Estate Living Digital Publication Issue 3 March 2015 | Page 46

46

Greenhouse Effect
People have an affinity for nature, even
in the home. Indoor gardens work
extremely well in winter, when the
outside looks a little dull and dreary and
the harsh cold weather means that
almost nothing is able to grow outdoors.
However, there is no reason one cannot
enjoy nature’s beauty in the summer
months too, especially as sunshine is
in abundance. Inviting nature indoors
can help cultivate a quaint alfrescoinspired escape for the house and office.
Strategically placing a few succulents,
pot plants and flower arrangements
around your living area is a great way to
start creating a fresh and unforced look.
Using an assortment of coloured pots in
a range of sizes produces vivid colour and
the varied arrangement is wonderfully
effective, especially when dressing up
a plain wall. For added depth, consider
placing hanging plants at different heights
and including tall imposing plants to
create a wild and instant jungle feel.
For those wanting a little more, there’s
an array of alternatives to traditional
pot plants. Living wall planters, for
example, are innovative wall art pieces
that are increasingly used in trendy
modern homes and stylish offices.
Providing eco-friendly and a constantly
changing spectacle, these planters add a
contemporary vertical dimension to the
surroundings.
Food for Thought
Just because you don’t live on a farm
doesn’t mean you cannot turn your
fingertips a little green. Today, organic
produce has become one of the fastest

growing food trends of the last decade,
with more and more consumers
considering healthier food options.
Growing your own fruit and vegetables is
a cost effective way to introduce fresh and
healthy foods into your daily diet as well
as doing your bit for the environment.
Although the ‘grow your own craze’
peaked a number of years ago, the trend
remains very much in vogue and is the
most convenient way to get garden-fresh
ingredients throughout the year.

modern terrariums making a big
imprint in the modern day home decor
marketplace. A micro ecosystem alive
with sand, stone, moss and whatever
splash of tranquillity suits your mood,
or the feel and tone of the surrounding
area; this is oasis of calm, clean naturally
inducing elements. From shells and
marbletostunningmosaicsandceramics,
this mini garden makes a captivating
feature in the home or an eye-catching
desk companion in the office.

For those who are new to indoor
vegetation, the trick is to start small –
perhaps decorate the kitchen windowsill
or worktop surface with simple herb
plants like basil, coriander, thyme and
parsley. For more seasoned gardeners,
the possibilities are quite literally endless.
From carrots, peas and green beans to
mushrooms, radishes, tomatoes and
peppers; choose to grow them from
seeds in containers placed under a decent
amount of sunlight or purchase small
plants from a local nursery. As a general
rule, windows that face south and west
are best and they usually receive enough
light to grow leaf and root vegetables.

Today, a blend of different materials and
an overwhelming number of creative
design work, combined with the fact
that plant life is proven to considerably
improve the quality of the surrounding
air, makes terrariums a must have
home décor accessory. From discarded
wine bottles with tropical vegetation to
beautifully blown glass in unique shapes,
glass has been the standard material, but
designers have recently experimented
with metal and wooden accented
terrariums with edgy geometric artwork
for added interest.

Terrariums should be planted in open or
sealed containers depending on the kind
If you have small kids, use your indoor of plants. Succulents worship humidity,
vegetable patch to reap the benefits of so work well in closed vessels, while sunhands-on, interdisciplinary horticulture loving species thrive in open containers.
Whilst plenty of natural light is imperative,
lessons year round.
it is important not to cook your plants.
Keep them away from fires, ovens and
Terrific Terrariums
Invented by Nathaniel Ward, an English heaters and avoid getting sprinkler happy
physician and botanist, old-fashioned – it will only waterlog the roots. Less
terrariums, encompassing ordinary and water is needed in a closed environment,
somewhat boring clear containers and as the condensation from the leaves is
clumsy arrangements, have undergone re-absorbed by the roots, which helps to
a much needed revival, with several keep plants hydrated.