Hey guys! I mentioned last week that I was just dying for some green in my life, I wasn’t kidding. I was desperate. Last Friday the weather warmed up enough that I could safely take a trip to the local nursery without having to worry about plants freezing on the drive home. I had a little bit of credit (part of a rewards program) at a nursery near my mom’s house, so the kids and I met up with Grammy and made a date out of it.
The greenhouse was dead and the kids got to run around like crazy happy people. It was nice for all of us to spend an hour in a warm humid, lush environment. For those of you who don’t know, a nursery in the middle of winter is the closest us Minnesotans can get to tropical weather without having to hop on a plane.
I loaded up on plants, buying a bunch of stuff in the less expensive $6 pots, plus I had a $20 credit (yayer)! I love ferns and for the most part they tend to do well in my house. I also grabbed some succulents for my sunnier window spots because I adore them and can neglect them. Instead of peppering plants throughout the house I made a collection of them in the windows of my living and dining room. I love the look of plants congregated in a window reaching out for some winter sunlight. Home feels so much better now, I think I might be able to actually survive this whole winter thing.
I love Maiden Hair ferns, and they have been so hard to find lately. There were quite a few small M.H. ferns at the nursery and I came home with two of them. I tend to accidentally kill these guys – they are super finicky and even though I dote on them constantly, I always end up going a day more than I should between watering, and then blamo, dead. It’s probably not the best relationship, I love ’em and kill ’em, but they are so lush and feathered I just can’t resist. So when I found these guys at the nursery, I bought two, cause you know I’ll be lucky if one survives.
I used to have a bunch of “Mother-in-Law’s-Tongue” plants when I was a young 20-something. I haven’t had one in at least seven years, but now I have two all of a sudden – it’s weird to have had “plant phases”. Unlike the Maiden Hair ferns these guys are super easy, they are nearly impossible to kill. In fact, I think a long time ago I probably killed one, but it didn’t look dead, so I just kept it. That’s how easy they are. Plus you can’t go wrong with the added height, it’s a win-win.
Also guys, I got a new lens for my camera! I’m super excited about it. This is my first time taking photos with it, and I’m hoping to share more with you about it in an upcoming post. I know I’m always curious to hear about what gear other people are using.
My first ever cactus, wish me luck!
How ’bout you guys, do you need a bit of green to get you through the winter? I’m not the only one, right?
Your plants look great!! I am the proud plant mama to 31 house plants. My favorites right now are the air plants I received for Christmas and a String of Banana succulent rescued from root rotting away at Home Depot (She’s very happy and healthy now.) Next up on my plant wish list are a pencil cactus and monstera split leaf Philodendron. I let myself go crazy with greenery in the winter because it really does help so much with the MN winter blues. We have a huge dining room window filled with hanging plants and a bench of smaller pots underneath. I love how they look all clustered together like a jungle. My husband is a potter and makes me lots of lovely pots to put them in…which makes me love them all even more. I think it’s funny how each plant seems to have it’s own little personality. I love your plant posts :) How’s the fiddle leaf fig doing?
Elizabeth!! Holy cow, 31? If ever I could be so lucky. I would love to have a pencil cactus someday, I was actually on the hunt for one when I went to the nursery. I got something similar, but it’s not the same thing. What are your tips on Air Plants? I just received two for my birthday but they are already dead, I don’t think it was me though. They had to make in through a car ride on a cold night and I think that’s what did them in, I am planning on replacing them though.
Also, I am jealous of your potter husband (an he’s a construction guy too, right?), I would settle for a husband who likes plants (mine does not), but a potter husband who makes me vessels for my plants sounds amazing.
I have two fiddle leaf figs, one is doing excellent, and the other is just surviving. It just stopped dropping leaves recently, so hopefully we are on the up and up, do you have one?
I love my Mother-In-Law Tongue. It sits in nearly zero light, rarely watered, and still stays alive. I love the large fern you bought! I wonder if it will shed? I need to find a good hanging plant for the bathroom I’m updating. Just found your blog via your recent feature on Design Sponge, and I’m enjoying it!
Hi Sarah! I wonder about the fern and shedding too. My mom has one, and it never seems to shed. Somehow I have a green thumb when it comes to ferns (all but the maiden hair) so hopefully it won’t end up with a lot of dried out leaves. We will see.
Glad you found me! Stop back soon.
Which greenhouse did you go to? I’m in St Paul and in the market for some new house plants!
Hey Sarah! I went to Tonkadale out in Minnetonka. I usually go to Bachman’s on Lyndale in Minneapolis, but they haven’t had a huge selection of house plants for awhile so I decided to switch it up. Hope you find some green!
I just got some new victims, uh, I mean houseplants, from Home Depot last week. Four little succulents will hopefully survive my black thumb. The only thing that’s successfully lasted longer than six months in my house is a trailing jade plant.
P.S. Love your kitchen reveal … I just posted my own kitchen remodel reveal up on my blog earlier this week too!
