Hey guys how are you all doing ? We are into June already….whew, the year is literally whizzing past. I have written a lot about plants (I am totally obsessed with them I tell you) and somehow interiors have taken a back seat somewhat. Drawing inspiration from my own living room, let’s look at some stunning living rooms from homes around the world where plants along with the intelligent use of colour have transformed spaces into the next level.
So hey continuing the series on the top 10 succulents to grow indoors, today lets look at my favorite sedum, sedum morganianum also popularly known as Burro’s Tail. A quick recap in case this is the first time you are reading my blog, the list so far included:
Let me list out all the points why this lovely plant is one of my favorite succulents.
The sedum makes an excellent houseplant in bright light. It is excellent for hanging baskets and especially to be grown in combination with other succulents. It can easily be propagated from detached stems or leaves. The sedum morganianum needs well drained soil mostly specific to cacti and succulents. This plant is susceptible to root rot so should not be over watered. Watering it thoroughly once every two weeks should be sufficient for this popular succulent to grow well. Though rare the sedum morganianum produces small, unscented, star shaped flowers which are pink, red or lavender in colour during spring and summer.
A healthy and mature sedum morganianum will yield the longest stem which grows upto 4 ft in length. To get best results with this stunning trailing succulent, observe the following best practices.
Did you enjoy reading about this lovely succulent. Do share images if you own one of these stunning succulents and any tips you have which I might have over looked. Thanks for stopping by.
This succulent is simply great for your indoor collection. It has thick green leaves with white horizontal lines on the outside and it looks stunning overall. It is also commonly known as the Zebra plant because of its characteristic stripes which resembles that of a Zebra….:) This plant has its origins in South Africa.
The haworthia fasciata is very similar to the Aloe plant and they are related to the same sub family. There are a few important factors which we should keep in mind regarding this plant:
Haworthias do bloom in autumn or spring but the chances of them blooming indoors is quite rare. If grown outside they have either a pink or white coloured tubular flower hanging on a long and thin stem called an inflorescence.
Do you own a Zebra haworthia ? Where have you placed the plant ? Is it doing well ? Do share your tips as well. Thank you so much for stopping by.
Hello so continuing with my series of the top 10 succulents to grow indoors, lets look at Echeveria Black Knight today. So far I have written about:
Echeverias offer a wide variety of options. These are easy to grow plants and are found in lot of different sizes hence are a popular option of succulents to grow. I particularly have a great weakness for the Echeveria Black Knight because of their dark outer leaves. It is a small growing, rosette style succulent with dramatic dark coloring. These delightful plants also have dark red flowers which are usually projected above the foliage.
Most Echeverias are not complicated succulents to grow. As long as they are looked after and a few basic rules are taken care of. Lets take a look at what these are:
If you own one of these stunning Echeverias, please do share a few images here and also if I have missed out on any care instructions, I would really appreciate it if you put forward your suggestions too.
Hey guys continuing with my series of the top 10 easy to grow succulents, today lets look at the Kalanchoe Tomentosa or the Panda Cactus. It is by far one of my favorite succulents.
The leaves of the Panda plant are covered with tiny hairs that give it a velvety look and feel. The covering of hair also ensures that there is no rapid loss of water due to transpiration hence this plant can survive without water for long periods of time. The leaves are equipped to store water.This plant can grow up to a height of 1.5 ft. This plant is a native of Madagascar.
The Kalanchoe tomentosa can flower within its natural habitat, producing fuzzy bell shaped flowers in spring and summer, it is very rare to see these succulents bloom indoors. It is grown primarily for its foliage within homes and offices.
Kalanchoe tomentosa care is pretty simple.
The Panda plants are excellent for beds and borders, succulent gardens, Mediterranean themed gardens or of course as ground cover. These plants are also perfect for containers where spectacular floral arrangements can be created.
Please share pictures of your Panda plants if you own any and also share care tips if I missed out on any. Thanks for reading !!
