I can hardly "container" myself

As an avid planter, I am always looking for the new, the exciting, and the intriguing. I love to surround myself with hearty plants of different colour combinations and species to liven up my living spaces. A well planted and easy to maintain container plant can be just the thing to add that extra little bit of your personality to your bedroom or desktop at work. Container planting is a great way to start out your horticultural experimentation process. You can choose large scale planters to line walkways or surround pools and patios, or something delicate and small as an accent in a well lit bathroom perhaps. Containers give you the ability to rearrange and move plants around freely and tend to save you money on potting media versus filling a complete garden with fresh soil and having to settle on one location for your beauties. Furthermore as your plants grow you can easily replant and cultivate your little joys for as long as you like!

But what to plant? With so many species it can make it quite hard to decide on what to plant and enjoy for the months to come. First thing first, assess the area you want to have your planter. Is it drafty? Is it in full sunlight almost all day or heavily shaded by trees and buildings? Do you want to plant indoors or outdoors? Plants need certain amounts of daily sunlight to grow depending on which ones you choose as well as fresh air and a certain watering regime. If you choose to plant multiple different species in the same planter be sure they all need like environments and there is enough room in the container for all the root systems and budget some space for root growth too.

Be aware of what potting material is best for the plants you choose as well. Some will flourish with highly fertilized soil. Others would be best suited for soil mixed with peat, small gravel, or well draining rocks like perilite. Whereas delicate roots like that of an orchid would probably prefer a high ratio of dried sphagum moss as it releases moisture slowly over time after you initially soak it and water it over time. Do your research; find out where the plants you would like to have originally come from. Tropical plants in mild to cold climates can be a bother to maintain and may require things like heating pads or lamps for additional light to ensure proper growth, inversely delicate plants that originate from cooler climates may damage easily in direct hot sunlight.

After you have a good idea of where you want your plants and the time and money you want to invest into your project you should be ready to pick some plants! I’ll point out a few of my favourites that I have had the joy of rearing over the years from varying levels of difficulty.

Some great beginner greenery would have to be succulents. This category of plants is designed to withstand drought by storing water in the thick fleshy specialized leaves or stems these plants have. They can flourish in a mixture of small gravel layered atop soil, where fertilization is minimally needed. 

Cacti and various species of aloe would fall into this category of plants where some can flower beautifully or grow interesting shapes and rich colours or patterns. These little guys can  deal with you forgetting to water them for a few days and direct sunlight isn’t going to ruin leaves or hurt them, in fact they love full sun. They can also be planted alone as a focus piece (if large enough), in a simple glass vase, or a terrarium of any size married together with a collection of their friends. Terrariums can be found in various shapes, sizes, and new styles are constantly being created. UK design company The Urban Botanist, with a Vancouver base as well, has created some amazing glass enclosures for succulents and air plants alike with an eye for stylish shapes and applications from sleek hanging teardrops to tabletop terrariums with angular glass and subtle metal accents.

If you are looking for a little more of a challenge what you might want to start planting is herbs. Herb gardens can add a nice touch of colour to a windowsill and if food safe fertilizer or no fertilizer at all is used you can grab some fresh herbs the next time you want to bake fresh ciabatta bread or add to your favourite pasta sauce. Basil, thyme, rosemary, and oregano are used in all sorts of cuisine and create an enchanting aroma from wherever they lie. 

These plants will need more attention to watering timing and amount. When checking to see if your herbs are thirsty place a finger tip a half inch under the top of the soil and see if it is spongy and moist, if not you may need to add more water to your babies. Depending on the desired effect you want from your herb planter add Thai basil which can grow with a deep purple hue from the edges, globe basil will have a rounder edge and a lighter colouring, and holy basil with its flat leaves and vibrant medium green colour. Most herbs can be grown indoors or outside depending on the season and general climate of where you live, but choosing hearty varieties like rosemary easily grow outside once the roots have established.