Hi Becky! Ha, Victims, good one. The way I see it, indoor plants only need to survive as long as it takes to get to summer time, right?
Your kitchen reveal is fantastic, I love the gray cabinets and the herbs in the window are really sweet. It’s nice to find another local home blogger, I’ll keep my eye on you.
Just wanted to say hi! Love your nickname- it makes me smile! I also found your blog through Design*Sponge- the kitchen upgrade looks uh-mazing! Look forward to hearing more about your new lens, your pictures are gorgeous. Was in your state last month my husband is from MN and we spent the holidays with his family-. Can’t convince him to move back to the artic-like winters, so in the meantime will be living them through your blog! :-)
Hey Caroline! Thank you – I’m so glad you found me. Living in a warmer climate sounds really nice right about now, I’m so jealous.
Lovely! You’re so right about the mother-in-laws tongue. I had one ages ago, then when I moved out of state my mom barely took care of it. I would visit to find it hiding in a dark corner bone dry and barely alive. My sister just adopted it so it’s in better hands now! I don’thave any green right now, hard to find something that both myself and my cat won’t eventually kill!
Hi! Can you tell me where you found your wicker “pouf” side table? Love it!
Hey Sarah, I was able to pick it up at a consignment store but you can find them on ebay or etsy too. It’s designed by Franco Albini, if you search for “Franco Albini Ottoman” you should be able to find one for sale.
I found the same Franco Albini ottoman super randomly on craigslist for $20! Affordable ones are hard to find, so keep your eyes peeled in all the usual consignment/resale places.
i bought a mother-in-law’s tongue for my chiropractor for xmas. he’s a single guy … i figured it was a foolproof plant. bigger question: what lens???
Hey Michele, good thinking on the guy gift – that plant is fool proof. It’s a Canon 17-40mm L series! My first real fancy lens, so excited to share more about it in an upcoming post.
I love “mother in law’s tongue” (here they’re called “snake plant” — couldn’t be easier to maintain. I also love maidenhair ferns, but had to give up on them. I’ve only had them live outside. Houseplants make such a huge difference, I’m always trying to find a spot with the slightest hint of indirect light to put a new one!
Hey Lexy, I’ve heard them called “Snake Plant” too, I like both names. I hate to admit it, but I have already killed one of the ferns, that didn’t take long, did it? They do make a difference, I wish they weren’t such babies though.
Hi there! I just discovered your blog today and have been kind of crazy obsessed with pinning photos and reading your posts. Your home is amazing and I’m a big fan of plants also; they really do make a wonderful difference when it is freezing cold out.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Angela @ Number Fifty-Three
Hi Angela, I’m so glad you found me! Yes, plants are seriously the best, everything is better now. Thanks for taking the time to look around, hope to see you around again!
I love your blog! Just found you, also through design sponge. You have great style, so of course I need to know some things :) I’ve searched your blog but can’t seem to find A. Where you got the living room rug and B. How your Souk rug is holding up shedding wise. Looking forward to visiting regularly!
Hi Carolina, Thank you so much! I’m glad you found me. I wish I could point you in the right direction for the dark graphic rug we currently have in the living room, but it’s from Ikea, circa 2010 – totally discontinued. In case you wanna search ebay for it, it’s called “Jorun”. Sorry I don’t have better news for you. Regarding the Soukish rug (it’s RugsUSA knock off). It’s been great. The shedding lasted about 6 months, but is done now. I still can’t run the vacuum over it without having to empty the canister after. I have it up in our bedroom now, but will be moving it downstairs again after I have it cleaned this spring. I am so glad to see you around here on the reg!
Where do you find a fiddle leaf fig in the Twin Cities? I can never find one.
Hey Lea! I had a hard time finding a FF forever too, now I see them everywhere. The next time it’s above 30º visit Bachman’s on Lyndale, Tonkadale in Minnetonka or if you’re lucky Ikea will have small FFs. Bachman’s and Tonkadale have them in different sizes and prices, from a small $35 plant to a huge $300 tree. If you are able to find one when they are in stock at Ikea, you can grab one for $12.99. They start out small, but get big fast. My Ikea FF was a foot and a half when I bought it last year and is now over 4′ tall. Good luck!
Thanks! I’ve only seen the full size trees at Bachman’s before and the price + my ability to kill most things made it a no go. Let’s hope for IKEA.
I was totally anti-house plants for a long time. I had a black thumb and I actually never had a plant in our house until last year and now I love them! Ive never heard of a mothers hair fern before, but its really pretty. I may have to find one and add it to my collection. I got my fiddle from Ikea too and its growing like a weed. Love seeing greenery and life mid-winter. It gets me excited for spring.
sorry….Maiden’s Hair fern.
Hey Shavonda, I am so excited for spring I can barely stand it. I’m not even supposed to be saying that yet, so I’ll just shut up about it. If you do get a maiden hair fern I want you to know they are tricky. Read the label and try and find a spot for them in your home that has indirect light and is away from drafty windows or hot dry radiators. Water them every few days to keep the soil damp. They like those conditions best..
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