Hello my previous post was about the lovely trailing succulent String of Bananas. Writing about trailing succulents got me thinking that a hanging garden will be interesting if there are a group of succulents which placed together to form an interesting combination. My top 5 picks of succulents which can be used in hanging baskets are:
If you are looking to grow an easy succulent with lots of character then opt for the String of Pearls or Senecio rowleyanus. It gets its name because of its fleshy beady looking leaves, since its a trailing succulent it greatly resemblances a beaded necklace. This lovely succulent can be easily grown indoors as long as there is bright light which is essential for a healthy plant. It can be easily propagated and does not need frequent watering. These succulents are slightly toxic in nature so should be grown /kept away from pets and young children.
Please refer to my previous post which gives you all the details about The String of Bananas.
The String of Hearts or Ceropegia woodii is a lovely plant to add to your succulent collection. These lovely plants like heat and bright light but will not thrive in direct sunlight, so position is very important to have a healthy plant. If placed outdoors it should be in a place which receives a lot of indirect sunlight and is bright or South/West facing windows if placed indoors. They only require watering only when the soil thoroughly dries up.
Burro’s Tail or Sedum burrito is a graceful houseplant and one of the best trailing succulent for a hanging garden. It is a heat and drought tolerant plant which is well suited for warm climates. It is very well tolerant of direct sunlight. It will thrive indoors provided there is bright light. It is very easy to propagate, gather some of the fleshy leaves and place them into moist well drained soil and they will soon establish roots and form new plants. These drought tolerant succulents will look brilliant if grown all by themselves in your hanging garden or together with other succulents where the effect is more pronounced.
String of Nickels or Dischidia nummularia consists of round gray- green leaves which are flat and greatly resembles coins hanging from a string. These are simply one of the best hanging basket succulent plants. These plants do not tolerate direct sunlight very well and if kept outdoors need to be watered frequently as it likes moist conditions. It can be easily propagated through stem cuttings and seeds. These are tropical epiphytic plants which can easily be used in offices or indoor houseplants.
Hello everyone I have been missing from the blogging world for quite a while now, I have missed this space. How is everyone doing? I wanted to write 10 blog posts about the most popular succulents to grow indoors starting with the lovely easy to grow ‘String of Bananas’.
The String of Bananas plant is a very popular trailing succulent and is also called String of Fish Hooks because of the way it looks. It is one of the easiest succulents to have in a hanging garden, and if it is grown in the ground, it trails wonderfully.
The String of Bananas is a succulent which loves the heat but will not thrive very well in direct sun light. It prefers partial shade like a covered patio or a balcony. It is best grown in containers for it is a brilliant hanging plant. It is also known as Senecio radicans. If looked after well the trails can reach upto 6′.
Lets look at a few images of these lovely trailing succulents which can be the easiest way to start your succulent journey.
String of Bananas is a plant which is native to Africa. It grows very well in partial shade and will thrive well in indirect bright sunlight if grown indoors. These plants are mildly toxic in nature and if ingested in small quantities may have unpleasant side effects hence it is best grown or kept out of reach of toddlers and pets. If grown indoors it is best to place them in hanging containers or planters.
Like most succulents, The String Of Bananas will need bright light or some sun to thrive well indoors. They do survive in very low light but as a result the growth will be slow or totally stop.
These plants will rot if watered very frequently so it is safe to say that they will grow happily if watered optimally or maybe once a week or once the soil is totally dry.
To keep your Senecio radicans healthy and thriving, it is enough to use a normal houseplant feed once every two months. It can be easily propagated through their stems or even leaves. It is quicker to propagate new plants from stems which have a few leaves attached to them. These succulents look much better when grown in clusters as in single strands they do not have the effect required.
Hello it seems to be a long time since I wrote anything at all about interiors. I have been ignoring this space more in favor of my green friends. Time to change that đŸ™‚ While out shopping earlier today I stumbled across these really old vintage floral tile coasters. I loved them unfortunately I could not buy them as they were exorbitantly expensive but those lovely tiles got me thinking that floral tiles will look so stunning in a bathroom wall. Here are ten of my favorite bathrooms where floral tiles have been used.
