Turning My Black Thumb Green

I love flowers and greenery, but year after year I kill off my plants. I generally start off being super excited about them, but after a week or two the poor little things begin to be neglected.

By mid-summer my pots and planters no longer hold pretty flowers in a variety of vibrant colors. Instead they hold their scorched remains.

I’m sure that’s why I’m really attracted to succulents lately. These camel-like plants can survive in the driest of desserts. They’ve got to be hardy enough to survive my black thumb!

I really like the idea of using them as decor around the house. Not only does it add a little bit of greenery to your life, but they’re a really unique decorative touch—and you can get the look for really cheap if you’re willing to do a little work.

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There are lots of places on the web where you can find tutorials on making your very own terrarium. I love the DIY idea, especially since you can reuse old things that you otherwise would have gotten rid of. Design*Sponge recently featured a before and after post where someone turned a big old paneled chandelier into one (below right).

The process seems pretty simple:

1. Find a cool glass container. I love the way apothecary jars look. I’ve also seen some pretty cool light bulb versions.
2. Fill the bottom with some rocks (for drainage), a layer of horticulture charcoal (to avoid a funky stench) and a layer of potting soil. You can also use Spanish moss between the charcoal and the soil to keep the soil from sinking down into the rocks.
3. Next you need some plants in a pretty arrangement. Try to find different shades of green and plants with different shapes to create visual interest.
4. Put in a bit more potting soil in to secure the plants.
5. Water with a spray bottle when necessary.

Sounds pretty simple, no? I think even I can handle this one!

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