Having real live plants around the house has always been a favorite of mine, all the way back to the late-70’s when I got my first apartment. OK, I’m dating myself, but remember macrame plant hangers? Yeah, I had a couple of those. 🙂 I’ve gone through stages of having less rather than more, but right now is a more is more when it comes to real and living plants.
If you’ve read my blog long enough, you’ll remember me posting about real and fake plants and how it’s OK to have fake plants, but I’ve come to the conclusion in the last couple of years, that real just suits me better. Now, when I look back just a few short years ago and see all the fake plants I had around here, it just makes me cringe. 🙂
Do you ever do that?
Now I’m on a mission to bring more live plants in the house. So far it’s working out pretty well and I’ve managed to keep most of them alive. One that I have had great luck with is the Birdsnest Fern. I didn’t think it would be easy to grow, but I have one and it’s doing very well in filtered light, so I picked up another one at Walmart recently. 
I used to have several African violets in this window, but those have bit the dust. I need to get more. My mom grows some beautiful ones and has shared with me over the years. They seem to do great for a few years, then something happens to them. I can’t remember the exact name for this pothos, but I think it has Lime in it. I have had this for probably 3 years now and it is growing great.  I’m not particularly super good at fertilizing, but I try to keep everything watered fairly regular. 
This corn plant came from an office I was working in and it was literally 1/2 dead when I brought it home. I nurtured it and now it has grown probably 2 or 3 feet since then. It likes all the light coming in the foyer. 
At the top of the stairs by the window, I have the Birdsnest Fern. It’s been sitting here happily for 6 or more months. I love the crusty old terracotta pot that I picked up at Grandma Eleanor’s old house.
By the way, Grandma E is doing just fine. We didn’t get her out much during the heat of summer, but I imagine I’ll be taking her out some this Fall. She’s her usual ornery self. 🙂 I talked her recently into donating some of her dogs and rabbit dolls that she makes to The Lovelady Center for the children, so I was glad she agreed to it. They will enjoy having them. 
This little bean (or whatever it is) came from Ikea and was only $3. I’ll definitely get more of these if I find them again. I love how it looks like a little green tree. All I do is keep the soil moist and it seems to be completely happy. Someone told me this is an avocada seed, but I tried to root one and it rotted. This looks more like a giant bean to me. 
Peace lilies (Spathiphyllum) are one of the easiest plants to grow inside. If you have ever had plants, this is probably one of them. They do very well and will droop when water is needed and perk right back up when they get a drink. You can hardly kill these things. 
This is another type of spath (I think), not sure which one, but it does equally as well.  I’m bad about not keeping my tags, so lose track of the official names of them. 
These little plants I found at a yardsale and have no idea what they are called. Does anyone know? I just give them a little water and they seem to be happy and they do spread and pop up new shoots.  Bamboo shoots have been around for a few years and they do well too. 
Closeup of those plants that I can’t identify. 
This palm tree has done pretty well for me too. I keep it watered and so far so good. The other larger frond variety did lose several fronds, but is still alive. So, I would say that this particular variety is a better indoor choice. It’s a little lacier on the fronds. 
This pretty little plant has been in my bathroom for well over a year now and doing very well. It seems to grow slowly, but has not given me any problems and stays very green with just weekly watering. The only identification on the plant tags on these say Angel plants, but I think that is just a species and not a particular name. Anyone know what this one is? I just bought another one since this one has done so well. They look like tiny little palm trees. 
A commenter said that this is a diffenbachia, another hardy and hard to kill plant, this livens up the bathroom. I’m bad with names.
So, what are your favorite plants for indoors? Are you growing plants inside or do you think you have a black thumb? I promise all of these that I’ve shown have been very easy to grow and most of mine are a few years old.
I hope this will inspire you to bring some plants home and give them a try if you’re not already. Real plants just add so much to a home!
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Are you decorating for Fall? I’m a light Fall decorator and don’t do a whole lot, but I’ll be sharing some Fall things in the next couple of weeks. I know that Fall is exploding all over blogland, but I just can’t get into it so early, so come back in a couple of weeks and we might even have a linky party, so you can show off your Fall finery. Mine won’t be huge, but I will do something. 🙂
I have seen many discussions about real vs. fake plants and I am in the “real plant camp.” I know real plants are not an option for some people and that is fine I just like the look of real plants better. You have quite a green thumb as your plants look wonderful and healthy.
Hi Rhoda,
You have inspired me this morning…need to buy a plant today!
If you have a chance to visit my blog, check out the vanity I did for my antique mall booth….you were my inspiration from way back. LOL
🙂 Diane
I have one fake ficus left and it’s halfway out the door. My real plants make me happy!
Ikea has many plants on sale right now 🙂
Have a great day, Rhoda!
I remember the macrame plant holders too! Made many myself and my kids always laugh when I tell them about it. The plant you got from Ikea looks like an avocado but it is not. I love rooting those and the leaves are totally different. Keep trying to root one. Easiest way is to let the pit dry out some and then place toothpicks in the side of it and prop it (pointed side down) on the rim of a jar or vase, once rooted plant in soil. I have also just pressed some down in existing plants and some sprout. Many rot as well though. All of your plants look great and made me realize I need more plants in my home again as I did back when I was first married.