Now for those of us that choose to be more adventurous orchids could be the way to go. The most popular generally are the phalaenopsis orchids with their rounded elegant petals and the huge variety in colours you can now choose from. Orchids typically tend to be a little more finicky being tropical in nature. Warmer climates and part shade lighting are typical for these types of plants so attempting to recreate that in your home helps tremendously. Orchids tend to grow in the wild clinging to tree limbs and shooting out aerial roots for stability so potting them with generous amounts of moss with some presoaked fir bark, a touch of lava rock or perilite for drainage, and possibly some tree fern or osmunda would be preferred. 

With such an elegant flowering plant you would want to use a pot in a simple solid colour to compliment or contrast that of the flowers themselves and chic glazed clay pots in glossy black or white leave quite a stunning impact. One of the most unique ways to plant orchids I recently found out about is upside down! Design company Boskke has created the award winning Air Planter, an indoor planter with a built-in water reservoir that doles out just the right amount of water to your plants while they hang suspended from your ceiling. These chic looking pots come in various colours, sizes, and materials all with the necessary gear to hang them from a sturdy portion of your ceiling. Place one in a corner above your armchair in your reading nook or litter the most underused space in your house with a veritable forest of different foliage!

Now it’s time for you to get your hands dirty. Choose your location, research your plants, and get to potting your absolute favourite species all throughout your home!

Wood You be My Friend?

Wood is a naturally beautiful and versatile material reaching much popularity in the sixties with height intensifying vertical slats cladding stunning structures, but through the seventies and eighties wood paneling took a turn for the worst covering ninety percent of rec rooms in America and sullying the name of this fine finisher. Now modern designers have been reclaiming this adaptable home ingredient for many a purpose. We are seeing feature walls in every tone and texture, clean stained woods as accent tables in the dining and living rooms, and even reclaimed woods for bathroom counters, floating shelves in modern libraries, and entertainment units in trendy contemporary multipurpose family rooms. Fashion designers (like Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, and Manolo Blahnik) have also taken the reigns creating arms for glasses, belt buckles, and using cork and hardwoods for the fabrication of soles and heels for high end shoes!




When looking at the concepts of interior design pertaining to wood the options are limitless. If you are interested in small upgrades to your personal spaces like bedrooms and baths simple wooden adornments can add wonderful natural soft charm. Look for modern lamp shades surrounding pendant lights to create focal points in your grander rooms and sconces with interesting curvature to add depth and height in more petite rooms.


Marc Canut, acclaimed Spanish designer, has been working magic all around the world with his fresh and airy take on modern design. Sometimes bathing entire rooms floor to ceiling in various wood grains adding intrigue with small white lacquer accessories and minimalist metal details, leaving room for strong graphics in wall hangings utilizing splashes of colour in a very refined manner. Inversely adding but one wooden feature to a stark white room, layering subtle variance in surface materials from marble to painted woods, powder finished metals and fine man made polymers in perfect balance throw the eye to the natural grains and slight differences in the organic woods used.




When choosing woods for your personal delights make sure to take into account the sizes and shapes of your raw space. Certain grains or tones add depth to a shallow room. Lining a feature wall vertically with elegant pines and beech woods in softer stains can add height and grandeur to kitchens and living spaces with ease.











Cherry and oak woods that show knots and imperfections are exceptional to incorporate into desks, end tables, bar tables, and night stands finished with contemporary lighting options or a classically styled mirror to ground these parts where they lie and to tie them into the room as a whole. Remember as well a delicate glass top table flanked by lush sofas can simply be elevated by a stunning formed wooden armchair as the prime focus to attract the eye.

Don’t settle. Look for high quality manufacturers and suppliers and find the pieces that speak to you. Nowadays you can find applications of some pretty unique colours and finishes. Mango, iron, purple heart, cocobolo, zebra, and bamboo woods are available in many different ways to use as structural, design, and focal pieces throughout your home. Use your favourite wood accents to create allure, add elegance, and communicate your personal style through this captivating element.