Who says you have to wait for the sunny days of spring to enjoy the calming presence of real greenery? Even on the harshest days of winter, you can revel in your very own indoor oasis by using a variety of planters to craft the green retreat of your dreams. But which type of indoor garden is right for you? We’ll give you some options, guide you through how to create them, and give you all the tools you need along the way. Get ready for an instant, much-needed serotonin boost! 

Creating an Indoor Jungle 

An indoor jungle is all about the feel of walking through your very own rainforest—it’s like capturing the feeling of forest bathing, but in your own home. The cool thing is that you don’t have to live in a palatial home to create this aesthetic. Even if you live in a small apartment, you can make this indoor container garden idea a reality fairly easily. 

But before you start choosing planters for this project, think about the plants you’d like to grow first. Ferns, fiddle leaf fig trees, hoyas, spider plants, monstera, and philodendrons are all great choices. To achieve a jungle feel, try adding a mix of tall potted trees, hanging plants, and pots at every level. This will give you the feel of greenery at all heights, much like you’ll find in a natural jungle. Still, you don’t need a ton of plants, but a variety placed strategically in different spaces and heights should do. Place them on chairs, windowsills, mantels, bookshelves, and other surfaces. 

Gardening Up with a Vertical Gardens 

Vertical gardens are ideal for when you don’t have a ton of floor space—or you simply don’t want to waste it. A vertical garden can be accomplished in a variety of ways, from a living wall to a bookshelf or built-in cabinet lined with potted plants. The goal of a vertical garden is to extend the gardening space upwards instead of outwards. 

Depending on the type of vertical garden, you can choose whether you want to keep it simple and use air plants or shallow-rooted plants in small pots, or whether you want to garden deeper. For example, you can use a baking rack to hold a variety of smaller potted plants, DIY a pallet or old photo frame with air plants (which require no soil) in a cool design, or hang a railing planter or two on any vertical indoor surface and fill it with soil and the plants of your choice. 

Growing Food and Herbs Indoors 

Farm to table? How about kitchen counter to table? Enjoy the calming presence of fresh greenery, and eat its bounty, when you grow an indoor edible garden. Did you know that you can grow a variety of fruits and vegetables indoors in winter, and enjoy your favorite fresh fare even when its freezing outside? Lettuce, spinach, arugula, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, and other vegetables are all excellent crops to grow indoors. Yes, you can start the growing process by placing them on sunny windowsills. But because the winter sun may not be sufficient light to grow on, you might need grow lights to get—and keep—things growing. 

Another winter garden staple? Fresh herbs. Start with one or more of our herb planters. The Cube Planter, for example, is designed to promote healthy soil growth by controlling moisture. It also means that herbs will flourish without having to be transplanted, for a low-maintenance kitchen garden you’ll love. Grab some soil—preferably an organic, light potting mix—and the herb seeds, cuttings, or plants of your choice. Want ideas on what to try? Basil, rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano, mint, and dill are all classic cooking herbs. 

Planning a Hanging Garden 

Why a hanging indoor garden? Why not! Hanging gardens, achieved with hanging planters, bring the eye up, save floor space, and give those hung near windows the best chance at absorbing the winter sun. 

Where should you set up your hanging garden? Anywhere you want! Though you’ll need to consider the light needs of your plants, or invest in a few grow lights to help them along. Hang them in places that get indirect light, like near a window in your kitchen, living room, dining room, bedroom, or office. 

The best plants for indoor hanging gardens? Low-maintenance greenery like burro’s tail, spider plants, Boston ferns, pathos, and string of pearls. Depending on the plant’s needs, you may also need to use a humidifier and/or mist your plants with water every so often to keep them healthy and happy. 

Low-Maintenance Indoor Gardening 

What if you don’t have a green thumb in any season, let alone the harshest season of them all? You can still enjoy the tranquility of an indoor green retreat with these low- or no-maintenance growing tips: 

Self-watering reservoirs are available for some planters, window boxes, and hanging baskets. These water reservoirs keep the plant soil moist with just the right amount of water to keep plants hydrated, yet avoid root rot. The reservoir also keeps plants watered for longer, giving you more time between waterings. 

Artificial plants are the ultimate zero-maintenance gardening tool. When you want the look of greenery without all the fuss, our natural-looking faux greenery is for you. Choose from vibrantly colored flowering plants or a variety of lush greenery. 

Start Your Green Indoor Oasis Today 

Get everything you need at hooksandlattice.com.