Make sure you choose “friendly” plants, such as those with wide, rounded leaves or those having a soft, graceful appearance. Among many others are: schefflera, philodendron, pothos, jade, croton, Chinese evergreen, peace lily, ficus, ivy, and most dracaenas, ferns and palms. Blooming plants are also an excellent alternative to fresh flowers. These include begonias, gloxinias, chrysanthemum, violets, Gerbera daisies and cyclamen.
Avoid “unfriendly” plants with a sharp or spiky appearance, or place them in a location away from people.
Plants have a myriad of uses: They
soften the hard angles and sharp corners found in furnishing and architecture, like
this artificial pothos hiding and softening the sharp corners of this armoire.
They also fill in unusable spaces. This large ficus is in the shape of a heart in the relationship corner of a bedroom.
Plants can be made a part of a 5 element display bringing in the wood element or other elements depending on the color of their flowers. This beautiful orchid works to embrace the couple in the picture with its “pair” of stems, and evokes the earth and fire elements in the red and yellow colors, as well as wood from the plant itself and metal in the vase.
Consider using silk plants in
dark, high or untended areas, but ensure that they are kept clean and look vibrantly
alive. Place your plants in beautiful
containers, making their “homes” pleasing to the eye. When a plant becomes
diseased, infested or unsightly, it’s best to “give it back to God” and replace
it.