Floral hues are often bright and colorful but if you add a black background to that it is often striking. The above picture will tell you all.
Flowers against a white backdrop looks equally good. In this case this shower is stylish, minimal and sophisticated but because of the floral tiles it is also warm as seen in this London home.
Who can say no to a bright yellow vibrant floral wall. A floral patterned wall will work wonders in even a small bathroom as it would totally transform the space.
When it comes to floral tiles, they make an impact anyways whether there is colour or not. Take a look at these amazing cement floral tiles used in combination with the vintage wash basin.
What a lovely concept it is to continue the floral tiles into the floor, such a seamless composition this is. Beautiful.
Continuing my obsession with black in the bathroom, isn’t the one shown above simply stunning? Would you opt for a color combination like the one shown above. I would đŸ™‚
This particular bathroom is really calm and pretty and also tells us that it is not really necessary to have a highlighter wall in the shower console, this is also fine.
You can transform your bathroom into an absolute dreamy space using a few floral tiles.
This stunning Bisazza floral tile combination is straight out of a story book. Totally stunning.
A floral tile in the single colour also looks great. For people out there who don’t want to experiment but yet likes floral design, this is the perfect solution.
Bees and butterflies ? You must be thinking that this is a pretty intriguing title for a blog post focusing on interior design and plants..:) Actually I want to write about the few plants you can grow in containers to attract bees and butterflies. Basically container gardening which can be placed anywhere from a balcony to a terrace or a patio with plants that will attract butterflies and bees. Here are my top picks.
1.Lavender
Lavender not only smells divine but also attracts bees and butterflies. It’s not just the lovely purple flowers that are fragrant, the silvery leaves are also fragrant and add to the overall appeal of these lovely plants. Lavender needs the sun for most of the day so a sunny balcony/terrace or even a window sill which receives ample sunlight throughout the day is most suitable for best results. It needs neutral or alkaline free draining soil.
2. Oregano
It is probably one of the most recognized herbs in a chef’s garden. Oregano is very easy to grow and look after. The leaves of the oregano plant are very small and dark green in colour. It produces tiny white, pink or purple flowers which are very attractive to bees. Oregano will grow very well in partial sun and give good results if it is not wet for long lengths of time. It is an ideal plant for a windowsill garden.
3. Verbena
Verbena is the ideal plant to cascade over retaining walls, hanging baskets, windowsill planters and also trellis plants for terrace gardens. These plants are extremely attractive to bees and butterflies. There are a lot of varieties and hybrids of many different species are what we see as the common verbenas today. It is a heat tolerant plant and is great as border plants for pathways and as fillers for container gardens.
4. Pentas
Pentas are perennials and growing these plants in your garden is an economical way to introduce colour and texture all year round. The five-pointed petals on the flowers give these resilient plants their name. These are low maintenance plants and will reward you with blooms all year round as long as they get plenty of water, heat and sunshine. Pentas not only attract butterflies, they are very attractive to humming birds as well.
5. Portulaca
A truly beautiful low growing type of ground cover plant is Portulaca sometimes also known as the sun rose or the moss rose. These plants require sunlight and well-drained soil although it does thrive in most kinds of soil. They are best used as fillers in borders along pathways in the garden with their burst of different colored flowers which include pink, red,yellow, white, cream, orange and deep lavender. They can successfully used in small container gardens. They attract butterflies.
6. Passiflora Incarnata
This plant is a fast growing perennial vine. It has got complex but beautiful purple flowers. These are bee attracting flowers and they also attract hummingbirds. They can be grown in a sunny balcony or a window sill but will require a trellis for efficient fast growth. They grow well in full sun to partial shade and should not be kept wet for too long but they are happy in moist conditions. They prefer well-drained soil.
