5 ways to refresh your decor with greenery…

Hey there friends! Crazy plant lady comin’ at ya…LOL! Now the fact of the matter is…I, myself would probably LIVE in a greenhouse if that were an option. However I do realize that my “crazy plant lady” life is not all that popular amongst most. Mainly I hear, “well I love plants and love to see them, I just don’t want all the fuss” or, “I would surely kill them.” The nice thing is there are so many options out there for some sort of greenery to make an appearance in your decor. I’m going to start with some of the simpler ways, with little to no maintenance and right down the line to some that would take a slight bit more.

1. Wreaths and Garlands
2. Faux stems and plants
3. Succulents
4. Potted plants and trees
5. Topiaries

WREATHS AND GARLANDS

To say I have an obsession with wreaths might be an understatement, I literally put them everywhere! Above the range hood like you see above. In the windows here above the kitchen sink..

I also love to display them on my doors throughout the house as well as old doors or windows I use in my decor.

Garland is another way to freshen up a space..

It’s FUN hanging it on a headboard or above a doorway or set of windows..and of course there’s always the fireplace. It’s not just reserved for Christmas ya know. 😉

FAUX STEMS AND PLANTS

The reason I say stems as well as plants.. well buying stems can be quite a bit cheaper and have an even greater impact because of what you put them in. So often the faux plants can look pretty good and yet come in some pretty lame looking pots. Sticking even a smaller faux stem into a taller vase makes for such a better look. Even potted plants have such fake looking dirt sometimes, so usually I’ll put them in a larger pot and buy a bag of moss to lay in there.

Of course nothing says you have to put them in a vase or a pot. There’s always room for a few JARS of herbs on the counter, or even a bag of them hanging from a hook. Then there’s always buckets..small ones to “grow grass” in or large ones to fill with moss balls, perhaps intertwined with fern stems or something else. Baskets that serve as trays can also be a FUN way to incorporate greens or perhaps a faux flower bulb. So many options just ready to be filled with something green!

SUCCULENTS

I can honestly say succulents have quickly become my favorite! The real ones seem to survive very well in the house no matter the lighting, and you rarely see a faux one that actually looks fake. A little tip though..if you place them near a lamp just switch out the bulb for a grow light. Works like a charm

How FUN are these hanging succulents in the sunroom!?

The laundry room won’t be left out.. I brought this succulent in from the poolhouse and neither place has this guy received much light yet still he thrives. He does however, take a backseat to Mrs. Amarilis here!

POTTED PLANTS AND TREES

Well ya can’t talk about houseplants without bringing up a good ole’ Fiddleleaf Fig. This one I got shortly after we moved in, just over 2 years ago and it has doubled in size. It gets some morning sun as you can see in the pic and I water it once a week, just a very small amount. I like to use a moisture meter to know how much a plant actually needs.

So often the dirt appears dry to the touch but the meter will read “moist” down in the center. So a lot of times I just add a little water around the edge of the pot.

Let me introduce you to my lemon tree! Isn’t she a beauty?! Why I refer to some of my plants as male and female, I do not know.. LOL! But I got her this past summer and she hung out on the patio with us. This Fall she actually made it through several frosts, luckily because she was under the porch .. but we quickly moved her into the garage for the winter, where it’s heated. Now after I removed the Christmas tree from this spot it was feeling a little bit bare, so in she came and just brightens up the whole sunroom!

This little orchid friend also resides in the sunroom. You can see she is getting ready to bloom in the next couple of months, and when she does it is just fabulous! The stalk is filled with cascading white blooms for up to 5 months! Orchids also have a reputation for being picky..not one I understand either. Every other week I run it under the kitchen faucet and just let the water run through it for a few seconds. Once it has drained all the way, back on the table she goes. (I guess its a girl too) HA!

Another tree-like plant here in the dining room has gotten out of control! I don’t even know what kind it is..but I’m sure it’s a male, hehe..;) He seems to need the most water cuz the meter always reads dry.

This tabletop friend I got last year. It had already been trained around this ring, and makes for a FUN and interesting shape.

Tabletop plants are easy to create yourself. I picked up a lined basket last week and a few plants to put in it.

I just loved getting my hands in that dirt! I added a Fern, an Ivy, some Paperwhites and a cute little variegated Peperomia. With the little added birdhouse it finished it off just perfectly and I had myself a FUN new island centerpiece.

Living plants definitely require more attention, but they actually help to purify the air…SO worth the effort!

TOPIARIES

I only saved topiaries for last because if you purchase real ones they definitely require the most fussing. They tend to need more water so they’re the only plants that require plant-sitting if I’m gonna be gone for longer than a few days.

I’ve also found they tend to do better when they’re repotted once a year and of course they look best if kept shaped with a clippers as well.

If the maintenance isn’t your thing …you’ve always got faux topiaries. They have come a long way, and most look so very real. I just love all the different shapes they come in and the impact they make.

These Olive topiaries I ordered through www.ballarddesigns.com . They have so many different shapes and sizes available. There are lots of places that carry faux topiaries.. Hobby Lobby, Home Goods, Pier1, World Market… just to name a few.

So whether you have a green thumb or not, I certainly hope I’ve inspired you to incorporate some green into your decor. It definitely tends to make my world a little brighter! Happy Planting!