What better time than summer to add some fresh greenery to your home?  We’re always suggesting you bring the outside in and expand your view of the natural world, so here are a few fun and surprising ways to do that.

Plants With Personality

Indoor plants can and should be so much more than a tree in a basket stuck in a corner.  Terrariums are making a come back in home decor and they’re easy enough to make. Instructions abound online, but basically it boils down to choosing a glass container, add a layer of drainage rocks, a layer of dirt and a small (tiny!) plant or two.  The trick is balancing the water so that the plants aren’t over watered.

Use an apothecary jar to make a little woodland garden.  Much of the success of terrarium design is in selecting appropriate plants but also in styling the miniature garden with the addition of rocks, shells, sticks, etc.

 

Any glass bottle, jar or bowl can work as a container for a terrarium.

 

Put your thrift or yard sale finds to a good use by planting a couple of unusual plants.

A more typical use of plants inside, try planting a small herb garden for the kitchen window sill.

 

 

Be creative when designing your indoor plantings – these tiny gardens using doll furniture and little accessories invite viewers close to really appreciate the delicate plantings as well as the whimsical details.

If you’re short on table top space, consider the wall as a place to bring greenery into your home – this is a really fun and unusual wall arrangement.

Lots of us have awkward corners at the end of hallways or by a back door, etc.  If there’s a window of any kind nearby, consider making a small plant grouping the focal point of what was a dull corner.

Focal Plantings for Outdoors

As you look out your windows to your patio or deck, what do you see?  Wouldn’t you love to see something as inviting and colorful as this?  Use a few containers and a window box sitting atop your railing to create an appealing nook on your deck.

Successful window boxes are filled with lush plantings – sometimes a monochromatic color palette like above.  Notice how well the plantings have been planned – very symmetrical placement highlights and frames the window beautifully.

An effective planter box filled with a good mix of greenery only is easy and fairly inexpensive to achieve – be sure to choose plants appropriate to the level of sun received by the window box.  The mix of shapes and leaf colors creates an interesting and vibrant planting.  Notice how the use of the tall spiky grass makes a perfect focal point.

It doesn’t have to be hard or expensive to add a small water feature to your patio or yard.  A few water plants to add some height and a water lily plant for a blooming touch and you’ll be enjoying your tiny touch of water for the whole summer.

 

Sometimes a bold splash of color can make all the difference in brightening a boring wall or corner of your patio.  If you or someone in the family is handy, these would be a simple DIY project, painted in any bright color to contrast with your house color.  (be sure to include drainage holes)

A large urn filled with a variety of colorful flowers would be a perfect touch to welcome guests as they approach your front porch.  Be sure to include a trailing plant or two in your planter boxes or urns so that the edges are softened.

An urn can be effectively tucked into the landscape and offer a change of texture or color to the viewer.

The use of this colorful pot contrasts with the leaf colors to make a great focal point on the patio or in a corner of the landscape.  Notice how the little touch of a red flower in the pot carries the color of red from the ground plantings up to eye level.  Just like when planning and decorating a room in your home, be aware of the colors and shapes of the plants and flowers, be aware of scale and heights, and you’ll easily create exciting and interesting gardens – both indoors and out.

Extreme Plantings

Now, if you’re really serious about going green and living in and with nature, consider the benefits of planting your roof (make sure it can support the weight!).

Plant with Purpose

As you review your available space (whether indoors or out) to determine where you can add a splash or sprig of green, I hope you find some inspiration in these ideas.  Plants keep us in touch with the natural part of the world, replenish and freshen our air and just make us smile.  Isn’t that worth the small amount of upkeep they require?  Let us know how you use plants in your home or out your patio window.

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