One of the most important decorative features of a plant is the appearance of their foliage. Indoor plants are chosen in response to this aspect are always attractive, since it does not depend entirely on the blooming season. The decorative potential of a plant with foliage stems mainly from the shape of the plant, but also the size, shape, texture and color of its leaves.

Here are the features of some of the most popular plants for the beauty of its foliage:

- Poinsettia: Famous for its fiery red bracts that bloom from fall to spring, although may find pink or white bracts. Known as ‘poinsettia’, is widely used as a centerpiece. Place in a sunny, warm room and keep the soil always moist.

- Ornamental Pepper: The chili is another plant that can serve to add color in winter. It also produces a long fruits ranging from green to yellow to red to pass. You must put in a warm and sunny.


- Bromelia: This is a perennial plant that has sprung leaves. His interest lies in the decorative central rosette of dark green that turns bright red when in bloom. Requires a special fertilizer, since it is epiphytic, and a warm, partially shaded.

- Ginura: This plant has a purplish velvety fuzz on the undersides of their leaves. At first, the stems grow straight to finish bending over time, so getting to great effect when placed in a basket hanging from a window.

- Pita: This is a fleshy plant whose leaf rosettes terminated rigid sharp spines form a dome. It is best seen from above, so to be placed on a low table in a sunny place. Water it little in winter, as it does not need much water.


- Hipoestes: Place this plant in a place noted for its unusual color, dark green leaves are splashed and mottled pinkish spots. Increases plant foliage topped the points. Place in a warm, shady place.

These are just some suggestions for plants with brilliant foliage. However, the number of species is infinite, so we recommend visiting florists and specialty stores if you’re thinking that the plants are not the exclusive monopoly of terraces and gardens.

But unfortunately, not everyone in the house space and time to have our own garden full of flowers. So if you live in a small interior, the option is to have plants in pots. Pots often of terracotta, clay, metal, plastic or stone that often do not match or fit in our little room.

In this situation, we can make use of developments there in terms of planters and plant containers. If you are looking to incorporate some type of flowers or greenery for the inside of your apartment, check out some interesting models that can serve as inspiration.


– Pots on the wall: You can place a metal panels that hang on the wall and which engage the pot, you can put in one of the walls of your home. Preferably also in an open space, like a terrace. This style is ideal when space is limited, so place in a hallway or instead of a picture.

If you avoid pots at all costs, you can opt for these calls Moss. For watering, soaked in water for a few minutes and then place it wherever you please. Pretty interesting, huh? For a vintage or rustic decor These boots old gardener located in a corner of the house are the perfect complement. Put it near a large wooden cabinet that will not break the decor. Of course, if your modern furniture, look for another option.

And if your wave is ecological as we should be all you can recycle soda bottles and pots it create with little flowers you can hang on a corner of your home.

Where we place our plants at home?

You focus your “area of ​​seedlings” in some space of your house. For example, you place several small mini cactus or violets in a bowl and place it on a dresser or coffee table in your room. Another way is to use violets shelves to put plants and flowers. Here you can play with heights and sizes decorate a wall whole.


Some tips to consider:

– The pots and plants you choose are consistent with the decor the rest of your home.

– Consider the weather in your city. Not all surviving plants and flowers indoors.

– Find a plant not grow much so you do not have to take it out when it starts to occupy more space.

– If your lifestyle does not allow you to invest much time on your plants, get some that not need constant watering.

We hope these tips and ideas you have been motivated to add that touch of life that are plants to your home.

What is a vertical garden:

More and more common these works of art on facades of cities in arid and very hot. This installation covered with plants of various species gives the appearance of a garden, but vertically.

Their support is usually a metal frame and on it place a second plastic fabric that is set in a waterproof sheet to prevent seepage of water into the facade.

Between the wall and the bearing, leaving a gap to facilitate ventilation and installation. It ends with a double layer of felt to form small pockets where you can insert the roots of the plants chosen.


Agricultural land is not used and instead look for solutions to their development using mineral materials such as washed sand, gravel.

