How Does Your Garden Grow?

By Milena Damjanov
September 29, 2011

As the leaves begin to turn, it's time for those of us with green thumbs to point them indoors—to plants that can thrive without warm sunlight, fresh and air tons of dirt for deep roots. To help you figure out which plants thrive inside with minimal fuss—and look good while doing so—we asked two chic shops with plenty of garden expertise to point us in the right direction: Sprout Home and Jayson Home and Garden.

With locations in Chicago and Brooklyn, Sprout Home specializes in modern tools for the urban gardener. Mod hanging planters and bright bistro chairs, funky watering cans and all sorts of succulents abound (along with plenty of expert advice) in these sleek industrial spaces. Also in the Windy City, Jayson Home is a legendary modern-classic furniture store with an adjacent, self-described "urban oasis" of gorgeous greenery and the clever containers to put it in.

Here are these two shops' suggestions for kicking off indoor gardening season with aplomb.

Kentia Palm

Kentia palm (image courtesy Sprout Home)

This traditional, dark green palm tree can handle low light, says Sprout Home’s Design Manager Erin Lebens, so you can place it in a spot with eastern exposure. Because it prefers humidity to what Lebens calls “wet feet,” you should invest in a spray bottle with a fine mist setting. She says it’s also wise to keep a pocket pruner handy.

Snake Plant

Kentia palm (image courtesy Jayson Home & Garden)

A modern-looking houseplant, this incredibly versatile species will grow in both high and low light. “You can just ignore them,” insists Heather Kubista, Floral Manager at Jayson Home, who recommends watering your snake plants just once a month and displaying them in a simple ceramic pot like the one shown here. Sprout Home’s Lebens is also a big fan of snake plants and suggests grouping three smaller sizes in one chic metallic rectangle planter.

ZZ Plant

ZZ plant (image courtesy Jayson Home & Garden)

This small, green plant with interesting foliage stands out for the fact that it requires very little water and grows in locations that get “absolutely no light,” says Kubista. At Jayson Home, glazed, ceramic pots like this red container below are frequent choices for houseplants such as these. Find a corner of the house with northern light (or no light at all!) sit back, and watch your ZZ plant grow.

Pothos Plant

Kentia palm (image courtesy Sprout Home)

“Pothos should be on the top of your list of houseplants to add to an empty or difficult space,” says Lebens. The advantage of this vine is that you can take cuttings and place them anywhere you need signs of life. Because they are frequently associated with drab spots like the tops of kitchen cabinets, Lebens suggests thinking outside the box and hanging them in containers like these or even pocket wall planters.

Cut Succulents

Cut succulents (image courtesy Jayson Home & Garden)

Kubista is a big proponent of these uniquely-shaped green and gray plants because once cut “you can literally put them wherever you want.” They don’t require dirt, which means they can accessorize any part of the home, including shelves and tables. These cut succulents also have a dramatic side when grouped; Jayson Home sells an arrangement of them in an eye-catching gold ceramic planter. Their one drawback? Once cut, they only live a couple of months.

Dwarf Pomegranates

Dwarf pomegranates make great indoor plants, provided there’s enough humidity to keep the tiny leaves from drying out, says Lebens. Smaller ones are ideal for terrariums. Trim the long branches so that your tree fits into your container of choice. Once it’s planted, make sure to find a sunny spot for its home and keep the soil moist and spongy.

Air Plants

Air plant (image courtesy Sprout Home)

“These little guys are a great way to decorate you home in green all year round,” says Lebens. Air plants love humidity and absorb all the water they need through their leaves. She recommends keeping your air plants in filtered light and completely submerging them in water once every four days for 30 minutes. Display them in stylish hanging glass bubbles like this one from Sprout Home, or pair them with your planted terrariums, where they will benefit from their proximity to other plants.