Better together: Plants that are happier in a group
I fully understand the visual impact of a giant, luscious monstera in the corner of the room, standing out dramatically amidst the furniture; but I am a fan of having several plants together, in small groups to create a greenery, an almost jungle-like feel to the space.
I
fully understand the visual impact of a giant delicious monstera located in the corner of the living room, standing out dramatically in the middle of the furniture; but I am in favor of having several plants together, in small groups that allow to create a greener environment, an almost jungle touch to the space. Not only is this an aesthetic choice, but it greatly benefits the plants. Plants tend to be happiest in groups and I'll explain why and which ones they should be together.
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no plant grows successfully in its natural habitat when it is isolated and in complete solitude, but they group according to their requirements and manage to establish very interesting symbiotic relationships. For example, there are rainforest plants that do not tolerate direct sunlight, so they grow at the foot of tall trees that act as natural filters. There are others, such as the blue star fern, that are epiphytic and cling to trees in order to get plenty of moisture without risking their delicate roots becoming waterlogged and rotting.
Planting or having plants of different species together is nothing new. In fact, in North America, the "3 Sisters" method was used, which consisted of plants corn, beans, and squash together. The corn offers its stalks for the beans to climb, which in turn provide nitrogen to the soil, which benefits all 3 plants. The squash, believing itself to be a creeper, protects the soil and keeps it moist, preventing the growth of weeds.
Grouping plants with similar moisture requirements allows you to create mini-biomes, small environmental bubbles that help create and maintain the appropriate levels that guarantee the survival of the plants, which will also alleviate the workload and responsibility of the person in charge of caring for, watering and maintaining them.
Keeping plants together will not only be a wonderful stylistic decision for your spaces, but it will also save you time when watering and maintaining your miniature forest. If you put plants together that have similar care, you will be able to establish watering patterns so you can take care of all of them at the same time, without having to go through the substrate of all of them or having to remember which day you watered this one and if it is the turn of the other. By keeping your plants together, everyone will be happy, including you.
How to group plants?
Before you rush to create fun compositions with your plants, playing with height and size, it is important that you know that plants should be grouped according to certain criteria, which will allow you to benefit from the company of others.
- Lighting: Consider the space where you want to place the plants. Does it get direct sunlight because it's near a window? Or on the contrary, is it oriented in such a way that not much light reaches it?, as the case may be, you should consider a group of plants whose light requirement suits this situation.
- Humidity: Tropical plants such as calatheas, alocasias, and maranthas need high levels of humidity, so you could create a nice composition with these plants in a space where they receive filtered light. Avoid placing them with succulents and cacti, which prefer lower humidity levels.
- Watering Frequency: I love putting plants that have similar watering requirements together, as it allows me to take care of them at the same time, without having to go through the substrate and try to remember when was the last time I watered them. If you always forget to water, you can try a cute trio of immortal cactus.
- Particular characteristics: I love plants that serve an extra function, as well as being ornamental. For this reason, I never lack aromatic plants and purifying plants, which are responsible for offering me natural alternatives to season my meals and eliminate harmful substances from the environment.
- Toxicity: There are plants that are not suitable for pets and children, so those can go in places that are difficult to access to avoid accidents. You can put the safest ones in more visible places, such as a group of magnificent ferns.
- Appearance: Once you've chosen the location, watering frequency, and lighting needs of your plants, you can start creating compositions by playing with colors, heights, and foliage. You can try putting tall and short plants together, playing with symmetry, taking advantage of some plants with similar characteristics. The golden rule of interior design when putting plants and objects together is to do it in odd numbers, as it offers a sense of harmony.
If you don't have much idea about plants, haven't acquired your small collection yet, or want to expand your plant inventory, you can take advantage of a shortcut: the Be Green trios, which have been thought of as a group that share all the characteristics mentioned above. For example, the summer trio of plants are wonderfully resistant to the heat, but will remain perfect all year round; while the trio of Purifiers will be your little cleaning army that will remove toxic particles from the environment.
Accompany your group of plants with some matching decorative pots or furniture to give them height and dynamism, you will have a very powerful decorative tool to give dimension and color to the space, while improving the quality of the air you breathe. Remember: together is always better.