and orchids should only be undertaken by people who have a thorough understanding of their care. If there is enough sunlight and plants that are easy to care for are required, consider succulents. Succulents can survive for an extended period of time without the need for constant care and supervision, and if they are given enough light, they are typically quite hardy.

 

Displaying Indoor Gardens

For the style-savvy indoor gardener, there are a number of different stands and displays that do very well for a number of plants. While it is possible to keep plants on a windowsill, windowsills are not ideal. They can be drafty and because they are so narrow, the plants sitting upon them can be easily knocked over or upset, especially if there are animals or small children in the home! If the indoor gardener is growing plants that do not directly have to be in the window, he or she may choose a corner shelf. A corner shelf fits snugly into the room’s corner and it has a rounded edge. The shape of the shelf from the top is that of a quarter circle, and there is plenty of room on this type of stand for many plants. Don’t forget to consider hanging plants as well. There are a number of plants that do well in hanging baskets, and a hanging basket allows the visual point of the room to be drawn up. This is a good choice if there is not a lot of space for a plant stand of any type, and it is an excellent choice for spaces like apartments and other areas where not a lot of space is possible.

One excellent choice for many different plants is a plant stand. A plant stand is open on all sides, allowing the plants to receive the most amount of sunlight possible. In many cases, a plant stand can be placed directly over a window, allowing for an excellent view of sunlight through green leafy foliage. This is a great way to reduce the light coming in through a southern exposure and also to keep beautiful healthy plants. When considering all of the options that are present for an indoor gardener, choose plants that suit the lifestyle in question. The best looking plant is one that is healthy and well cared for, so consider plants that match the possible care regimen. Once an indoor garden gets started, it can be a wonderful sight to see.

About the Author

Patricia Hall works part-time for an online florist in uk and loves to surround herself with flowers at any given point of time. Even in her free time she loves to involve herself with everything flora and fauna. 'To me there is nothing more beautiful and global as the language of flowers - it is the easiest to understand all around the world in the same way. That is one reason why I truly admire flowers for what they represent in some ways - unity of all mankind!'