Succulents
Succulents are hard to resist: they are cute and funny. They have many species - from graphic echeveria with huge rosettes of thick leaves to tall cactus-like species. Some even blush: this is how they protect themselves from cold and excessive light.
You can put succulents on the balcony. Echeveria will enjoy this airy location the most.
How to care. The brighter the color of the succulent (purple, pink, red), the more direct sunlight it needs. When watering succulents, follow the rule: less is better. Only moisten the soil after it is completely dry and never water the outlet.
The most interesting thing about succulents: you can easily increase the number of your plants and create a huge family of succulents, because they are very easy to propagate.
How to arrange. Succulents + Unusual Pot = Perfect Match. Cups, mugs, painted vases, even antique coffee appliances are all usable. Just do not spoil the ceramics by drilling the bottom for drainage. Better to lay the bottom with expanded clay, small pebbles or fragments of terracotta: they will create space for excess water and thereby protect the plant from decay.
Cacti and succulents are like living sculptures. They can become the main decorative accent in any room.
If there is not enough space and there are cats
A few more tips for those with little space, pets, or just a thirst for green creativity.
Airy garden and greenhouses. If there is nowhere to put the flowers, attach hanging pots to the ceiling. They are easy to make from rope, shells or beads and do not take up valuable floor space. Bonus for cat owners: this system will protect the plants from the attack of furry pets.
Terracotta flower pots are paired with macrame pendants. And salad bowls, rounded at the bottom, also look good.
Succulents are not to cats' taste. Delicious herbaceous plants are located mainly in inaccessible places: on the upper shelves of shelves, on hangers, in cans and mini-greenhouses
Botanical gallery. Transform a corner with just four flowers into a botanical gallery by adding plant paintings. You can also experiment with furniture: the fabric or the remains of wallpaper with floral ornaments looks good on the facades.
You can decorate the chest of drawers with botanical fabric - and the space will be transformed
Flowers in the kitchen. Greens even liven up the kitchen shelves. Plant a graceful saw in a cup and you will see how it will harmoniously fit into the interior.
On the kitchen shelf, the graceful saw makes a good impression. Put it in a cup - and revive the corner with greens
Drawer shelves. Don't throw away old pallets and crates: better make wooden shelves from old pallets and put flowers there - the perfect combination.
The tree has a special structure and character that gives charm to things
Well, isn't it beauty? Even if you are deeply indifferent to succulents and ficuses, surely some compositions have sunk into your soul.
And how cool the plants look on the shelves - a small green gallery. Decorates the house and pleases the eye.
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Floriana creation technology
Now let's move on to the question of creating a florarium for cacti and succulents with our own hands. Adhering to the recommendations and instructions of experienced florists, even a novice florist will cope with this task.
So, in the process of work you will need:
- several varieties of cacti (no more than 5-6 species, harmoniously complementing each other);
- glass container;
- expanded clay drainage or marble chips;
- substrate for succulents and cacti;
- tools for planting indoor flowers (garden spatula, watering can with a thin spout, wooden stick);
- various decorative elements (butterflies and flowers, mini-figurines, multi-colored decorative stones, etc.).
The container, which will serve as a kind of pot for the flower arrangement, must be clean and dry. Pour marble chips or expanded clay drainage into the bottom of a glass or plastic vessel in an even layer. Depending on the container used, the height of the drainage layer should be no more than 3 cm. On top of the drainage layer, we pour a small part of the soil for succulents. The soil should completely cover the drainage, but should not be compacted.
We proceed directly to planting indoor plants. First, you need to remove the cacti from the flower pots in which they were previously grown.
Gently shake off the soil from the plants, while being careful not to damage the roots. To prevent the earth from getting lost in a lump on the roots, it is recommended not to water the cacti for 7-10 days
Use a thin wooden stick to make a few indentations in the succulent substrate. Gently place the cacti in the grooves made, sprinkle with the remaining soil and lightly tamp the soil.
The final stage is decorating the florarium. White marble chips, aqua soil or specially colored sand that retains its texture and color regardless of the moisture level of the soil are considered safe options.
