Science proves—and experience speaks—indoor greenery provides incredible benefits. From improving air quality and decreasing stress to increasing productivity levels and enhancing mental and emotional health, a botanical retreat in your home can do wonders. So why not bring the same positivity to your home?
The best part? Building a botanical garden is super fun and easy, regardless of the space available.
Excited? We are, too. Let’s get started!
What is a Botanical Garden?
A botanical garden is a seamless blend of different plant species, with cards displaying the scientific and common names of each. When transferred to your home, an indoor botanical garden becomes a space for you and your guests to enjoy the same diversification of species, just with a touch of personal twist from you.
Dreaming of having the same atmosphere in your home? The right guidance and plant care tips—as provided below—will prepare you to start your very own indoor garden at home!
Make a Plan
As easy as plant styling is, starting without a plan is never a good idea, especially if you’re a beginner. So here are some tips to look into before diving into the process.
- Choose a spot. A corner near a sizeable window, for example, can be an ideal spot for a botanical garden. This ensures good cross-breeze ventilation and sunlight. A living shelf in your bathroom, a kitchen countertop covered with herbs, or a tropical vibe in the living room are also great ideas.
- Consider the available space. If the spot you’ve chosen is tight on space, plan something like a vertical garden.
- Consider the surrounding conditions. Your green friends will need maximum sunlight and fresh air to thrive and shine. However, if the selected area goes against the natural conditions required, you can always plan for artificial arrangements, such as LED lights and heated propagators.
- Decide the type of garden you want to build. What’s your type? Container gardens, vertical gardens, or hydroponic gardens?
Tip: Use shrubs—native to your region—as a ground cover. This makes it easier to care for plants and extend their healthy lifespan.
Choose the Right Plants
While there are no wrong plants, some species don’t thrive as well as others. Native plants, for example, are easier to grow and care for. For folks who love tropical plants and can’t do without them, don’t shy away from giving it a shot. Just make sure to study and understand detailed plant care tips before bringing them home.
Note: Tropical houseplants love a lot of water and light, so try growing them in a room that remains warm most of the year.
If you’re varying the species throughout the botanical retreat, go back to the basics of each plant to decide the perfect succulent arrangement. The key is to simply place low-maintenance plants on the shady end and sunshine-loving plants near the window (or wherever lighting is maximized).
Gather the Necessary Supplies
There’s nothing more annoying than starting a project just to realize you forgot to buy one of the most important tools. So, to save you from such inconvenience—and an extra trip to the local store—here’s a checklist you can use to double-check you’ve got everything on hand.
- Pots and containers, could be plastic, ceramic, or terracotta, depending on your preference. For the size, 3-4 inch pot-openings would be fine. A larger size will only be needed for plants with root balls.
- The right soil type, to ensure proper drainage and healthy plant growth. Tip: Research the plants you’re choosing to decide what soil they need. Edible herbs, for example, require loamy soils, while succulents thrive better in sandy soils.
- Seeds or seedlings: Purchasing seeds from your local store increases your chances of creating a flourishing botanical retreat. Don’t forget to review the details on the seed’s label to make sure your indoor gardening ideas are going the right way. Tip: You can always try plant propagation for an exciting twist!
- Watering tools, such as a watering can for moisture-loving houseplants, a spray bottle for dry plants, and a watering wand for hard-to-reach pots, like hanging indoor planters.
- Other supplies, like pruning shears, fertilizers, and humidity monitors, help enhance your indoor plant care and bring out the best of your indoor greenery.
Arrange the Plants
The arrangement of your botanical retreat varies with the area you’ve chosen, the space available, and the plants you want to present. Are you, for example, planning to present your botanical decor on the limited landing area between the two sets of stairs? Do you have an entire room dedicated to a botanical retreat? Will you use the study room wall to create a refreshing environment? Do you want to welcome guests with cascading vines and tall plants showcased in the hallway?
Once determined, take a close look at your plant collection and draw a rough sketch of how you want to present them in your indoor garden. Taller plants should preferably be kept on the floor, hanging plants can utilize awkward corners, shorter plants will set well on windowsills, and trailing plants can adorn bare walls. Herbs, flowering plants, and ferns can be used to inject interest into the overall plant styling.
Label Each Green Friend
As part of the definition of a botanical garden, giving each plant a label that identifies its specific species is a good idea. Though this extra step is not necessary when setting up botanical decor at home, adding mini cards with each plant will definitely level up the game. Not only will friends and family be able to learn more about your collection, but you’ll also find it easier to recall and provide the plants the care they need.
Plan for Care and Maintenance
Once you’ve set up your botanical retreat, it’s time to plan for its care and maintenance to see your green space thriving and growing. While ensuring good air exchange, watering and fertilizing the plants, and providing adequate sunlight are basic steps, observing the soil conditions and monitoring plant growth on a weekly basis can go a long way in protecting your indoor garden. Regular checks help you catch early signs of any developing problems, such as discoloured leaves, wilting, or infections. You can either solve the issues there and then or remove the disease-causing plants to save the rest of your green friends.
Decoration Ideas for Your Botanical Garden
Done purchasing your indoor planters and green friends? That’s not where it ends. Using fun and simple ideas to spruce up your botanical decor is what makes the green space truly attractive and refreshing.
Introduce Pops of Color
You don’t necessarily have to keep your indoor botanical garden entirely green. Introducing vibrant splashes of color helps show your personality through the interior and makes things look more inviting—here’s how you can implement the idea.
- Buy vibrant-hued indoor planters.
- Coat the walls in soothing contrasting hues, like sky blue, sea green, or lilac.
- Paint floating shelves in bright colors that resemble nature.
- Hang colored LED lights to highlight particular houseplants.
Hang Complementary Art
Make your botanical garden unique by personalizing it with one-of-a-kind art pieces—and yes, you can also use this as an opportunity to bring out your favorite vintage pieces.
Nature photography (or nature-inspired prints), botanical artwork and wall murals, handcrafted ceramics, and abstract art with natural elements are all perfect additions to a botanical garden.
Include Attractive Accessories
Make your botanical garden all the more natural and rejuvenating by including luxe accessories like small water features, statues, or even something as simple as rocks.
Final Words
With all the incredible health benefits of houseplants, the wide variety they’re available in, and the visual appeal they carry, it’s no wonder why botanical retreats are becoming one of the most loved and sought-after home decor ideas!
