You don’t need to have a green thumb to grow plants. Most of us began our households with a philodendron or ivy simply because they were given to us by our mothers or older friends. They already knew that plants in the home have benefits and wanted us to experience some of them.
Yet, as was the case with most of us, when we were younger we knew almost nothing about plants or the care they required. We’d either turn their roots to mush because of over watering, or we’d forget about them sitting on the window sill in the hot sun and bake them. Needless to say, we determined from those experiences that we just didn’t have a green thumb and avoided anything green for years later. Finally, over time, we became adventurous and decided to try again. Whether you know anything about plants or not, learning about them and growing them is easier than ever. With the internet and the availability of books, discovering the joy of growing plants is heartwarming.
You don’t need a large garden space, or even a small yard. Vegetables and herbs can be grown in pots indoors and supply you with fresh food all year ‘round. Tomatoes can be grown in hanging baskets and when you choose the small cherry tomatoes, they also serve a dual purpose by bringing some bright color into a very neutral room.
Besides the beauty of plants another great way to bring nature into your home is to add a water feature. You can add one to your indoor or outdoor area. If you are limited for space consider a table or desk fountain for indoors, or a water fountain for your deck or patio.
Grow rosemary, thyme, or parsley. The leaves make interesting decorative plants. Even chives have beautiful purple flower heads so you can have the best of both worlds. Not only will you have the freshest herbs to add to your dishes, you won’t need to spend the extra few dollars to buy the dry, lesser quality at the store.
Who doesn’t like fresh strawberries? Add a hanging strawberry plant to your kitchen corner and enjoy the color and the taste. They’re easy to grow and don’t take up a lot of space either.
If you’re looking for an inviting feel to your decorating, use a floor plant. However, don’t begin with an exotic, tropical tree unless you live in a tropical climate. Start easy with a plant that needs minimal care like an Indian Rubber tree, an Umbrella tree, or a Diffenbachia. They only require moderate light and can live indoors in any climate as long as they’re kept away from drafts.
Hoyas are the easiest hanging basket plants to grow. They thrive in a sunny window but can tolerate only partial sunlight throughout the day. Hoyas have unique waxy-type leaves with interesting clusters of pale pink to cream colored star-shaped flowers with a fragrance that will permeate an entire apartment a few times each year. Then too, when a mature plant is allowed to grow, it can reach from ceiling to floor giving the impression you know exactly what you’re doing when it comes to plants.
If you need color to brighten a room, there are easily grown violets and impatiens. They don’t require lots of sunlight but their intense colors will “pop”. They come in hot pink, various shades of violet, yellow, red, and impatiens can even flower in fuchsia or orange.
Make the most of your indoor and outdoor space by adding plants and water features. You’ll be surprised what a difference they can make to your home. The plants are inviting, fragrant, colorful, useful, and some are even edible. The relaxing sound of your water fountain will cover some of the less welcome sounds from outside as well as being a lovely feature in your home. So don’t be shy. Find out, “how does your garden grow”?
Debe Lange