If you are anything like me, the struggle to keep a plant alive is real. I have killed almost every type of indoor plant and tree I have ever owned (except one, there is one plant I can keep alive, ok maybe two). But besides that one plant, if I have any hope of keeping any greenery in my home, it needs to be fake. I love bringing the outside in, I love having pops of fresh green in my home and I love the feeling that living plants bring into my home. But since those fresh pops of green quickly fade to brown around here, I am sharing what I do to bring the outdoors inside and how to decorate with natural elements even if you can’t keep a plant alive.
You can learn more about how I created this Gold Color Blocked Cement Planter, here.
How To Decorate With Natural Elements
Real plants
If you really want a real plant in your home, choose carefully. Don’t choose a temperamental tree or plant, choose something hardy and easy to care for. Do your research first. I have a black thumb but have managed to keep Peace Lily’s alive on multiple occasions. They are really easy to keep alive, believe me, I know. Aloe plants or other succulents are also plants that need very little care and are easy for most people to keep alive. Air plants are another good option. Always research how to care for a plant, talk to your children about who is in charge of keeping the plant alive (I have lost several plants to overwatering because I have watered it, and both of my children decided to water it!) and ensure that your plants aren’t harmful to your animals and that they are out of reach of babies.
Fake plants
You can just go ahead and buy a couple of fake plants if you need to. I won’t judge, I have a few in my home. There are some really nice fake greenery options available now that are perfect for adding a pop of green to your space. Fake succulents also make a nice addition to homes too. So don’t be afraid to buy fake if you need to.
Flowers
Forget trying to keep a plant alive and splurge on buying a bouquet of fresh flowers occasionally! Flowers are easy to care for and are not meant to live forever, so there is no pressure or long-term commitment to try to keep a plant alive with fresh flowers. If you have a garden, you can also just bring fresh cuts of flowers inside.
Natural but non-living
Another option is to incorporate natural but no-longer-living elements into your home to bring a bit of the outside in. Twigs in a vase during the fall and winter can make a beautiful centerpiece and allow you to inexpensively bring a bit of the outdoors into your home. Acorns and pinecones also make great decorations during the fall months.
Branches
In the spring or summer, bring a few fresh cut branches into your home. Place them in a vase and enjoy them as long as they look good! This is easy and inexpensive and doesn’t require a lot of work.
The key to decorating with natural elements even if you can’t keep a plant alive is to know your limits and set realistic expectations. If you decided to buy a real plant, buy something easy to care for and then once you have success with that, you can try other plants too!
