Top 5 Contenders for Brown Thumbs

Top 5 Contenders for Brown Thumbs

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Are you a self-proclaimed brown thumb when it comes to houseplants? Do you struggle to keep even the hardiest of houseplants alive? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. In this edition, we’re sharing our top picks for plants that even those with the brownest of thumbs can keep thriving. These five contenders add life and beauty to your home without demanding too much of your time and attention.

#1 –  Golden Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)

This plant is stunning and can come in either variegated or non-variegated varieties. Native to French Polynesia, the Golden Pothos, responds to a wide variety of environments from bright indirect light to medium light. This Pothos is a vigorous grower and a trailing wonder, great for hanging baskets or just draping down the bookcase. When given bright light it can even grow up to one leaf per week!

#2 – ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamifolia)

The second plant to mention is the wildly popular ZZ plant. You can put this plant just about anywhere in your home. These thrive in low, medium, and bright light; even artificial plant lights will do! They rarely need watering which is fantastic for lazy plant parents. We love the modern flair they bring into the home with thick, glossy leaves that grow upright.

#3 – Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadensis)

The third contender is the Aloe Vera plant. Part of the succulent family, this plant is known for its medicinal purposes and for being easy. Needing bright light this stunner requires very little watering. Its origin stems from the Arabian Peninsula but now is cultivated worldwide. It thrives in well-drained soil and actually likes to be root bound so if you’re slow to repot, that’s ok. And, if you want to propagate, just grab one of their pups and put them in soil!

#4 – Dumb Cane (Dieffenbachia)

The large, variegated broad and bright leaves of the Dumb Cane plant can spruce up any home decor. Apart from its lovely appearance, there are many other Dieffenbachia benefits. According to studies, dieffenbachia topped the list of plants that absorb carbon dioxide efficiently. The Dieffenbachia is an ideal plant for various light situations, but needs to be kept away from very bright windows. With its straight, beautiful stem, broad leaves, colorful blotches, and speckles, the dumb cane looks absolutely stunning.

#5 – Calathea Peacock (Makoyana)

Last but not least is the Calathea Peacock plant. This plant is a true showstopper, known for its jovial behavior. Each day, it gracefully turns its leaves downward in the morning to soak up the sunlight, but at nightfall, it gently stretches them upward. It’s more of a drama queen about lighting than our other plants listed and thrives in filtered light. Originally from a humid environment, the Calathea Peacock plant appreciates a similar atmosphere. Keeping it in a warm temperature range of 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit will provide the optimal conditions for robust growth and allow this enchanting plant to flourish!

In conclusion, being a self-proclaimed “brown thumb” doesn’t have to mean giving up on the idea of having thriving houseplants. With the right selection, even the most challenged plant enthusiasts can enjoy the benefits of greenery in their homes. For some creative ideas for using plants to green up your spaces, go to our Plantscaping blog here. If you would like expert help with Plantscaping be sure to reach out to our Botanical Design team.

Pets + plants: What’s safe? What’s not?

Pets + plants: What’s safe? What’s not?

As fall arrives, you may turn your attention to growing plants indoors. If you share your space with curious cats or a pup that likes to chew on everything, keep in mind that some houseplants pose a risk. Toxicity in some plants can cause a variety of ailments, ranging from irritation and stomach distress to more serious neurological symptoms – and possibly even death.

The lists below show you common houseplants (adapted from a much longer list provided by the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) that, if you display them in your home, should be kept out of a pet’s reach as well as a list of pet safe plants.

This information from ASPCA tells what to watch for:  

Five Favorite Houseplants Toxic to Pets

Dracaena species (Corn plant, Dragon tree and other varieties): Symptoms include vomiting (occasionally with blood), depression, anorexia, hypersalivation. Cats pupils may become dilated. 

Jade plant: Watch for vomiting, depression or incoordination.

Monstera deliciosa (Swiss cheese plant): A nibble of this will cause intense irritation and burning of the mouth, tongue and lips, and excessive drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing, according to ASPCA.

Peace lily: Despite its soothing name, this plant also causes burning and irritation of the mouth, vomiting, excessive drooling, and difficulty swallowing.

Pothos: Devil’s Ivy is a common name for some varieties of Pothos. The mouth irritation, drooling and vomiting in this and many other toxic plants are caused by insoluble oxalates – essentially tiny needle-shaped crystals – in the foliage.