Adhering to the above step-by-step instructions, it will not be difficult to make a florarium for cacti and succulents with your own hands. As a result, your windowsill or desktop will be decorated with an original arrangement of indoor plants.
Mini gardens of indoor plants
You can create mini gardens from indoor plants to decorate a particular living area. For example, a garden of indoor plants can be placed on a wide dish or in a deep bowl.
Built-in garden. A built-in garden is a permanent form of houseplant placement. It is a container built into the floor that contains soil or compost like a greenhouse bed. In the house, they are placed in spacious halls, conservatories or rooms; in offices and public buildings, they are usually built in the foyer. It is most convenient to construct it simultaneously with the construction of the building.
Kindergarten in a bowl. Mixed plantings in bowls contain different plants, not just one species. Such compositions are more durable than just spring bulbous flowers. This is one of the most popular types of indoor garden, which can be purchased ready-made. Usually the vessel is a round dish. There is a standard landing pattern. Tall plants such as variegated ivy are placed at the back of the bowl. Bushy or creeping and flowering plants are planted in front of him. To soften the look of the edge of the bowl, you can add ampelous, such as ivy or dwarf ficus.
Watering is a major issue - the lack of drainage holes makes over-watering difficult to avoid. If you are creating a pot garden from scratch, it is best to use a container with drainage holes and lay a layer of gravel before adding compost. Place the bowl on the pallet.
Mixed bowls are often criticized because this is not a permanent exhibition - the plants grow quickly, and it loses its decorative effect. However, it lasts longer than a flower arrangement, and plants can be harvested and planted elsewhere.
Platter garden. A small indoor garden can be arranged in shallow dishes using carefully selected succulents and cacti.The surface of the container should be simple, but a varied and colorful collection of plants can make a garden dish a standout attraction. A waterproof container can be used, but the presence of drainage holes will help avoid the risk of over-watering.
Live screen. The dining area in the living room combined with the dining room can be separated in different ways. Sometimes a wooden partition is used. Several pots in niches will help liven up such a divider. Many plant lovers prefer the live screen. A deep and wide enough container is placed on the floor, and trellises or a row of decorative supports are placed in the substrate. Such supports run from floor to ceiling. The pots are then inserted into the substrate. Suitable Plants: Ivy, Syngonium, Scindapsus, Benjamin Ficus, Tiny Ficus, Climbing Philodendron and Cissus.
Correct planting of plant compositions - step by step instructions
For proper planting, you need to purchase special tools: bamboo tweezers, small shovels, an artist's trowel is perfect, even a teaspoon is useful for filling small containers with soil.
We prepare the ground or the components of the substrate. We took part of the already prepared land for cacti and succulents, drainage, sand and charcoal. All components were purchased from the store. If you are taking materials from the street, be sure to heat the sand and stones in the oven, or fire them in a skillet.
Choosing a container for planting and plants.
Fill the prepared vessel (aquarium, glass vase, ceramic flat pot or deep dish) with drainage at least ¼ of the height. In transparent containers, you can separate it with a layer of colored sand.
Next, carefully pour in the mixed potting mix. Leaving 1 cm from the top of the pot, and make depressions in the soil, marking the planting sites.
Carefully straighten the roots of plants (for cacti, they must be carefully examined and cut out old and rotten, or dried roots)
Please note that the root collar of the plant is not covered.
This is important, if you deepen the neck, then moisture accumulation and decay may occur.
- We transfer all the plants, making up the composition. We plant ampel succulents along the edges.
- We fill the top layer of soil with sand. And then decorate with coarse colored sand or small pebbles. You can take shells or pebbles.
In the end, you can decorate the bare areas with colored pebbles, artificial moss, shells and put decorative elements. You can buy small ceramic gnomes, and if the composition is being prepared for a New Year's gift, then put the figures of Santa Claus and Snow Maiden.
Plant care
In order for the florarium to please the eye, it needs, though minimal, but care. What care measures need to be taken depends on the plants that are planted in it.
