There is something about vegetation that attracts mankind. A view of plant life has a way of providing tranquility, relaxation and a sense of inner peace. Sadly, urban living can be devoid of this experience. No wonder many city folks are willing to spend time and money in pursuit of the serenity of a park or a garden restaurant. The good news is that it’s possible to bring this experience to your apartment and enjoy it every day.
Moreover, some flora at home can be the perfect complement for standard home furnishing.
A lot of people feel constrained by the limited living spaces that is often synonimous with city living. Few can visualize lush layout of flora in their homes. The truth of the matter is that there are lots of spaces within any home that may look unfunctional or not suited for furniture but that would be excellent for a plant or two. Granted, space may be a problem but perharps not if you consider container gardening.
Container gardening is the use of a variety of easily available containers to grow plants. These plants may be used for decoration as well as a source of food. It’s however the use of container gardens as décor that has in recent times captured the imagination of many a city dweller. Before embarking on container gardening for home decor, you need to consider the following:
- What’s the general style of your home décor?
- Will plants accentuate, alter, or add flavour to your style?
- What colours of plant or flowers do you desire?
- What sections of your home will house the plants?
- Does your home provide the ideal growth conditions for your plants of choice?
- How much care will the plants require?
You may need to talk to a gardener and a professional decorator to help you suffiently answer these questions. However, a variety of plants are quite at home (pun intended) in a container right inside your house or at your door step.
It’s advisable to get seedlings of your chosen plants from a nursery near your home as opposed to buying seeds.This is because you can establish the health of the seedling and you will also have some guarantee that the plant is suited for your area. Further more the nursery can be an affordable source of tips on the care needed by the seedlings purchased.
Having chosen and purchased the right plant, you now proceed to selecting a container to house it. A little creativity is all that is required to find a suitable container. Terracota and plastic pots of various colours are commonly used. Metallic tins can be a versatile alternative container for your plant. Decorating the tin allows you to personalise its look. Tins also create a rustic flavour to your décor. It’s also possible to mimmic verdigris by using special paint application teachnique on the tin. Really, the choice of container is just limited to your imagination.
A beautiful, creatively package plant in hand, leaves its placement location as the only missing piece in the puzzle. Some common locations will include; Door step, verandah, balcony, window seal and stair case. It’s imperative to consider the backdrop against which the plant is positioned. A carefully chosen background wall can together with the plant’s flowers produce a kaleidoscope of colours that few other décor set ups can equal.
It may take a few trials before getting it right but with a little dedication and imagination, container plants can infuse your home with a breath of fresh air and transform it to a trully serene and beautiful aboard.
Posted by Pambo Maridadi @ Crown Paints Kenya Ltd Email: info@crownpaints.co.ke