Composition and mechanism of vertical gardens:

Its modules are manufactured in different materials such as recycled polyethylene and which is not to degrade with moisture or nutrient solution with acid. The substrate used is completely organic, thereby retaining enough water for plant growth in case of power failure or water.

With the help of a system drip irrigation independent, the vertical garden is divided by modules (typically measures 60×60 cm.). Get the water it needs and recirculated by them, without proof the wall. Nor stain or wet soil, because water does not leave the circuit. PV systems can be used to power its electrical system.

When choosing which type of vertical garden preferred, the market offers several options to do so. Even, you can choose a life cycle of plants with more or less long. Normally, are usually supplied pre-planted and prepared with a alarm system. In case of failure of the irrigation system, a pressure loss or power outage, it notifies the customer of the problem in most cases by telephone.

Functions of the vertical gardens:

If the roots of the plants receive nutrients and water, land is not required to follow their growth process. This new type of garden, performs functions such as the following:

– Aesthetics: cover, walls or plant cell walls that provide volume and integral part of architectural buildings or interiors.
– Insulation: reduces noise from outside and at the same time maintaining the walls safe from contamination.
– Sewage: helps to purify the environment by providing oxygen and improving environmental quality while gray water can be debugged.

Benefits to the installation of vertical gardens:

Countries such as Germany, are beginning to include in their architectural alternatives as the installation of such gardens as environmental policies. Some advantages are:

– Improve air quality, insulate and prevent heating in buildings.
– Drain and provide optimum filtration unnecessary.
– No need for replacing topsoil volcanic rock and clay.
– Can be installed inside and outside so you use less energy and water.
– You can choose from many varieties of plants at a time regardless of the species of each of these, only that they are complementary and if possible species that are indigenous to the area to gain strength and less care.
– Be separated from the wall, sheltering inside the heating pipes or tubes or air conditioning so its optical effect is invisible and which are covered in plants.
– The installation of a vertical garden with a facade of 60m2 approximately, can save up to € 500 m2 in an annual electricity bill.


Problems with the installation of vertical gardens:

Mainly, the most important barrier for many interested in using plants facades or walls is the cost of installation (about 400 € m2, depending on each manufacturer).

The necessary guidance and consistency with the environment, are essential factors which may come to recognize a successful outcome at the time of development of the vertical garden. The sizes of the species influences the growth of plants, so when a vertical development of some of them is not predictable.

The beauty that provides a property from the outside can multiply your sales by up to 30%, creating a commercial interest in old and new buildings.

Conditions for a functional garden:

Whenever you need to buy something, the first thing we think about is your needs. In the case of the grounds not only must consider attractive, green and colors but also factors such as:

– Good weather basic endless spending time in front of nature. There are many accessories that can give you that perfect temperature and we shall see some.
– Comfort: That word as used in the decoration takes place here too. This is to ensure that enough space is comfortable and enjoyable for all who choose to spend time there.
– Maintenance: Nothing nastier than a dead garden, a very important point to make the garden look good is to take extra care with either a master gardener or yourself.


Outdoor Stoves:

We find quite useful and decorative. It can be placed anywhere in the place but it is always important to provide maintenance. These machines emit a light and pleasant warmth that fills the space with an average temperature. Surely you’ve seen before, are very common at parties lounge.

The stoves are super useful and capable of emitting heat into space to 20 or 25 meters squares. They come in gas and electricity, their care is essential and especially its installation. Efforts should be kept in one place other details that probably did not know is that it has a system to prevent falls, thus avoiding accidents.

No matter if it’s chairs, a picnic table or a furniture like the photo. Having a comfortable furniture in the garden allows you to create chat rooms much nicest, Full sun, where you can spend long periods and even a few drinks. As you can see in the picture, it is essential to have these elements.

Always combine quality, comfort and aesthetics. The rays are another drawback. The color of the upholstery is very frequently affected by them. It is advisable to wear light colors, resistant to sun. The preferred materials of this type of furniture are wood, stainless steel, aluminum, and synthetic textiles, plastics, and finally woven synthetic fiber


Chaise lounge chair:

Comfortable chair in which we lay sunbathing can not miss. You can get them in different designs but it is always best to choose resistant materials and elegant designs. The model pictured above is quite practical, super simple and well done. For cushions or pillows are advised to be made of any resistant fabric exterior. The most commonly used fabrics are waterproof, so you are not damaged by moisture.