A small florarium with your own hands with a composition of a mountainous area
Orchids
Such a florarium should be placed in well-lit places, but there should be no direct sunlight.
Delicate hanging florarium with orchid composition
- In winter, it should be placed closer to the window.
- Water only if the ground is completely dry, and watering should be root.
- The vase must be wiped with a dry towel from the inside.
Florarium with an orchid with a removable cover to create the most comfortable conditions for the plant
Bonsai in the florarium
Adequate amount of light.
A very harmonious composition of the florarium with your own hands with bonsai
- Water 1-2 times a week and, most importantly, do not overdo it.
- From the vase, you need to remove the leaves that the plant sheds. This can be done with tweezers.
A laconic combination of the form of the florarium container with the internal composition of the bonsai in an impromptu mountainous area
Succulents
These are the most unpretentious plants, and caring for them consists in maintaining the normal condition of the soil. So for small plants, 1 teaspoon of water per week is enough.
In fact, all florariums are miniature greenhouses in which indoor plants are grown, and the general rules of care look like this:
We suggest that you familiarize yourself with How to plant strawberries in the spring? Strawberry planting scheme. Where to plant strawberries
Timely watering in the amounts that the plant needs. Moreover, in the case of such a composition, it is better to underfill than to pour. Plants by their "breath" form additional moisture, the level of which they are able to regulate on their own.
Colored sand is great for decorating a florarium with succulents. Very fresh compositions in juicy colors are obtained.
Adequate lighting. In this case, direct sunlight is contraindicated, because they can cause burns on the leaves.
In winter, when the sun is low and the daylight hours are short, even the most undemanding succulents should be placed closer to the light.
When condensation forms, the walls of the container must be wiped clean.
It is imperative to ventilate the "greenhouse" several times a week.
Florariums with succulents in small jars with cute tags
Remove dry leaves that the plant sheds from time to time.
Update the composition if the plant has already grown too large. In order that this does not have to be done very often, it is worth choosing plants that grow slowly. Another option is to cut the roots a little when transplanting. This will slow down development inside the container, but will not harm the plant.
Step-by-step instructions for creating a florarium with your own hands, simulating a desert with succulents
Plant selection
When choosing plants for one composition, you must follow the rules.
- We must focus on ensuring that succulents have the same requirements for soil, watering, and sun. Then the composition will be easy to take care of, and it will delight the eye for a long time.
- If the growing zone of the selected plants is approximately the same or their habitats are in the same climatic conditions, then their neighborhood in the composition will be successful.
- When choosing components, you need to ensure that too large specimens do not take food and moisture from small ones and do not harm their root system.
- It is not recommended to add a lot of mosses to the composition, since they have the property of retaining a large amount of moisture on the surface, which can damage the succulents. You can add very little moss for decorative purposes.
- You can use such succulents as sedum, rejuvenated, cotyledon, graptopetalum, argyroderma, aptenia.
Stylish gardens
When creating a composition, a design style is pre-selected. There are many such styles. For a harmonious perception of a garden in a pot, you need to clearly adhere to a certain style orientation.
English finesse
A miniature garden in the English style suggests proximity to the natural landscape with hills and ponds. From a house or a castle entwined with plants, there are paths made of stones. Mandatory elements are garden benches made of wood, arches, fountains. All this can be made by hand using planks, wire, polymer clay.
Japanese spirituality
The composition in the Japanese style is characterized by an asymmetrical arrangement of individual elements - a house, a gazebo, a tall tree. Plants, large stones and water are the philosophical basis of the Japanese garden. The use of mosses would be appropriate. Wooden bridges, gazebos, lanterns and houses with flat roofs, picket fences, fences are easy to make from available tools - planks, toothpicks. Restrained colors of plants and decor are welcome.
Rustic country style
Simple things for decor are required here. Preference is given to rough wooden benches, wells, clay dishes, wheelbarrows, watering cans, stairs, wicker baskets - all the attributes of a discreet rural life.Figures of domestic animals - horses, goats, chickens, geese will complement the picture.
