Whether you're an experienced plant parent or just starting out, plants are a wonderful addition to your home. Aside from adding a natural touch to your décor, they have many health benefits like reducing stress levels and purifying the air.
When used well, potted plants can elevate your interior, adding pops of colour and warmth, Therefore, it’s important to consider your choice of pot just as much as the plant itself.
How to Choose Plants
To make the biggest impact, you’ll want to select plants that complement your space. Choose plants that you find intriguing, with fun leaf shapes and pleasing patterns. We recommend a variety of size and shape plants and pots for dynamic contrast.
Whatever plant you choose, make sure you have plenty of room for it to flourish. Avoid potting plants in ill-fitting containers. In cramped conditions, they won’t be able to absorb all the nutrients they need and will most likely die so choose plant pots that are an appropriate size for your plant. The roots should fit nicely inside with plenty of room to expand both outwards and downwards.
How to Choose Pots
Your pots are an important consideration as these can completely make or break your interior design; choose pots that complement your existing style. The easiest way to do this is to match them to accents in your space – ironmongery is a great place to start. Using pots in the same finish as your door handles or cabinet knobs ties the room together with a cohesive feel.
Our Flora collection is available in our classic Period finishes, including Smooth Copper, Nickel and Brass, as well as Polished and Satin Marine Stainless Steel. These luxurious metals work well with muted tones and bold shades alike as their high-sheen qualities reflect glimpses of colour and bounce them back into the room.
A metal base is not only beautiful, but also incredibly practical. Unlike ceramic pots, our solid brass, bronze, and stainless-steel finishes don't crack or chip or fade over time. The weightiness of the metal also prevents them falling over due to wind, rain, or stray footballs. Our Newlyn and Hepworth styles are available in Polished and Marine Stainless Steel, which makes them ideal for external use.
Above left: our Satin Stainless Steel Newlyn plant pot, Above right: our Smooth Copper Flora vase.
How to Plant Plants in Pots
Flowerpots are useful for bringing plants indoors. But they can also be an outdoor alternative to in-ground planting. If you have limited ground space, poor soil, or cold-sensitive plants, then potting is the right choice for you.
- Determine what your plant needs. Key things to consider are water, light and temperature requirements. Using this info, decide whether this is a houseplant or garden plant (or a mixture of both).
- Prepare your plant pot. Give your plant some growing room by choosing a deep pot that allows roots to expand downwards while leaving plenty of room for water drainage. Our Flora styles are a perfect example; they have a long, narrow base with a decorative petal-inspired trim. Choose one of our standard plant pots for indoor use or opt for one with a drainage hole if using outdoors. Line the base of the pot with medium sized rocks followed by a thin layer of gravel or similar substrate. This creates a drainage system that protects the plant against overwatering. Excess water filters through the rocks instead of drowning the roots.
- Add your soil and pot your plant! Most plants will grow well in a quality all-purpose pear-free compost, but some species will need a specialist soil mixture – always check your plants requirements first. Loosely fill your pot about ¾ of the way, then dig a hole in the soil large enough for the plant. Place your plant in the hole and add more soil on top, ensuring the roots are fully covered. Once potted, give your plant a thorough water.
- Place your plant. Place light-loving plants by South-facing windows, and shadier plants towards the centre of the room. Keep temperature consistent, with plants located away from draughts and radiators. You may need to move plants around depending on the weather, such as garden plants which can be left outside during the summer and moved indoors during the winter.
Above: our Satin and Polished Marine Stainless Steel Hepworth pots.
6 Ways to Use Potted Plants in Your Home
We’ve come up with 6 of our favourite ways to use potted plants inside and outside your home!
- On the dining room table. There’s no better way to make a house a home than with a flowery centrepiece. Unlike cut bouquets which wilt with time, a potted plant will look fresh and lively for years to come. It also gives you a chance to showcase your favourite plant pot. For a sense of elegance, why not coordinate your pots with your ironmongery? For example, if you have Polished Brass door handles, choose a Polished Brass plant pot. This will tie different parts of your space together to give a sense of cohesion. Or you could choose to contrast your ironmongery. With Matt Black cabinet hardware, opt for shiny Copper pots for a bold juxtaposition. Try pairing a Matt Black Hammered Newbury handle with a Smooth Nickel Flora pot. The textural differences between the two will distinguish each as a unique focal point.
- In the bathroom. Some plant species purify the air and the humid and steamy environment keeps plants hydrated all year round. If you decide to keep plants in your bathroom, make sure you choose plant pots that are suitable for damp conditions. Marine 316 Stainless Steel is our favourite pick. Its strong anti-corrosive properties make it extremely hard-wearing and resistant to oxidisation. These qualities also make it suited to external use, even in coastal locations. The sleek shape of our Hepworth design looks fantastic in our Satin SS finish. Its gentle curves are well suited to contemporary settings.
Above: a stylish bathroom featuring our Satin Marine Stainless Steel Newlyn pot with matching Hammered Nickel Oval sink and Polished Nickel Mushroom cabinet knob.
- On the floor. For big plants or small trees, you’ll need a tall vessel like our large Flora plant pot. On the floor, these pots help fill out empty spaces to create an inviting atmosphere. They can also act as natural dividers, breaking a room into subtle segments. One pot is a statement in minimalist interiors, while a small cluster gives a dynamic focal point in more contemporary properties.
- At the desk. Whether you work from home or in the office, a potted plant is a terrific way to liven up your space. Our smallest Newlyn pots are an ideal size for this. In Polished Marine SS, their reflective qualities make them an attractive focal point, even when your plant's not in bloom.
- In the garden. For seasonal plants that are sensitive to the cold, planting in a pot is much safer than planting in the ground. Let your potted plants flourish outdoors in the summer and bring them inside during the cold, winter months. It’s important to think carefully about your pot choices, as the wrong one can be detrimental to your plants. You’ll want to pick something heavy that won’t topple over in the wind, so avoid plastic or light wooden planters. Marine Stainless Steel is a great alternative. They’re both weighty and durable, with an immaculate finish that won’t deteriorate when left out in the elements.
- By the front door. First impressions count, so ensure the outside of your home looks as beautiful as the inside. An identical potted plant on either side of the door creates a strong sense of symmetry. This is pleasing to the eye and a great way to make your home stand out from the crowd. Our largest Flora pots are a clear example of this. And in our Marine SS finishes they can withstand all external conditions - even in coastal areas!
Above: our Polished Stainless Steel Flora plant pot.
Can’t Keep Plants Alive? Opt for Artificial!
Not everyone's destined to be a gardener, and that’s okay! Even if you don’t have green fingers, you can still make your home beautiful with some artificial plants. Try to opt for realistic pieces that will add to the value of your home.
One of our favourite tips is to use dried flowers and foliage. These look just as effective as live plants but don’t need any care or maintenance. We love how they sit in our Newlyn pots. The minimalist design complements the flowers without overpowering them.
Discover our full plant pot offering here!
Or learn more about the inspiration behind our designs in our Story of Flora blog post.
Email: info@fromtheanvil.co.uk
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