The colors of the inflorescences, ranging from fiery red to pink, white and even green. One of the most cultivated species is Anthurium scherzeranium and Anthurium andreanum that bloom all year.

The Anthurium are tropical plants, like the Bromeliads, grow on the branches of trees and are very demanding in terms of humidity and ambient heat. For this reason, much appreciated greenhouse cultivation, although they can live and bloom spectacularly in any room of the house, provided they are well placed and receive appropriate care.


Anthurium, primary care:

The Anthurium, is a slow-growing plant that needs substratum well-drained, moisture and fertilizer regular standing order to develop fully. The credit should be given regularly during the spring and summer. The ideal is to use a liquid fertilizer added to irrigation water should always be mineral or rainwater.

At home Anthurium must be housed in a bright room without drafts and with a temperature no lower than 15ºC throughout the year. If the site lacks moisture, will not spray the leaves of the plant a couple of times a week. Beware of the heat which could slow growth.

Cleaning up the leaves and inflorescence Anthurium is important, a damp sponge is best for the plant to breathe comfortably and stay healthy. Also, you must remove the leaves and inflorescence dry.

Problems in the cultivation of Anthurium:

If during the good weather the leaves dry, increase the humidity of both the substrate and the leaves by spraying. If the same occurs in winter, means that you are giving too much moisture to the plant and will have to reduce the risks.


If the leaves turn yellow and lean in the winter is too cold temperature signal. The Anthurium need to live a temperature never below 15ºC. If instead the leaves bow down and the plant is likely to fall subject to drafts and will have to relocate it.

The dark spots on the leaves indicate a fungal attack and we need a good spray with fungicide. If the stains are yellow, due to the attack red spider and it is necessary to apply an insecticide acaricide. The treatment will prevent the spread of the disease and consequently the death of the plant.

The Anthurium is a beautiful flowering plant with a very long and lends itself to many decorative combinations, for example, with plants flower elongated leaves, like Sword fern or Aspidistra.

Ideal temperature for plants:

Temperature in each room is different, should be measured for plants to flourish. To determine the right climate, you should follow the following table:

– Low (cool), the minimum temperature is 7 to 10 ° C, is what they need outdoor plants sometimes have indoor par example, azalea, heather, spring, cyclamen, and so on. It is also recommended for some species more typical of interior, as aucuba, aralia or ivy.


– Moderate (cool environment), the 20-round minimum temperature at 15 ° C and is ideal for plants such as clivia, aspidistra, asparagus or cheflera.

– High (warm), the minimum temperature is between 15 and 20 ° C, is ideal for most indoor plants such as Dracaena, bromeliads, orchids, ficus, etc..

The amount of light that plants need:

Light is the source of plant life, it made it through the process called photosynthesis, by which they survive. Plants are divided into three groups: those who need direct sun, which require more or less intense light, but without direct exposure to the sun, and finally, those that grow in the shade. Therefore, we must know what plants to choose and where to put everything under the light they need.

Almost all indoor plants prefer home sites where they have sufficient lighting, but without direct sunlight on them. So we must ask if the plants are unaffected by sunlight or not. If this happens, place curtains or blinds in the windows.

To give more light to the spaces of the house, painted in light colors such as beige or white, and placed mirrors and glass objects. Most plants need bright light colored leaves to maintain their color, even without direct sun. Decorative flowering plants should be located in well-lit, otherwise you run the risk of not flourish.


Artificial light for plants also:

You do not need an apartment or house with very good lighting, you can use artificial light so the plants to flower:

– Place lamps on the plants so as to provide the necessary light.

– When illuminated with light bulbs, have little light, but quite warm. So the plant must be kept very close to focus. Fluorescent tubes illuminated only more intense than incandescent light bulbs.

– If you combine the light from fluorescent tubes and traditional bulbs will produce a light identical to the sun.

It is true that some plants need less light than others, but its lack can cause a pale and weak, few or no flower, fall leaves and a weakness that may lead them to death.