7. Aster
These pretty flowers comes in hues of blues, purples and pinks and a yellow center. They are very attractive to both bees and butterflies. Aster grows well in average soil which should be moist but not wet for best results. It needs a sunny place for best results. They are perennials so if looked after well will award you with pretty flowers throughout the year.
8. Gazania
These low maintenance South African annuals will make butterflies flock to your garden. Gazania flowers thrive in full sun and grows well in soil of low fertility hence it is easy to grow them without too much fuss. These plants prefer sharply drained soil hence is perfect for rock gardens and also have great tolerance for soil so perfect for seaside gardens too. They can be planted on the outer edges of a container garden.
9. Hydrangea macrophylla
These pretty flowers are native to Japan. They do not flower during the cold season. They are extremely attractive to bees and butterflies. It requires moist, organic and fertile soil. They grow well in full to partial shade and do not do well in hot and dry conditions. These plants are salt tolerant so really good for sea-side gardens. The flower colour depends upon the soil pH. Acidic soil produces blue flowers whereas alkaline soil produces pink flowers.
10. Clitoria ternatea
This is a short-lived perennial herbaceous vine which does really well in moist neutral soil. The most striking part of this plant are its blue flowers. Some varieties yield white flowers. The flower has medicinal properties and is used as a natural food dye. The flower is attractive to both bees and butterflies. It is popularly known as Butterfly Pea and is usually grown in full sunlight but is mildly shade tolerant.
Hello, so are you wondering why you should have plants in the bathroom at all? There are several studies that have been carried out which proves that apart from making your bathroom feel and look like a luxury spa, it is really beneficial to have plants in the bathroom for the following reasons:
A study by NASA proves that some of the indoor houseplants are very effective in filtering the air. Some of these most common indoor plants are spider plant, boston fern, peace lily are few of which can also thrive very well in our bathrooms.
2. Increases your energy levels.
Just like taking a shower makes us feel more energetic and also prepares us for the day, having a plant in the bathroom can more or less have the same effect on us.
3. Improves mental health.
Plants have a positive effect on your mental health, helps improve relationships and communication and also gives a perception of a higher quality of life. These findings have been backed by studies, so this is more than enough reason to have a few plants indoors, and also in the bathroom.
Now that we have established the benefits of having a few of our green friends in the bathroom, let’s take a look at 5 of the easiest plants to find, look after and keep in the bathroom.
The Aloe plant does not need constant care and attention. It can thrive in low light and will survive even if you forget to water it every now and then.In fact it does thrive well when neglected…:)
Buy the above aloe plant from plantslive.com. They are currently offering a 20% discount on all plant orders.
2. Spider Plant
This is another low maintenance plant which can propagate easily, does not seek too much attention….is great to look at and is also one of NASA’s recommended indoor air purifier.
Buy this lovely spider plant in a 4″ lovely ceramic pot at Amazon.co.in
3. Orchids
The damp warm conditions in most bathrooms are a perfect environment for these pretty plants. Their flowers bloom for a long time if they get bright filtered light and well drained soil.
You can buy a wide variety of orchids from the site potsandpetals.com. You can buy an orchid for beginners kit from the same website in case you are just starting out.
4. Snake Plant or Mother-in-law’s Tongue
The snake plant is extremely hardy and easy to look after. Over watering is harmful for these plants and while watering try to avoid getting their leaves wet. These plants can be easily propagated through leaf cuttings.
http://www.plantsguru.com has a wide variety of plants and you can easily order a Sansevieria through this website from the comforts of your home.
5. Boston Fern
This gorgeous looking plant is one of NASA’s named air purifying plants and it thrives in humidity so is the perfect plant for your bathroom.
Nurserylive.com, one of the largest on-line nurseries in India has a huge collection of ferns including the Boston Fern.
Did you find the above piece informative? Do you have any specific queries regarding plants and their upkeep and maintenance ? Please feel free to post a question here. Do share any tips you might have to look after these plants better.
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