Hello darlings,
those of you who have been reading my blog a while know how much me and Nick love our inside and out plant filled house. My recent post about how we used NASA's study to clean the air of our home is one of my favorite ones to date.
My mom was the one who showed me how beautiful taking care of plants is and she still is one of the best gardeners and plant care takers I've known. She used her indoor plants as decoration statements and this has kind of passed on to me. I love the minimal style as you well know and a few well placed plants - usually in a white pot - can go a long way in terms of minimal decor.
Lately I've discovered another way to get the minimal style through. Air plants. Those little guys - or not so little in some cases - are the genus Tillandsia of the Bromeliaceae family. They are evergreen perennial flowering plants and they grow in the Central and South America and the West Indies.
What makes them so different from other plants is the way they grow. They don't need soil, just a rock or a tree to grow on, that's why they are called air plants. That makes them very low maintenance since they only need a spraying of water a couple of times a week. So even if you aren't exactly a green thumb, chances are you wont kill them!
What gained my attention to those plants in the first place was the fact that their container is a decoration statement in itself. I've seen them in sea urchins, glass globes, terrariums, stands, corks, you name it! It's not just the average pot for this guys. It's a whole new game and one with a lot of levels too!
Since they have declared their root independence, these plants can be displayed in endless ways. I mean how cool are those lamps? A true and undeniable decor statement!
Some of their color tones are very similar to those of succulents and the ever smart wedding industry picked that up and has been using them for some years now. I would've loved to keep some of my wedding flowers alive for a long time and with air plants that is totally possible.
I think they add an elegant and luxurious tone to the wedding decorations. And how about using them as a wedding favor? No one is going to throw these beauties away come next day!
They also offer a very nice fresh idea for a corporate gift. They aren't your usual wine basket or ficus pot and they do look lovely in an office setting. And you really really have to try hard to kill them, so it's a win - win situation.
I can't wait to introduce these guys to the rest of our "green family" and see how we are going to co-habitat our house. It's a totally new concept, the root-less one, and I really want to explore its possibilities. Thankfully I have a very helpful and knowledgeable backup team to get me through!
Would you use air plants for decor in your house? What's the best thing about living with plants?
P.S.: All photos in the post c/o airplants.gr
