Having a wide range of houseplants at home has become a decor trend among many. Bathroom plants, however, are yet to become a thing, as many still find it somewhat odd. Temperatures that drastically change, high levels of humidity, and little to no light are some factors that would make you believe that your bathroom isn’t the right environment for greenery. For a big per cent of your houseplants, these conditions will be fatal, but there are some humid-loving plants that would be a perfect fit for this setting.
Why Add Greenery to your Bathroom
Shower plants are not just another Pinterest trend that takes over the internet. They can also contribute to our overall health and wellness. Here are just three major benefits:
- Do you need an energy boost first thing when you get up? Research has proven that the presence of greenery inside your home will help you feel more energised.
- As mentioned earlier, plants improve air quality and help increase the oxygen indoors.
- They also have a positive impact on our mental health by reducing stress, which then has a beneficial impact on our personal life.
Humidity-loving Plants
But how do you know what plants are suitable for these variable conditions? It’s best to start with plants that come from a place with similar conditions – high humidity and a warm, almost tropical climate. According to Fantastic Gardeners, coming from such an environment will make them the perfect plants for the job.
Golden Pothos
Pothos plants are known for their easy maintenance. They require little to no light, which makes them ideal for bathrooms. Make sure you keep an eye on them in case their leaf tips start turning brown, as this would be a sign that the air is too dry for the plant. Pothos grow quickly and would be a great addition to your bathroom interior, as they love trailing and hanging.
Snake Plant
Another easy-to-maintain example, famous for its appeal, is the snake plant. The plant thrives in all kinds of humidity levels and welcomes indirect lighting. It’s also almost impossible to kill, making it beloved by everyone- from garden professionals to inexperienced enthusiasts. The Snake plants originate from West Africa, meaning they can handle harsh desert-like conditions, similar to when we forget about the existence of our plants.
Monstera Deliciosa
Also known as the Swiss cheese plant, monsteras are good for adding beauty to all rooms of your home, but a great choice for the bathroom. Note that even though this plant can thrive under low-light and extra humid conditions, it would rather be in brighter, indirect light instead. You can still grow a healthy Monstera in a shadier spot, but it will allegedly grow slower and develop less unique cuts in its leaves.
Lucky Bamboo
The lucky bamboo isn’t actually bamboo. Rather, it’s an African plant, closely related to what we know as garden asparagus. It has a minimalist appearance and unique stalks. The stalks, in fact, can be shaped into spirals as the bamboo grows over time. The plant itself can grow in water alone, without soil, making it even more special and unique. If you chose this method, however, remember to change the water every two to three weeks.
Important: The plant is highly toxic to both dogs and cats!
Boston Fern
The beautiful plant is known to Earth for millions of years, making it one of the oldest plants on our planet. The bushy Boston fern symbolises honesty, and according to myths, the presence of the plant means there are fairies nearby. The plant grows in all directions, so keep in mind the space you’re working with before getting it. The Boston fern requires exceptionally high levels of humidity, meaning you can also hang them anywhere in your bathroom, as long as it’s placed in a pot that gives the opportunity for the plant to drain well.
Ways to Decorate your Bathroom
How you are going to make bathroom plants work really depends on the space, lighting, and other decor factors. This being said, here are 5 easy ways to decorate your bathroom with greenery:
Use Shelves
Placing some greenery on shelves and stands will help you hide or distract visitors’ eyes from the boring bathroom items, such as toilet paper, cleaning products, bins, toothpaste, etc. You can take this step further by applying shelving into your shower, to have a bit of nature where you keep your shampoo, soap, and conditioner. Remember to only do so with plants that love higher humidity levels, such as the earlier mentioned Boston fern, or you can also opt for artificial plants.
Make an Indoor Trellis Garden
Normally, most bathrooms are smaller than a regular-sized bedroom. So what do you do in case you don’t have enough space to add plants? Well, then you could consider using those plain walls instead. You can complete this as a DIY project by hanging a wall garden trellis with small potted plants and colouring the trellis to match the overall interior of your bathroom.
Add Plants in Jars
What better way to add a bit of green colour than little glass jars with succulents? This method of decorating would be ideal for limited spaces, such as sinks, window sills, on top of toilet cisterns, and storage boxes. Note that, even though many succulent plants usually thrive well in indoor spaces, some would not be capable of doing that well. The smaller the bathroom, the more humidity it holds. Succulents that are more likely to struggle in this environment are those with weaker, vulnerable leaves.
Create a Tropical Forest-style Bathroom
Creating a little tropical forest inside your bathroom can easily be achieved by simply hanging a few plants around. You can use all kinds of exposed pipes to hang the plants, or if you want to get even more creative-use an old ladder to do so. This would then combine both rustic and natural appeals, which will make your bathroom feel more relaxing and cosy.
Such hanging plants are the Golden Pothos, spider plants, and string of pearls.
Consider Building a Living Wall
Living walls, also known as vertical gardens, are a great way to adjust the looks of any indoor space. They are not just the next dramatic interior design trend. Living walls have numerous health benefits, such as reducing noise and temperature, boosting physical health and productivity, and lowering stress and blood pressure.
You can buy a vertical garden and have a professional install and maintain it for you, however, this will be quite costly. If on budget, you can build one yourself. Ideal plants for building a living wall are aloe, wax agave, and jade.
Conclusion
Tweak your bathroom a bit. The above-mentioned plants adore the humid environment of your bathroom, as it mimics the tropical climate they are naturally used to. Even the smallest and darkest spaces at home will become inviting by simply adding a few living plants.