The inclusion of indoor miniature gardens is a creative way of bringing the rustic nature into your house. With the limitations of space, you can choose dwarf plant varieties to harness your living room with tropical landscapes that suit your style. The following plants will bring natural beauty in your indoor environment.
Bonsai Trees
Bonsai is the technique of growing a mature tree in a small container to limit its growth and create a small old tree. These trees can be grown in ceramic containers where the addition of rocks will contribute to the natural scenery and patina (aging with grace). Shallow ceramic pots are strong enough to resist root damage and also come in a variety of colours that complement your bonsai's unequalled beauty. Cedar and Cypress trees are some of the most preferred bonsai candidates due to their rugged bark and rustic branches.
Bamboo (Bambusa Vulgaris)
Bamboos are a great addition to your living room where you may want to create green walls, swaying shadows and peaceful havens of contemplation. Growing a potted bamboo can be an exciting experience. You can customise the size of your bamboo, depending on the available space by varying the depth and width of the pot. Inadequate space, however, is not an excuse to avoid the bamboo. The dwarf bamboo, Pleioblastus distichus, can grow in a small container in your window sill since the mature height will not exceed 15 cm.
Sago Palm (Cycad)
Cycads are miniature palms that can bring the coastal experience into your living room. Although they are not true palms, their fronds resemble the royal palm (Delonix Regia). Both the sago palm and the royal palm create beautiful annual rings around the stem by growing a new set of leaves every year. Adding white gravel to the container will complement the dark and rugged stem of a sago palm. If you do not have adequate light and space for the fronds, you may opt for Cycas Revoluta that can thrive on bonsai technology. This variety has no spines and is therefore suited to your indoor environment.
Nutrition
Container grown cycads do well in well-drained loamy soils or other planting media, such as vermiculite or shredded bark. Cycads are heavy feeders and require occasional NPK fertilizer application. Consult your local plant supplier, like Silverdale Sand & Soil Pty Ltd, for more information.
Water
Although they can withstand extended seasons of drought, indoor cycads will require constant applications of water. Ensure that your containers drain the excess water properly since the damp conditions can kill your plant.
