Add Farmhouse Beauty With Plants

I love a casual farmhouse style that also includes a touch of modern. With the new year beginning, it’s time for a refresh with cozy, rustic details in my home.  One of my favorite decorative techniques is a  few plants scattered around the house. Real house plants add year round color and also filter the air naturally.  What if you can’t keep plants alive?  A quality faux plant can add texture and green to your home without fear of their death. I like to use a mix of real and faux plants and flowers, sometimes even in the same arrangement. No matter what design style you favor or the color of your rooms, adding fresh touches of green using indoor plants can be very much needed for interest and a bit of color.

 

Air Cleaning Plants

 

The problems with houseplants in winter include temperatures that fluctuate from daytime heat to evening chill, dry air, short days and limited light. These conditions are less than ideal growing conditions. There are some popular houseplants that require less light and make nice year round companions. I wrote about them several times.  Check out How to Have Healthy Winter Houseplants  for ideas on plants and care.  For more information including a discussion of toxic plants that can harm pets or children, take a look at my post Houseplants for the Classroom & Homes with Children .

 

 

 

Here’s some of my favorite plants both real and faux for the country home.

 

I.   A Peace lily is my first choice for a plant in my home. The shape of leaves and flowers fits any kind of decor, they don’t require much light, and they clean the air of the 5 major home pollutants identified by NASA. Real or faux the Peace lily adds a sophisticated touch to a room.  The real one in my living room has two fake blooms mixed among the greenery and real blooms.  Even when I don’t have any real blooms, those two pretty white heads stand out. The best part is no one can tell those blooms are fake. Another option is to buy a small lily and add it to a mix of other plants.  All you need is a great container.

 

Photo via White Flower Farm

 

II. Herbs are a great windowsill plant for your kitchen.  Use a soil-less potting mix to provide excellent drainage and space for roots to grow.  They need full sun for best growth so place your containers in the sunniest location you can find, but don’t expect them to grow as well as they do outside. If you don’t get much sunlight in winter, place your herbs under a  lamp during the day. Reap the rewards when you cook!  For more information on growing herbs, see Windowsill Herb Garden.

 

Windowsill too small? Try a hanging herb garden.

Photo  BHG

 

 

Organic  Herb Starter Kit from Amazon

 

Can’t keep your herbs alive?  Try a rustic set of 3 faux herbs.

 

 

 

III. An old-fashioned favorite is African violets. When I was a child, my mother’s friends had them in the kitchen window. They need a window sill with good morning light, water from the bottom, and fertilize often.  Back 20 years ago, I lived in a condo with a perfect living room window exposure. My violets flourished and bloomed continuously. I split them and filled the window each morning with my beauties. For many successive moves, I have tried to replicate that and can’t. They do not flourish in my home, but I love them. I once worked in an office where one room had a fluorescent light on 24 hours a day. A desk under that light had African Violets that continuously bloomed.

 

 

 

Again faux African V

iolets are available to add a touch of color to your winter home.

 

Photo Amazon

 

 

 

IV. Cyclamen is a popular winter houseplant  adding color and texture to the home.

 

Photo via White Flower Farm

 

The cyclamen requires indirect bright light and blooms January through March.  Cyclamen is a tuberous perennial. In warmer climates (Zones 6-9), it may be planted in the ground and will reappear every year. If you live in a more northern growing zone, see Care of Cyclamen for a discussion of care as a houseplant during the dormant stage .

 

 

V. For a real cottage addition (especially French country), colorful and sweet-scented  Lavender may be just that special something your home needs.  While lavender is a plant that is really meant to be outside in the full sun, White Flower Farm offer Goodwin Creek Grey in a choice of pots.  HGTV has an excellent article on growing lavender indoors.  They recommend a fluorescent light for homes without a window with bright sunlight.  Use a pot only 1 to 2 inches bigger than the root ball and place limestone pebbles at the bottom of the pot. A basic soilless potting mix is best.  Lavender can develop root rot if the pot is soggy.

 

Photo White Flower Farm

 

Since many of us will never grow beautiful lavender plants inside, find the best faux plant you can buy in a container that makes you happy.  Amazon’s rustic lavender is a winner.

 

 

 

 

VI. For a non-living plant, rustic cotton ball stems are a very popular country decoration, I’ve seen many beautiful wreaths and wall decor that are based on cotton stems. These stems in an old boot are a perfect accent to mantles, tables, railings and more.

 

 

Photo via Amazon

 

 

VII.  Another extremely popular plant is the Fiddle Leaf Fig.  They have a great shape and offer an understated elegance.  Fiddle leaf figs can grow a couple feet every year if given the proper care. These popular houseplants can climb up to 6 feet or more in your home. Their green and shiny leaves, coupled with their unique shape make this plant a perfect choice for entertaining areas.

 

MiracleGro has an article on how to grow Fiddle leaf figs

 

 

Amazon has a live 3 foot beauty in a seagrass basket.

 

 

 

 

Amazon’s 23″ faux fiddle leaf in a stylish black pot

 

 

VII. I love moss in arrangements; it adds texture and a homey touch. You can find both preserved real moss and faux moss available for home decor.  It makes me feel you just got it from the garden even when it is faux.  Aren’t the moss orbs a a wonderful addition to the vignette?

 

 

    Photo via Amazon

 

VIII.  A group of plants that are very popular right now are succulents.  These work particularly well in all types of home styles as they are rustic and sculptural. I love the ceramic pots and arched bamboo tray; plant succulents and you have a stunning visual display.

 

 

 

Succulents photo via Amazon

 

 

Last, but not least, let’s discuss terrariums.  Closed terrariums need less watering because the moisture is locked inside to create a miniature greenhouse. Fill your jar or bowl terrarium with foliage plants or succulents. For a super low-maintenance garden, try pairing a hanging vessel with air plants.

 

 

Photo   Amazon

 

 

Plants, topiaries, trees, and flower arrangements add beauty and color to our environments whether real or faux.  They also make special presents for the holidays, anniversaries, birthdays, and other special occasions. Give a present which lasts for seasons rather than weeks.  If you’re not the creative type to make your own or want to try a different style than your own,  investigate a professionally designed potted plant or faux plant. It can be a work of art.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the visit. I hope I’ve inspired you!

 

 

 

 

 

Photo BHG

 

 

 

 

 

 

Collection of 4 Air Cleaning Plants

 

 

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