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4 Genius Ways to Use Houseplants in Your Outdoor Garden

Use Houseplants in Your Outdoor Garden



Houseplants have a way of adding life, vitality and serenity to our interiors. But during the warmer seasons, there's no rule that our favorite houseplants can't join us in the great outdoors. I adore the lush tropical look my houseplants add to my Virginia patio and garden in the summer - they're so versatile and vigorous, it inspired me to write a book to help others use their favorite houseplants in the same way. How to love them!. Here are four easy ways to use your indoor plants to decorate your garden and outdoor planters. Plus, find tips for successfully growing your houseplants outside and bringing them back inside.


1. Anchor seating areas with large houseplants



A hard-working shefflera or ficus sitting in the corner of the room? These and large architectural houseplants such as Strelitzia, Monstera, Dracaena and many palm species are equally attractive on decks, balconies and patios. They effortlessly complement your seating or dining areas, creating a sense of enclosure and privacy. For even more atmosphere, I like to put copper wire LED string lights on timers across the branches of indoor trees and large houseplants.


2. Add excitement to garden beds



Houseplants are an easy way to take predictable garden beds to a whole new level. For example, in my fern-filled shade garden, I've added an element of the unexpected with snake plants, bromeliad species, and some strong, spiky houseplants like dracaena. You can plant your houseplants directly into the ground for the season (once the soil temperature warms). However, you can save yourself a little work and save your plant some stress if you don't. Instead, give a houseplant an annual repot early in the season, then submerge its entire pot in the garden you want to use.


If neighboring garden plants obscure the edges, nest the pot in a shallow hole instead of burying it completely. Be sure to water your houseplant along with your other container plants during the season. When it's time to bring your houseplants back indoors, lift the entire pot off the ground. Clean the outside of the container and trim any long roots, then repot the plant in your home.


3. Spotlight colorful leaves in creative combos



Houseplants with beautiful leaf patterns and colors can be fun to mix and match in a pot. I especially like incorporating my smaller plants into an outdoor garden with similar growing needs so they don't dry out as quickly. For example, this wide but shallow garden features a mix of dieffenbachia, pothos, trailing philodendron, and hot-pink-tinged aclonema.


Choose houseplants with similar watering and light needs to create your own combos. Also, follow the tried and true container garden mantra of 'Thriller, Filler, Spiller' for an arrangement that is greater than the sum of its parts. This means a tall focal plant, a shorter plant or two to fill in around it, and then a few trailing plants to spread out to the sides.


Ceramic glazed pots or self-watering synthetic containers work well for collections like this to retain moisture and add a strong color accent to your favorite houseplants. Chances are, you'll love the mix so much you'll bring your container garden indoors to brighten up winter days.


4. Create a strong focal point in the containers


Container gardens are more dynamic when anchored around a tall, upright plant (your tiller). If you're not impressed with the usual fare of vertical accents available at your local nursery, why not try one of your favorite medium-sized houseplants? Bromeliads, snake plants, and dracaena are my favorite choices because they provide unmatched structure and can set well with typical container garden plants like verbena, callibrachoa, impatiens, and carex. Additionally, these plants handle repotting well at the end of the season and tolerate full sun.


Tips for moving indoor plants outside


Most houseplants s thrive in bright light and increased air movement available outdoors during the growing season. With regular watering and occasional fertilizing, your plants will stay fresh and lush in the fall. However, it is best to slowly transition any indoor plant to outdoor conditions. Start moving your houseplants outside if nighttime temperatures reliably stay above 50°F. Use shady spots to keep your houseplants adapted to high light conditions. Adjust your feeding and watering habits as you would any other container plants you keep outdoors.

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