You know those Plant People — the ones whose houses resemble the lush indoor gardens at a botanical garden? If you have an Instagram page, chances are that you do. These spaces are certainly visually appealing, but they’re much more than that, too.
Indoor plants offer many benefits, and it’s not as hard as you might think to build a beautiful plant collection. You can become a Plant Person and turn your home into a plant-filled oasis without even having to leave your apartment.
Thanks to the rise of plant consultants and plant delivery services, it’s easier than ever to cultivate an indoor garden with minimal time and effort. This means that indoor plants are also more accessible to people with busy lives, such as working moms, people with multiple jobs, and anyone else who doesn’t have a few extra hours to do research and go shopping.
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The Sill is one groundbreaking service that’s making it easier for people to become Plant People. The company delivers indoor plants right to customers’ doorsteps in Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York. They make it easy to pick the plants that will thrive in your house, and each one comes with simple care instructions and access to The Sill’s support team.
Plant consultants are also becoming more and more popular. Folks like Maryah Greene of Greene Piece will make personalized indoor plant recommendations for your space. They’ll even do the shopping for you, if you like, and they’ll follow up to help you care for the plants properly.
These services come at multiple price points. Individual plants from The Sill start at $13, and a monthly subscription is $35 per month. A basic consultation with Greene Piece starts at $100 to $175. There are also other plant subscription services that deliver nationwide for as little as $10 per month, like Succulent Studios or House Plant Box.
These services may seem like a luxury, but truly, it’s important that plants are accessible to as many people as possible. Living in a plant-filled oasis is actually beneficial to your health.
“Houseplants have been shown to boost moods, productivity, concentration and creativity,” Erin Marino, director of brand marketing at The Sill, tells Grateful. “They’ve been shown to reduce stress, fatigue and sore throats and colds. They can clean indoor air by absorbing toxins, increasing humidity, and producing oxygen. They add life to sterile spaces, can create privacy and reduce noise levels. Not to mention, they’re therapeutic to care for, and enjoyable to watch grow.”
So, what types of plants can you look forward to having in your new oasis? Marino says that largely depends on where you live.
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“If you want to set yourself up for success, choose a plant that will thrive in the conditions your space provides.” Marino says. “That’s the first step (and a step a plant store like The Sill can definitely help you with).”
The idea is to consider the plant’s native habitat in the wild and try to recreate that in your own home.
“For example, most ferns are native to tropical rainforests,” Marino says. “That high-humidity, low-light environment can be difficult to recreate in a cold and dry New York apartment. But there’s definitely ways to work around that — like placing your fern in your bathroom (if it has a window), where humidity levels are usually higher, or investing in a humidifier for another room.”
On the other hand, there are certain plants that are hardy enough that they’ll happily grow in a variety of indoor environments. These include the Sansevieria (aka the snake plant), Pothos or Philodendron.
As far as planters, the most important thing to look for is drainage at the bottom. That way, if you accidentally over-water a couple of times, your plants won’t suffer from root rot. Wood, ceramic and terracotta are preferable to plastic since they dry more quickly and evenly.
Lastly, Marino says to keep in mind that plants are living creatures, which means they won’t always look perfect. If your plant starts to look a little worse for wear or even (gasp!) dies, it doesn’t mean you don’t have a “green thumb.” Caring for plants takes practice — so buy another and try again, and never be afraid to ask for help.
Make your own hanging planters with macrame! Learn the six basic macrame knots to get started creating today.