Pet Safe Houseplants

Of course not all plants are toxic; there are many that are perfectly safe for pets if they happen to try a nibble. Here are a dozen houseplant favorites, adapted from ASPCA’s much longer list at its website, that shouldn’t be a problem if Fluffy or Max tries a taste. And since there may be different plants that go by the same common name, knowing the plant’s botanical name helps to know you’ve made the right choice. 

African violet (Saintpaulia species); Boston fern (Nephrolepis exalta bostoniensis); Cast-iron plant (Aspidistra elatior); Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera species, also called holiday cactus, Thanksgiving cactus; Gloxinia (Sinningia speciosa); Majesty palm (Ravenea rivularis);

Parlor palm (Chamaedorea elegans); Peperomia (Peperomia species); Phalaenopsis (Phalaenopsis species), also called Moth orchid); Ponytail palm (Beaucarnea recurvata); Shamrock (Oxalis regnellii); Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula)

Keep your pets off your plants

If you share your home with pets and unsafe houseplants, the most obvious way to keep them apart is by putting the plants out of reach. That’s easier if the fur friend is a dog; cats pretty much go where they please, so putting a plant on a high shelf may still be asking for trouble.

In that case, diversion or distraction may be a good option. You may be able to train your pet to stay away from plants through positive reinforcement. Provide plenty of safe toys so they won’t be tempted to explore the plants. Try placing scented items that pets don’t like (one suggestion is citrus peels) in the pot. Give cats their own “garden” of cat grass – typically a mixture of wheat, barley, oats or rye grown indoors from seed – to nibble on so they will be less likely to explore your indoor garden. 

More on pet plant safety

The American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ (ASPCA) Animal Poison Control Center website has a comprehensive guide to plants that are poisonous and non-poisonous to pets (www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control). 

The ASPCA also offers a 24/7 Animal Poison Control Center helpline, 888-426-4435. A consultation fee may be charged, but the call could save an owner a trip to the ER, or save a pet’s life.

Houseplants for Bright Light

Houseplants for Bright Light

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While many common houseplants originate in the filtered shade of tropical regions, there are others that crave the sun. If the summer sun is lighting up your rooms through south- and southwest-facing windows, you are among the lucky houseplant-lovers who can enjoy houseplants for bright light!

Here are five houseplants to grow near those bright windows:

Jade plant (Crassula ovata)

This succulent, with its tree-shape stems and fleshy leaves, is easy to grow and love. Place it in a spot that gets about four hours of bright, filtered light all year. (Jade plants can live with less, but they grow tall and leggy over time.) They grow well in regular potting soil, and you can allow the soil to dry out between waterings; if the leaves begin to fall off, though, the plant is too dry. Jade plant is long-lived; with care, it can last ten years or more; and it’s easy to propagate from tip cuttings and last indefinitely.

Jade plant

Jade plant

Croton (Codiaeum variegatum pictum)

Joseph’s Coat is a common name for this plant because of its bright, colorful foliage – large yellow, yellow-orange, green, yellow-green leaves all growing from the same stem! Find a spot in your home with bright light for the most intense colors. Croton grows easily in good potting soil with regular watering. It also benefits from spending summer outdoors in dappled shade. One thing to watch for: small, cottony clumps on the leaf veins or stems – an infestation of mealybugs. Brush them away with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol.

Joseph’s Coat plant

Joseph’s Coat plant

Papyrus (Cyperus papyrus)

You may think of papyrus as a marsh or pond plant, but indoors, in front of a sunny window, it makes a unique houseplant that’s easy to love. The tall stems end in sprays of grassy, thread-like leaves. Best, though, is that the roots can stand in water (as long as the water is changed regularly). Houseplant experts suggest giving half-diluted plant food every couple of weeks, and papyrus benefits from misting in winter, when the air in your home is drier. 

Papyrus plant

Papyrus plant

Tropical Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)

To feel like you’re on a tropical island inside your home, place a tropical hibiscus in front of that bright-light window and wait for the blooms! The large flowers are unusual for an indoor plant, which can grow to the size of a small tree. Give enough water to keep the soil slightly moist. You can keep the size manageable by pruning in the fall. In summer, the plant benefits from being outdoors in partial sun, but be sure to bring it in before nights get too cool. Houseplant guides say the plants bloom from late spring to late fall, but I’ve had a hibiscus tree opening its red blooms indoors on Christmas day.

