Home Sweet Houseplant

A Green Wall in Your Entryway

The entryway is a hub of activity—boots get kicked off, coats dropped, groceries set down, and homework forgotten. But there's always room for plants! The key for bustling entries is to keep plants out of the way, whether in a basket hung securely on the wall, on a shelf, or in a custom wall unit. This will make it less likely that people will topple the plants in the whirlwind of getting out the door. Plus, hanging plants at eye level turns them into a full-on display.

The system shown above, created with a combination of wall-mounted pieces found at Pottery Barn, has a cohesive overall look thanks to a unifying color palette of blues, browns, and pinks. Though the overall effect is one of tidiness and order, the oversize 'Painted Lady' philodendron and the moth orchid (whose stem extends beyond the backdrop of the brown shelf) bring a natural softness to the look. The China doll plant (to the right of the moth orchid) is rather plain, but it pops off the shelf thanks to its white vessel with a green pattern. The leather wall pocket piece was sold as a garden-shed organization tool, but it works nicely as a mail sorter and air plant holder. Bonus: The Tillandsia caliginosa air plant (bottom right pocket) is wonderfully fragrant when in bloom.

Vertical Garden

If your entryway is a true pass-through, hang a living wall to keep plants in sight but out of the way and save all surface areas—including the floor—for other uses. Re-create the design pictured here using simple shelving brackets and long metal planters with these seven steps.

1. Choose the vessels. These low, long metal troughs can be found at flower shops or home-goods stores, but any lightweight vessels with flat backs will do. These were already lined with plastic, but if yours aren't, waterproof them by lining them with cellophane and/or individual plastic liners.

2. Select the plants. Mix textures, add pops of bright yet related colors, and include a welcoming burst of fragrance. Avoid plants with suckers, such as creeping ficus, ivy, philodendrons, and similar plants if you don't want them climbing up the wall and potentially causing the paint to chip. Here 'Sharry Baby' oncidium orchids, guzmania bromeliads, and jasmine grab the attention, with a combination of fine- and wide-leaved ferns as the backdrop.

3. Design the plantings. Keep the majority of the plants the same from container to container for visual continuity. Let a couple of the containers act as supporting players, and keep them simple so that the others can shine for a more compelling design. Make sure the plants' grow pots aren't taller or wider than the vessel (cut off any offending plastic if one is slightly too tall).

4. To visualize where the planters will hang, measure each planter and create actual-size cutouts with scrap paper. Attach the cutouts to the wall with painter's tape, then use the tape to vertically "draw" in a few plants' heights. Step back and take a look. Stand at the front door and take another look. Move the cutouts around until your design is pleasing. For a lush look, hang the vases close to one another and fill the wall with green. Or go for a sparer design with just one or two vessels.

5. Hang each vase with a bracket (ideally, a French cleat and a bottom spacer that allow for a plumb hang and ample airflow between the wall and the planter to prevent dampness and mold). It's best if your living wall is easily detachable so you can clean away dust and bugs that linger and hide behind the installation.

6. Set each plant inside the vessel in its original plastic grow pot. If the grow pot is too short, prop it up with something waterproof like Bubble Wrap or an upside-down plastic cup.

7. Follow the care directions for each plant. If ease of care is important to you, be sure to choose plants with similar water and light requirements.

Zen Entry