Plants are monocarpic, meaning that bloom only once. This means that his life ends with the flowering. However, when a bromeliad flowers appear new shoots that once reached 15 centimeters can be transplanted to form new plants.

Bromeliads: basic care for a good development

The bromeliadsAre plants hardy live well indoors, provided they respect their need for moisture. It is important to keep the soil moist and spray regularly, always with mineral water or rain.


They need a light exposure, but never in direct contact with sunlight. It must be remembered that the bromeliads live in the shade of tropical trees and require a temperature of not less than 15°C throughout the year.

Due to its high moisture requirements can not be used any type of compost to grow. Its cultivation requires a light and airy ground. It is best to use a mix of peat and river sand, not forgetting to put a layer of gravel at the bottom of the pot to avoid water logging. During good weather, the bromeliads add to their advantage once a month in the irrigation water, some special fertilizer for orchids.

When inflorescence has dried, we cut it as close as possible to the base in a few days new shoots will appear and once reached 15 centimeters, proceed to detach from the parent plant, with the maximum possible number of roots, plants below for new plants.


Bromeliads: main varieties grown at home

– Aechmea fasciata: Dark green lanceolate leaves tinged with gray. Watered with warm water filling the central rosette. Inflorescence spike with small flowers in spring. Tang dies after about two years.

– Guzmania:Leaves dark green bracts forming central spike in dark red color. Flowering occurs within two years and consists of small flowers.

– Vriesea splendens: The bright green leaves form a rosette from where the inflorescences in spring-summer flowers with yellow and red bracts that last for several months.

The bromeliads allow us to take home truly tropical plants that will be with us for at least two years from its flowering. At this point will produce new shoots that will become due transplanted turn in splendid bromeliads in a constant cycle of vital renewal of nature.

Wood is particularly resistant to harsh weather and humidity, as well as wood decay and trot children and crowds of people, due to its extraordinary hardness and resistance.


Exterior wood types available:

The first step to having a garden or terrace luxury is to choose the wood that we placed and we can easily buy one at any DIY store.

The cheapest is the pine. This is a semi-hard wood that comes even treated to withstand the elements, usually requires treatment and maintenance every six months. Although normally sells treated with autoclave, to resist moisture and insects that attack wood has a medium resistance to fungi, so easily lost its color, and low to the xylophagous nesting in the wood.

The tropics are more expensive, but maintenance is minimal. A few years ago only care about the Ipe, which is highly resistant to shock and trot and is maintenance-free, except for a teak oil capita for its annual beautification. Its color is dark red and beautiful and elegant with a high density (up 1.050kg/m3) and maximum resistance to fungi and insects of wood.

Bangkirai wood is a little less shock and insect resistant wood that Ipe wood is a bit clearer and all these reasons, it is somewhat cheaper. Nor does it require treatment abroad and has a high resistance to moisture and fungi.


The existing developments in home centers:

However, one can already find in DIY centers Massaranduba wood, which has identical features as you can still buy at a reasonable price, perhaps because it is new. It’s very hard not need treatment, dense and reddish color is less dark than the Ipe. It is the wood of the pictures that illustrate this report.

The other option that can be loaded into the car itself by going to a DIY center is the composite. These strips or tiles of a base material made of homogeneous combination of wood and plastic fibers together by new technology and offering high quality.

The composite will not rot or splinter, is easy to clean and resistant to borers high. There is variety in colors, although a defect that could not get to have the beauty of color and brightness that provides wood “truth.”

First, due to the small amount of substrate that supports them, this must be a specially adapted to this crop if you do not want to spend all day with the watering can in hand. This special mix for hanging baskets, is mainly composed of peat moss that retains moisture better than any other type of substrate.

Similarly, you should add fertilizer every two weeks to go granules slowly providing nutrients to the substrate. Thus the flowering will be spectacular and will be able to enjoy it all summer.


Which plants to choose for hanging baskets

Lantana: belongs to the family Verbenaceae and pretty flowers grouped in blossoms attract butterflies. Lantana is a hardy plant that blooms nonstop and with very attractive colors. In winter it is best to enter it at home to prevent frost can damage it. The lantana live many years in good growing conditions, and open land are beautiful hedges.