Red Hibiscus flower

Red Hibiscus flower

Areca palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens)

Areca can be a large, statement-making palm in front of your bright window, with its feathery fronds that grow from the roots to possibly 6 – 7 feet tall. The palms also prefer warmth, so keep it in a room that doesn’t get below 65 degrees F. Keep the soil evenly moist, and watch for spider mites that can become a problem if the air is too dry. 

houseplants for bright light

houseplants for bright light

Snake plant (Sanseveria trifasciata)

And here’s a bonus! Snake plant is known for being a houseplant that tolerates low-light conditions and benign neglect, but it does well in bright light, too, growing tall and robust. Grow snake plant in regular potting soil, and allow the soil to dry out between waterings, especially in winter. When repotting (in spring is best) and as plants grow, pebbles added to the bottom of the pot can keep it from toppling over. 

Potted Snake plant

Potted Snake plant

Visit the Gardens of Babylon Garden Center to check out the selections of houseplants that grow in bright light, or in whatever light conditions you have in your home.

 

Creative Ideas for Indoor Plantscaping

Creative Ideas for Indoor Plantscaping

Indoor plants are more than just accessories for your interior spaces. They purify the air, add visual interest, and create a vibrant, welcoming ambiance. Bringing living organic greenery into your space softens the lines of your furniture, walls, and flooring in the way that a blanket does when draped over a chair. Plants bring balance to a room, and when just the right plant is chosen for the space, it can thrive and grow with you. So whether you are an interior designer or a plant mom or plant dad, we hope to give you some fresh ideas in the world of indoor plantscaping.

Levels and Layering

When arranging plants, consider using vertical space to add more depth and interest. Place plants of different heights on plant stands, shelves, furniture, and even hanging baskets. This tiered approach can help to draw the eye around the room and add visual appeal.

Container Creativity

The pots and containers you use can significantly impact the overall aesthetic of your indoor garden. Consider unique pots in different shapes, sizes, and colors. The style and color of pot can help bring cohesiveness to the style of your home. Earthy terra cotta pots can bring a southwestern or European flare, whereas a black or white glazed pot works well in more modern spaces. If you love traditional and country spaces, woven baskets add a nice touch. Copper or gold containers can bring drama to a space that otherwise seems lackluster. Just be sure you consider the lining and drainage of each pot you’re using to meet the needs of the plant.

Mini Indoor Jungle

If you’re a lover of lush greenery, why not turn a corner of your home into a mini indoor jungle? Choose a variety of plants with varying textures and shades of green to mimic the feel of a jungle. Large-leafed plants like Monstera and Fiddle-Leaf Fig can be great additions to this setup.

Plant Groupings

Consider clustering similar types of plants together for visual impact. For instance, you can create a succulent corner or a cacti collection on a sunny windowsill. Grouping plants with similar light and watering needs also make it easier to care for them.

Indoor Herb Garden

For the culinary enthusiast, why not incorporate an indoor herb garden into your kitchen space? Not only will this bring an element of nature into your home, but it also provides a readily available supply of fresh herbs for your cooking. Great potted herbs to try in your kitchen are rosemary, basil, mint, and cilantro. New to herb gardening? We have helpful info here to get you started!

Creative Use of Space

Don’t limit your indoor plants to the floor or tabletops. Utilize all available spaces including walls, ceilings, and stairs. Hanging macrame plant holders can help you with placement by windows when a plant needs more light. Plants that grow in an upward vining nature can be trained up furniture and across walls.

Terrariums and Miniature Gardens

Creating miniature landscapes in glass containers, also known as terrariums, can be a fantastic way to showcase your creativity. Choose small plants like mosses, ferns, and air plants for these mini ecosystems. These are often displayed as table centerpieces but also look fantastic in bathrooms and on windowsills.

