Friday, February 3, 2017

My favorite houseplants & how to keep them happy

I have been wanting to blog about houseplants for a long time now and am finally getting around to it! I am often asked about plants and what are my favorites and how to care for them. Anything that I can share has been strictly from trial and error and finding what works best for my space. Obviously, each home is different considering lighting conditions so you may just have to try out a few before you find your personal favorite. Fortunately, small houseplants are relatively cheap so just start out small and try your hand at a few.

I love the warmth that plants can bring to a home. They instantly give life and color to a space. Just recently, I felt like my bedroom was feeling a little "too white" and I wanted something to warm up the space. I added a couple new plants and they immediately made it feel homier.

Here are a few of my favorite houseplants that for the most part are very low maintenance, and have been a lot of fun growing in our little home....


fiddle leaf fig 

I purchased this big guy a couple years ago when he was a baby. I actually ordered him through the mail because I couldn't find any in our area. Fiddle Leafs can be a little fickle I've heard but mine has always down well for me. A few tips I would say are to keep it near a window with direct light, water it once a week (only once the soil feels dry), and try not to move it around much. It likes to stay in a stationary place and does not take to interchanging light conditions.




schefflera

This plant generally likes a lot of light so I keep it by the window in our bedroom and water about once a week. It's an air purifier so I feel like it's a nice option to have by our bed when we sleep.





golden pothos 

I love love this plant! It is the easiest thing and thrives in about any lighting condition. I reminds me of ivy in that it has a vine and grows longer as it ages. It thrives on light but can also adapt in low lighting atmospheres. I've also forgot at times to water it and it has done just fine. 
A keeper in my book for sure.






austral gem fern

I picked this little guy up on one of our dates with my husband. Ferns are a weakness for me and I loved the delicate details of it's leaves. As it's name suggests, it's native to Australia and is a decently easy plant to care for. It prefers medium light but I've heard does well in shade too.




zanzibar gem 

I separated this plant into two and it's done very well. It often breaks away and begins growing new leaves and so it's a great choice to replant and share with friends! Looking for some good planter options? Anthropologie and baskets are two of my favorite go-to choices. 




white butterfly 

I just recently picked this blush-tinted plant up and it's already grown quite a bit! It brings that subtle pink that I love to my bedroom. It requires low to medium light but has also done well in our rather sunny master bedroom. It's been a very lovely addition to my antique vanity.




angel vine 

This plant has become my new favorite. I picked it up (along with the irresistible copper planter) at a little nursery in downtown Franklin, Tennessee last fall on our anniversary get-away. As with anything, I love a sweet story behind it. I had never seen angel vine in person and was so happy when I stumbled upon the tiny plant. I was so afraid I was going to kill it the first week but I've now owned it since last November and it has done so well. I keep it by our living room window which gives it a lot of bright, indirect light. I also try to keep the soil fairly damp. 



Remember, as with any houseplant, don't over-love it by watering it too much. A good test is to stick your index finger into the soil and make sure it's completely dry before watering it again. I usually take all of my plants (minus Fred the Fiddle because he's now my height) to the bathtub once a week and give them a good watering and spray their leaves with my plant mister. Something else I've done before (that I really need to do more often) is take a damp cloth (or a cloth with a little bit of coconut oil on it) and clean the leaves of my plants, especially the larger leafed ones. This removes dirt and dust and helps them to breathe better and soak up more sunlight. 

Do you have a favorite houseplant? I would love to hear!

Hannah 




Photography by Hannah Briggs. All rights reserved. 








6 comments:

  1. I LOVE houseplants too! Two that we have in common are ferns (I have indoor ferns as well as a fern garden in my yard) and pathos or philodendron (never can tell which is which without looking). Two that you have that I'd like to try are the fiddle leave fig, the angel vine, and the austral gem fern. Your shefflera looks so beautiful and healthy. I have always loved the look of these, but have never had much growing them. Maybe I'll try again this spring.

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    1. Yes! They are so rewarding! The fiddle leaf is such a nice addition to a space! Also, I've loved my angel vine! Thank you for your comment! I enjoyed hearing from you as always! Xx

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  2. Great post! I love my house plants as well... several cacti, sable palm, and snake plants. Mostly low maintenance as well.

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  3. Thanks, Nate! I used to have a snake plant! I need to get another one. That one is a great (and easy) option too!

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  4. I LOVEEEEE this post! Thanks for sharing your favourite green babies, love!

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  5. This was wonderful! Thank you sharing! I have a happy peace lily and some peppermint but my fiddle leaves don't seem to like me. I'm on my second one now 😬

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