Lisa Moore Owner Lismoore Drapery & Interiors Member of the Window Covering Association of America (WCAA) e-mail your questions/concerns/comments to cushionbead@hotmail.com Call 731-2133 for appointments Continue to follow us on Facebook at Lismoore Drapery & Interiors

House plants are very beneficial to our homes and lives. They purify our homes and turn them into a healthy environment. Choosing to decorate with live foliage will not only provide an element that is literally green; plants can also contribute to a sustainable green interior. They improve our air quality and add colour and life. Flowering plants serve as natural air fresheners, and foliage adds a pop of bright green colour to a neutral space. It is also a great way to decorate empty corners, shelves and window sills with decorative pots filled with green plants.

House plants automatically create a sense of coziness that put people at ease. Properly used, they can make large spaces look intimate and magnify small spaces to create depth. As a person living in the Caribbean, it is hard to imagine a decor that doesn't call for at least a few house plants placed in just the right spots. Please note, that the spot in your home or office where a plant looks the best is not always the one in which it grows well, usually due to lack of light. Artificial lights could be installed to improve conditions. One should always consider house plants as movable objects, because for every shady area calling for greenery, you should buy two plants. Why, you might ask? The first plant does duty as a decorative item, place the other in a brightly lit window. Then, once a week, you should switch the plants around, this will keep your house plants healthy and attractive for a much longer time.

Flowering house plants need more light than foliage types and can rarely be grown anywhere but directly in front of a window. They can, however, be used as decorative items while in bloom and placed anywhere in the home. When they stop blooming, move them back into the light until they have recuperated enough to bloom again. Mixing small foliage (like cacti and succulents) makes great miniature indoor gardens. For homes with children and pets, always confirm with your landscaper or plant shop owner if the house plants you chose are harmful or poisonous before placing indoors. A good alternative is to use them as hanging plants or place out of the reach of pets and children.

Guide to indoor plants

Amazon Elephant's Ear is a common plant that is much easier to grow inside, and provides a seasonal display of wonderful foliage.

Anthuriums are what I would call a classy tropical plant with bright flowers.

Bird of Paradise is one of the most popular tropical flowers in the world and is surprisingly very easy to grow indoors.

Dumb Cane plant is a very common house plant. It is easy to forget it's also a true tropical plant.

Ficus plants are fussy, but a well grown ficus is the ideal house plant. Large, glossy and imposing, they are well worth the effort.

Palms are a symbol of everything tropical and are easy to grow indoors.

Orchids are one of the most varied of all the plant groups. The orchids that most people love are the tropical and sub-tropical ones, and nothing says tropics more than a flowering orchid.

Tips on how to decorate with indoor plants

Turn a room into a tropical inspired paradise with green plants and exotic flowers such as orchids and birds of paradise; or you can create a spa-like feel in the bathroom, by filling decorative pots with a variety of green plants, adding a tranquil vibe to the space.

Plants should be placed in a plant friendly space in the room. Avoid placing plants near to heat or cold. The spot that you choose should allow plenty of sunlight to promote healthy plant growth.

Buy plants that thrive in indoor conditions. An easy way to gauge what plants are best for indoor; always make note of where plants are placed in plant shops, or ask your landscaper or plant shop owner to recommend a few.

Choose plants to coordinate with your decor style. For instance if living room has a beach theme, choose palms and bamboo palms.

Choose decorative plant pots that match your overall room or theme.

Indoor plant care basics

Watering: The key to watering most houseplants is to water only when the top 1/2 inch of potting mix is dry to the touch and then to water thoroughly, until water drains from the bottom of the pot. To determine whether a plant requires water, scratch the potting mix with your finger. If the mix is dry 1/2 inch below the surface, water. If it's moist, wait. It is better to keep an indoor plant on a slightly dry side than over watered. More house plants die from over watering than any other cause! After wetting, let the plant sit in the water in the saucer for about 15 minutes, then drain off the excess water. Never allow your house plant to stand in a saucer of water for more than an hour or two, because the plant reabsorbs the water, which causes the roots to rot. Lighting: The amount and the intensity of light that the plant receives dictates much of a plant's life cycle. Choose an area that receives plenty of sunlight in order to promote a healthy photosynthesis process. If the area you chose does not receive proper sunlight, then at least once a week you should move plants to an area that receives the right amount of lighting. Please note that insufficient light usually manifests itself with paler foliage, lanky growth, and general lack of luster. When you change the light drastically for a house plant, do it gradually to accustom them to the brighter light. Plants will sunburn if they are put into too bright of a light after their skins have become tender from lack of light. Remove dead flowers, as well as decaying or dead foliage promptly, to discourage spread of mould or other disease on the house plant. Wipe leaves of foliage regularly on both sides with a damp cloth to remove dust particles, and improve the look of the leaves as well.

I hope this article has inspired you to awaken your indoor spaces with plants and more plants.

Enjoy.