Plants as Art

Also known as vertical gardens, living wall art can be designed with a variety of plants to create a vibrant tapestry of life. You can use different types of ferns, ivy, succulents, and even herbs depending on the light and watering conditions. One can also opt for air plants, as they require minimal maintenance.  Moss art is an excellent option for those who want to incorporate greenery without having to worry about ongoing maintenance. Moss walls don’t require light or water, making them an excellent choice for rooms with limited natural light, such as a darker den or study. They are created using preserved moss and can be made in a variety of designs and patterns. A botanical designer can create a custom living wall or moss art wall that fits your space perfectly!

Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to plantscaping. It’s a personal journey of exploring your creativity and discovering what works best for your space and lifestyle. Whether you have a green thumb or are a beginner at plant care, these ideas hopefully inspire you to create a living space that’s uniquely yours. Happy Plantscaping!

8 Rare Beauties in the Greenhouse

8 Rare Beauties in the Greenhouse

You’re ambling through the greenhouse at Gardens of Babylon and something big and unusual catches your eye: it’s a tropical beauty, spreading its big leaves out over the table of smaller tropicals for sale, as if giving shelter to the clutch of little ones until they’re purchased to go to their forever homes. 

This big beauty is a ‘Thai Constellation’ monstera, says Trevor Bradshaw, Gardens of Babylon’s creative director. And unlike the smaller monsteras and bromeliads available for purchase on the table, this one lives here, and it’s not for sale. It’s one of many unusual plants that have a permanent home at the Gardens of Babylon garden center, inside the greenhouses among the houseplants for purchase. Bradshaw gives a quick tour:

Walk through aisle between the fiddle-leaf figs and the bromeliads in the main greenhouse, look up, and you can’t miss the Elkhorn fern, a big globe of a plant that hangs like a chandelier above your head. “It’s an old one,” Bradshaw says. “Seems like it’s been here forever.” These fleshy ferns are native to tropical regions of South America, Asia and Australia, and thrive in the shaded, humid confines of the greenhouse.

The gemstone table near the checkout counter holds at least two living Philodendron gems: ‘Pink Princess’ and ‘Jose Buono.’ Both of these are climbing philodendrons with big, striking, variegated foliage: ‘Pink Princess’ has large, heart-shaped purplish-green leaves that are splashed with big splotches of bright pink. ‘Jose Buono’ has huge lime green leaves with patches of pale yellow. 

They’re both charmers, but can you purchase a small specimen for your own home? “We sometimes have them for sale,” Bradshaw says. “But they come in in small numbers, and they go quickly.” 

At the other end of that greenhouse is another monstera that sits on a table with its bright green foliage climbing toward the light coming through the greenhouse roof. It’s the yellow variegated ‘Aurea,’ whose large, fenestrated leaves are variegated with splotches of bright yellow. 

Nearby, toward the back, a Vanilla orchid climbs from a shelf to the ceiling, covering a portion of a wall. In the wild, this primitive orchid climbs and branches using short roots to attach to tree trunks. In the Gardens of Babylon greenhouse, the crew has provided that suitable wall where the vining orchid has climbed happily for years.   

Back in the main greenhouse, Bradshaw shows off a Thaumatophyllum selloum (formerly known as Philodendron selloum, Bradshaw explains). It’s also known by several other names: split-leaf philodendron, tree philodendron and others. The specimen at Gardens of Babylon grows its large, wide, deeply lobed leaves at the top of a tall trunk that, along with its with its winding, ropy roots on top of the soil, indicates that it’s an old soul.

While these are beautiful and unusual plant specimens, one thing shoppers and visitors notice most, Bradshaw says, is the “living wall” that covers about an 8 x 12-foot portion of the main greenhouse wall at the garden center. It’s an assemblage of common and rare beauties, all growing together to form a tapestry of colors and textures. There are ferns and anthuriums, several monsteras, bromeliads and epiphytes, common and rare philodendrons and much more.

The wall was built for a special event about three years ago, he recalls, then broken down and reassembled in the greenhouse, where it has charmed customers ever since.

“We think it’s the best living wall in Nashville,” Bradshaw says.

The next time you’re looking for houseplants to add to your collection, check out the rare and unusual not-for-sale specimens that thrive in the greenhouse at Gardens of Babylon garden center. There’s high demand for unusual plants these days, and Bradshaw advises checking the store’s social media (here and here) to know when rare plants do arrive for sale. 

The garden center is located at 900 Rosa L. Parks Blvd., at the south end of the Nashville Farmer’s Market.