Outdoor Furniture, Patio Furniture and more!

What came first, the chicken or the egg? Sure, this is an age old question … but it’s similar to another gardener’s paradox.  What came first? The excitement and energy we put into our plants, vegetables, and gardens? Or the excitement and energy spending time in the sun and making gardens grow gives us? If you’re in need of some green (vegetation that is… I don’t have any money-making secrets, sorry), but the cold winter months have you feeling sluggish and without the dedication to put towards tending high maintenance plants—you’re not alone.  Here are five house plants that perk up your spirits without requiring a lot of your time or motivation!

1. Aloe Vera Plant:  This is the perfect house plant for the cold weather, because its plump leaves are full of a soothing gel that is perfect for dry winter skin, cuts, or burns.  It is also incredibly low maintenance, as you should allow its soil to dry completely between waterings. Therefore, you’ll only need to water it every two to three weeks!
2. Cactus: You may scoff at having a cactus in your home instead of the desert or worry about children and pets pricking themselves on the sharp spikes.  But, not only do many cacti thrive in non-desert in-house locations, but many also have soft touchable spines.   Many Cacti even feature colorful flowers that will give your home an exotic flavor.  Though Cacti need to be watered rarely, about every two to three weeks, they do require a lot of sunlight.  Just place it on a window sill, or at least in the direct path of sunlight, and your cactus will do just fine with minimal attention.
3. Rubber Plant: Though this plant needs to be watered more often than the formers, once or twice a week, it can survive in moderate to low lighting.  It also requires little else than making sure the soil is moist at all times.  No tending, pruning, or checking up on; a quick water once or twice a week, and it’s thick, shiny, oval shaped leaves will decorate your home with cheer.
4. Jade Plant: For an exotic plant with a similar look to a Bonsai Tree (with a lot less work!) the Jade Plant is an evergreen plant that will happily transition to your porch once the weather is warmer.  This houseplant is almost too good to be true; you only need to water it once a month or less to allow the soil to dry completely between waterings, and will grow in both full sun and shade.  And as a bonus, the Jade Plant will even bloom flowers with proper care!
5. Rabbit’s Ear: Characterized for its soft, hairy leaves, this type of leaf actually guards against water loss to prevent dehydration. Therefore, you only need to water it every week or two and it can thrive in sunny or partially shady spots.

Let this be an experiment.  You won’t know if the chicken or the egg came first, but perhaps you’ll discover that a few plants and flowers around your home will get you geared up to plant on outdoor arbors and trellises, or vine flowers on a pergola.  But, if not, you can park yourself on your adirondack chair, porch glider, chaise lounge, or hammock and look out on your non-cultivated garden and know you solved the mystery.  Low maintenance house plants do not provide you with the motivation to create the perfect outdoor garden in the spring, which allows more time to relax in rocking chairs, plan meals around your picnic table or patio dining set, or just nap in your swing bed.  This is a win-win situation!

go ahead, curl up with a gardening book!

See You Outside (gardening… or not)

Hazel.