Petunia:It belongs to the nightshade family and has many hybrid varieties. The best for hanging baskets are surfinia, tumbelina and calibrachoa. They need constant credit and removing the flowers and dried to facilitate the continued flowering. They want more sun and is sheltered from the wind adjourn. The petunia is an annual plant, so come the cold end its life cycle.

Ivy Geranium: This variety of geranium is ideal for a hanging basket. Its single flowers in all shades of pink or red, coupled with the beauty of its leaves are a spectacular set. He likes the sun and is necessary to remove the dried flowers to prolong flowering. In winter they prune and the cold. Watering a month at this time is sufficient.


Verbena: Verbenaceae family. Easy to grow, a plant so resistant to adverse weather conditions like a weed. Form rosettes of small waterfalls with flowers in colors: pink, purple, red and violet that attract butterflies. Likes full sun and need fertilizer every three weeks. The festival is biennial, we can keep it for two years if, during the winter we went home.

Not all flowering plants can live in hanging baskets. The rapid growth suffers from lack of substrate and not to be transplanted quickly languish. Varieties presented here are easily found at any florist are priced very affordable and entirely adequate for this crop providing a spectacular flowering well into autumn.

The approach of a rational and aesthetic will make the effort worthwhile. It is not accumulating plants just because they are pretty or were on offer. Visual clutter, crowding, poor provision or sectorization disproportionately hinder and will predispose to poor care necessary maintenance.


Awareness space:

With a pencil and paper and for a few days should be studied instead. Determine how much space in the balcony you can fill with plants, without thereby to impede the passage or other difficulties appear. This detail is important when selecting the size of the species and their distribution. It is also important to choose the right pots. The design must be functional in response to the vital needs of the residents.

The orientation and height determine the luminosity and the prevailing winds:

Note the orientation of the balcony, many hours of sunshine received, if in a direct, diffuse light only, or is a very dark area. Pay attention to the quality of wind, if they are loud or soft, cold or hot, wet or dry. This will define whether it is necessary to place a enclosure total or partial.

Each area has its particular climate and the height of the balcony will affect the amount of wind you get. We must also take into account the difference in temperature during the day and night and the seasons. Keep a complete record will select on the basis of plants fittest, and know where the balcony will do best. Nature provides a variety of species more adaptable to different situations.

Study the habits of the inhabitants:

If the balcony is used for resting, reading or listening to music, to enjoy a meal or snack with friends, take into account the need to reserve a space for chair or stool and a small table if you need it. If there are children or pets, book a room for them and place the pots or containers out of reach. Whether an area with hanging plants or by placing a separator. This will prevent breakage, dug from the earth, dirt and even injury.

Quantifying the time available:

It should be self-critical and reasonable in determining the time will be dedicated to this company. You might have an hour a day or one hour a week to care for your plants. Also consider how much time you are absent on holiday or the travel department. If you have chosen plants that require daily care and then there are those who can not attend, surely this will cause disappointment and discouragement. You have to think ahead if you will help or should be placed special irrigation systems for the green on the balcony did not die. Before you buy becomes aware of this limitation and how solve. There is the possibility of dry gardens.

Selection of pots or planters for the balcony:


Already have an idea of ​​the number of pots that can be placed and whether they will be fixed, mobile or pendants. It is advisable to be uniform in the material is purchased and preferably several sizes. This can create drops that are very striking.

They come in different materials, which retain more moisture or not, isolated from excessive cold or that resist direct sunlight. You can also decorate by hand. The size should be suitable for development of roots, and avoid transplants followed. The right choice will extend the life of the pot and have the plants well nourished, with a maintenance minimum.

The main purpose is to create a environment harmony between the inside and outside to be enjoyed by those living in the house. It is the intention to create conflicts for which we must be cautious. Do not exaggerate the problems and respond to the needs of plants and people respect the work and family structure. The balcony transmit sensations, images and colors that help to strengthen emotional and aesthetic, individual and collective who frequent the place.