French charm
The alley in the center of the composition with green lawns and parterres of plants is distinguished by the French style. Graceful garden benches, arches, sculptures and a fountain add sophistication. They can be handmade. A table with tea accessories under the crowns of plants will bring home comfort and lightness.
Shabby Chic - Aged Beauty
Attractive style with white objects, deliberately aged, forms an unusual space in the pot. Among the plants are light benches, small architectural forms, frayed arches, a house of the same type, a round table with a lace tablecloth. Here's what you need to decorate.
Taste of the Wild West
This is where cacti and succulents come in. Recreating the Wild West in a pot is a tempting idea. It's easy to make it happen. We need a wooden house, a stable, a picket fence, benches. Everything is made from planks, twigs, toothpicks. Clay dishes and figurines of horses, harness.
Care Tips
Caring for the florarium will not cause problems even for novice gardeners:
- regularly spraying the leaves with clean water;
- watering plants depending on their needs;
Regular watering is extremely important for florarium residents.
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- pruning old branches;
- keeping glass surfaces clean;
- removal of diseased or overgrown flowers.
A glass container is a temporary shelter for plants. Succulents in a glass vase will need a more spacious home someday
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It is worth remembering that the florarium is not a decoration for life. No matter how slowly the plants grow, one day they will become cramped in the container. In this situation, they are transplanted into regular pots or greenhouses. In the vacated glass container, you can again create new landscapes, a terrarium for flowers and other ideas, making the wildest dreams of the florist come true.
Ficus
It is beautiful: the dark shiny leaves of the ficus tree look captivating. The plant also purifies the air by removing formaldehyde from it.
Ficus does not like frequent changes of location, so handle it carefully: it is worth a sudden change in temperature or lighting, and its leaves may crumble
How to care. Place the ficus tree in a well-lit area. The more sun it receives, the faster it will grow and the richer its color will become. Wipe the ficus leaves with a very soft cloth or sponge dampened with warm water to keep the shine. Do not spray the plant. Once the tree reaches the desired height, trim the top off.
Remove unwanted branches to give the plant a rounded shape.
How to arrange. Ficus looks great on its own: in an ordinary terracotta pot on the windowsill or with a lot of white and wood. Pair it with palm trees, sansevieria and vibrant calathea. Add textiles with ethnic patterns (carpets, pillows, leather poufs), books - and you have a cozy and stylish reading corner.
Glossy rubber tree leaves shine almost as brightly as a metal lamp
DIY hanging flowers in pots and their photos
In most cases, hanging potted flowers should be placed at eye level or higher in order for their beauty to be appreciated. The pots can be placed on a stand or on a high shelf. But if you want to create a composition that will decorate the upper part of the room, use hanging baskets. Typically, baskets are hung in front of a window and on a long, bare wall where a bracket is used to hold the container. There are two types of hanging baskets. You can make your own hanging flowers in the form of standard waterproof containers hanging from a chain or wire, but plastic baskets with a built-in pallet are the best option.
Ceiling or wall mounting must be secure. Use plants that grow in a soilless substrate and surround the pots with moist compost.Hanging baskets should not be left unattended - the air under the ceiling is warmer than elsewhere, so more frequent watering may be necessary. It is better to install a mechanism for lowering and raising the basket, but you can also use a pump shower head.
Don't limit your choices to common ampelous plants such as ivy and dwarf ficus - include cascading flowering species such as fuchsias, bells, and lobelia.
Pot-e-Fleur is a square or round vessel in which a small number of decorative leafy houseplants are grown in potting compost. Its unique feature is that in front of the tallest plant and between medium-sized plants, a deep glass or metal cylinder is inserted into the compost. Then it is filled with water and a small flower arrangement is placed in it. In this way, flowers from a garden or flower shop can be used to create an ever-changing and colorful composition.
It can be considered that Pot-e-Fleur is a composition of indoor plants with several seasonal flowers that add a touch of brightness to it.
The following are various pendant flowers in pots in the photo, illustrating the decor variations:
