Help… I Want Them All

A GUIDE TO FINDING YOUR PERFECT FOLIAGE FRIEND

It’s happened again. You’re standing between aisles of

greenery at your favourite local nursery, wondering which plants to add to your cart. The problem? You want them all! Don’t panic... This is totally normal. There are a few tips and tricks I can share with you though. Ones that will help you personalise your purchasing decisions to your lifestyle, so we can turn some of your favourites into perky plant pals.

Choose your lifestyle companion

Are you a frequent traveller? Do you find yourself away from home for long periods of time? Or are you simply looking for something low-maintenance that won’t droop after a few days? Then water-wise plants will be your friends! Select succulents and foliage plants with ‘built-in water storage', such as dragon trees, snake plants (Mother-in-Law's Tongue), or ZZ plants for your outdoor spaces or sunny windowsills. These are resilient to occasional bouts of dryness and should flourish for a few weeks after a good watering. Andreas Keller

Owner of Plantify

www.plantify.co.za

@plantify_

Learn from your past experience

If you have a good track record with a certain plant, then consider getting another one! Alternatively, give your green space a facelift by choosing a relative in the same genus, but in a different shape, colour, or pattern. Yet, don’t be afraid to gain entirely new experiences by testing plants that are a little more advanced when it comes to their care requirements. For example, the humidity-loving Calathea or the watering-sensitive String of Pearls. Establish what you’re comfortable with, stick to that, and then, when you’re ready, take it to the next level!

Become a plant parent

Many folks choose to nurture plants instead of getting a pet, while others decide only to start having kids much later in life, or not at all. Regardless of your personal choices, one thing we all have in common is our innate desire to take care of someone or something other than ourselves. If you long to become a plant parent, then selecting a plant that is more responsive to care, such as a peace lily, might be a more fulfilling option than a stoic parlor palm.

"If you have a

good track record

with a certain plant, then consider getting another one!"

Curate your green collection

As a budding plant hobbyist, you may be interested in targeting specific plant pieces that speak to your curated collection. Be it foliage, a specific genus, rare plants, or specialised subspecies, accumulating new items for your home is a great way to let your inner garden guru geek-out. What’s more, sharing a love of plants also connects you to fellow enthusiasts who understand your quirks and interests.

Create your Instagram aesthetic

If you’re just starting out on the gram, then know that foliage is your friend: the lusher the leaves, the more green fingers will click on that post! Try combining larger statement pieces with smaller foliage to create a textured point of interest. A couple of my favourite plant-picks for pics include Calathea orbifolias and Anthurium clarinervium. Remember, you can never go wrong by adding a pop of colour to your green corner (by colour, I mean flowering plants!).

GIVE YOUR PLANTS EVERYTHING THEY NEED

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