Make indoor plants pop with these style and design tips | The Great Indoors | Gardening Australia

Make indoor plants pop with these style and design tips | The Great Indoors | Gardening Australia

Guest presenter Craig Miller-Randle shares his styling secrets to make your indoor plants into works of art!
Subscribe: http://ab.co/GA-subscribe

As a furniture and homewares designer, Craig uses shape, texture, and colour to make a place look and feel a certain way, and you can apply the same principles to plant styling.

Craig’s plants are all growing in lightweight plastic pots so that he can give them “great drainage, customise their potting media and change their look anytime I like.” Planting directly into heavier decorative pots makes it harder to move them around and you’re stuck with one look.

Grouping plants in odd numbers creates a balanced effect that makes it more pleasing to the eye. You can also use the ‘pyramid principle’ to group plants – imagine a triangular shape and put tall plants at the back and smaller plants to the side and front to create height and depth. Another way to group plants is by colour, such as those with tones of purple, to create cohesion among plants with different leaf shapes and textures.

Craig has created “vertical drama” in what would otherwise be a bare stairwell void. Plants are used instead of artworks, dripping down the walls and making use of all spaces. To attach plants to the wall, Craig has simply used clear fishing line attached to white shelf brackets drilled into the wall, which doesn’t distract from the plants. For renters, you can achieve the same effect with the highest-rated adhesive hooks you can find – some will hold up to 7 kilograms.

When it comes to more colourful pots, Craig uses the “one or the other rule” – either the plant is the feature, or the pot is the feature. A simple green leaf philodendron can look great in a bold pot, whereas something with colour like the purple Oxalis triangularis, stands out best in plain white.

Designer planters can be pricey, and the cost can add up if you want a dense indoor jungle. Craig suggests upcycling pots you have around the house or from op-shops by painting them with two coats of chalk paint in neutral tones to create a matte finish and so they look like they all belong together.

To create a DIY pot platform, to give height to some plants, Craig uses two similar shaped hand painted pots, and turns the smaller one upside down to act as a plinth. Put the larger one upright on top and glue together with a heavy-duty adhesive.

Plants will naturally bring life into your space so don’t stress about following the rules, focus on how they make you feel!

Featured Plants

Purple Shamrock Oxalis triangularis

Begonia ‘Connie Boswell’ Begonia cv.

Rhipsalis Rhipsalis cv.

Philodendron ‘Golden Dragon’ Philodendron cv.

Filmed on Boon Wurrung & Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country

See the latest content from Gardening Australia as it goes live by hitting subscribe: http://ab.co/GA-subscribe
Watch Gardening Australia on ABC iview: http://iview.abc.net.au/programs/gardening-australia

About Gardening Australia:
Gardening Australia is an ABC TV program providing gardening know-how and inspiration. Presented by Australia’s leading horticultural experts, Gardening Australia is a valuable resource to all gardeners through the television program, the magazine, books, DVDs and extensive online content.

Connect with other Gardening Australia fans:
Like Gardening Australia on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gardeningaustralia
Follow Gardening Australia on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/gardeningaustralia
Visit the Gardening Australia website: http://www.abc.net.au/gardening

This is an official Australian Broadcasting Corporation YouTube channel.
********
Contributions may be removed if they violate ABC’s Online Conditions of Use http://www.abc.net.au/conditions.htm (Section 3).

28 Comments

  1. Nichole Johnson on September 10, 2021 at 1:27 am

    Gorgeous



  2. Sonia Orchid center on September 10, 2021 at 1:27 am

    Hi



  3. Linardon Adelina on September 10, 2021 at 1:34 am

    Oh please keep this presenter he is so interesting, entertaining and enjoyable



  4. LoveStyleLife on September 10, 2021 at 1:38 am

    Oh Craig I really cant wait to watch your own show!



  5. PlantedinPots on September 10, 2021 at 1:39 am

    “Who wants that kind of commitment” YESS 👏 my mom told me about the rule of 3 / odd numbers for decor when I was younger and for some reason that’s what stuck, now I can’t get it out of my head when I’m decorating and even when I’m putting on jewelry 😅



  6. Love Australia on September 10, 2021 at 1:39 am

    Waiting from Bendigo, Victoria! 💐💐💐💐💐



  7. Marcia Blair on September 10, 2021 at 1:39 am

    What an incredible collection and what a breathtaking place to live in with so much light! How many plants do you have? How long does it take to water them…?



  8. Celestial Joy on September 10, 2021 at 1:39 am

    Just stunning!!! 👏👏😍❤️️



  9. Rachel McDonald on September 10, 2021 at 1:40 am

    Just binge watched this group of videos, fantastic!!! Thanks Craig



  10. itsaworkof art on September 10, 2021 at 1:41 am

    Thank you for sharing this 😍👍🏻



  11. Helen Abria on September 10, 2021 at 1:42 am

    Wow, full of Wow 👏 I do love your designs,, plants,,, and specialty you. Keep up the good work.. Thanks 💓 😊



  12. Bertha Rosales on September 10, 2021 at 1:43 am

    Mm I will like to be in you house to feel the peace that the plants offer



  13. Ana Ramos on September 10, 2021 at 1:49 am

    Thanks for showing the way I can organize my plants. Love your place is very beautiful.



  14. Snezhana Tormasheva on September 10, 2021 at 1:53 am

    Красота.



  15. Get Rooted on September 10, 2021 at 1:55 am

    Great content – looks like this room has a skylight??? It’s wonderful and bright – no wonder they’re doing so well. Thanks for the tips



  16. Sam B on September 10, 2021 at 1:56 am

    Legendary 👌



  17. Rintu P on September 10, 2021 at 1:57 am

    Love from kerala 🙏



  18. ksenija vojisavljevic on September 10, 2021 at 1:59 am

    Great comment on art



  19. Yeah, I've Killed That on September 10, 2021 at 2:01 am

    This is what I like so much about Craig—he keeps it simple when growing plants and gives you ways to make it fun and affordable. And his "one or the other rule" is any easy one to follow. His advice and tips are always in the back of my mind.



  20. Imogen Palmer on September 10, 2021 at 2:02 am

    Eeeeeee keen beans!!



  21. Alison Fairley on September 10, 2021 at 2:03 am

    I love everything about this video.



  22. Kat amy k on September 10, 2021 at 2:05 am

    Beautiful ❤️



  23. Wanda Shaw on September 10, 2021 at 2:09 am

    OMG! Your home is beyond amazing! Your plants are even more amazing!!! Perfection in my opinion! 😍



  24. Mia Uy on September 10, 2021 at 2:11 am

    Beautiful and amazing plant collection! I love watching this, I already watch this several times.



  25. Christian Almendo on September 10, 2021 at 2:12 am

    The OCD hits hard when it comes to organizing my plants



  26. Velvet Vert on September 10, 2021 at 2:17 am

    I’m envious that you have the amount of light needed to just put the plants wherever you think they look good! That doesn’t fly here in the frozen north, where my poor babies are strategically close to windows and under grow lights to make it through the winter.



  27. Grafting Tactick on September 10, 2021 at 2:23 am

    Such a beautiful indoor forest design, I absolutely love it 👌❤ subbed 🤝



  28. Manjusha Gadipati on September 10, 2021 at 2:23 am

    Absolutely Awesome! Though wonder how watering and maintenance of the ones suspended at heights is done.