The tiny or small, low growing unidentified plant is commonly known as a type of Mother’s-Law-Tongue. The plant with varigated leaves is actually a diffenbachia. I have many potted plants, mostly ferns, that reside outside in the summer and in my heated garage in the winter. My husband constructed a long shelf (using a glass shower door from a past bathroom remodel) and placed it underneath a large window in the garage. Needless to say my plants love it!
Ok, so I just went out and dug up some peace lilies that were languishing in my courtyard, potted them and set them in my entryway. Thanks for the inspiration!
I remember macrame plant holders….my kids made them in 4H! I don’t have any real or fake plants. It was always hard to keep our cat out of the dirt of live plants. We no longer have a pet so maybe I should give it a try again.
Nice house plants. I love working with plants outside but can’t keep them alive when they are inside 🙂
Pothos is a great little plant that grows like crazy. I showed one in a photo, after we painted the little black desk. It was trailing across the room! It’s downstairs now and still thriving. I have one by my desk in our room that could use a good “haircut”. We bought a couple pothos for the back porch, in Spring. Those are growing nicely. I have a split leaf philodendron or rather a plant that looks like that. Can’t think of the real name. I bought two of them when we moved into the farmhouse 27 years ago. One is no longer among the living, but the other is still hanging on after all these years!
Granny had African Violets in her kitchen window, which faced south. She set the pots into little glass bowls and watered the plants from the bowls rather than the top. They were gorgeous, all lined up in a row. She also had great luck with Boston Fern and Poinsettia. My luck with all three of those species is not good at all!
I was just looking out to the back porch this morning and thinking, it’s time to bring the plants in. Hoping to find good places indoors where they will survive winter.
I water my African Violets with my left over black coffee. Put is in a dish and absorb it from the bottom. They get huge!
I was so excited about your post today I had to comment. I LOVE having plants around my house. I live in the North so in winter it’s so nice to have something living in your house (not to mention cleansing the stuffy winter air).
I had to laugh, though, when you talked about peace lilies and how hard they are to kill. Well, I can say I did have success in killing a peace lily recently. I’d had it for a few years and then it got mad at me and decided to go brown. I probably could have saved it but I dind’t know what to do so I went to Walmart and picked up a few new plants for $2.75 each. Now I want to run out and get some succulents. They are beautiful!
~Kandi
http://kandilandblog.blogspot.com
I have a peace lily that I brought home from my sister’s funeral 24 years ago. I have re-potted and shared this plant several times. It is my most favorite thing in my home.
That plant from IKEA with the nut at the base is actually an Australian Chestnut Tree.
I have a TON of plants and moved them out to the gazebo when the weather was warm enough this spring. It is now time to bring them in and they are HUGE!! I will have to divide and conquer and give some away! Having plants inside gives the home LIFE because when you walk in there are already living things inside. I think I can FEEL the difference when there’s not!
My mom had tons of plants, and macrame! My grandma was great with African violets…she would put the radio on for them. Apparently they like easy listening!?
I did not inherit their green thumbs.
It’s so interesting that you posted this right now…I just recently added a couple of house plants to my kitchen. A friend who grows beautiful house plants gave me a couple…they are on my screened porch and are still alive! My friend also recommended Angel Vine which I just found at Hannah’s Nursery…so far it’s doing well. And Rie at Home and Harmony suggested Baby Tears for in the house!
I emailed you about the yard sale…hope to come!
I am not great with plants but I have a few that have survived my care. I had a plant like the 3rd picture. I never knew what it was called. I got it 18 years ago when I worked at McDonalds. It had gotten too large for the planter it was in. I had it for many years, until it hit my ceiling and I gave it to a friend with cathedral ceilings. I got another tree from McDonalds at the same time. I think it’s called a money tree. I still have it. I also have spider plants and some begonias that have done well.
Over the years I have killed many plants, but I still prefer them over fake. Real plants remove toxins from the air. I’m sure plastic plants made from petroleum don’t help indoor air quality at all.
Love the “idea” of live plants but can’t seem to keep them looking fresh. There in come those fake greenery plants! When I lived in Germany, I never used silk floral arrangements because flowers at the markets were so cheap…..should probably think about doing that again.
Thanks Rhoda for the information on the Nashville Flea Market….really hope I can get back up there the end of the month. It really looks like the perfect place to pick up those special accent pieces. Love those industrial/factory carts!
Gwen
Oh, yes, ma’am, I’m with you on the real plants. I love them, and I’ve found a number that are easy to grow. I don’t have a green thumb, but I’ve had wonderful luck with olden pothos. I also have a spath like yours as well as some ivy, some spider plants, a birds nest fern, and a wandering jew. I figure that live plants help to keep the air clean as well as looking pretty, so what’s not to like?
Hope you’re doing great as you prepare for your big sale on Saturday!
Love plants – inside AND outside!! And being in the south I can do that year round – after reading your post I think I need to get a few more inside plants for some new friends to talk to here in the office. 🙂