The Fig and I: Tips for Caring for a Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree

Nature has wired us to feel protective of babies, with their oversized, floppy heads. The big, round leaves of a fiddle leaf fig tree make it the houseplant equivalent of a newborn. So it was probably inevitable that the

Field Guide: Fiddle Leaf Fig

Fiddle Leaf Fig, Ficus lyrata: "Fiddler Under the Roof" Fiddle leaf fig plants have little to do with fiddles–or figs, for that matter. Unlike their cousins in the fig, or ficus, family, fiddle leaf figs do n

The Truth About Indoor Citrus Trees (Hint: They Belong Outdoors)

My neighbor Bill Stock has an amazing garden–30-year-old roses and towering hollyhocks grown from seed he brought from Monet's garden after a visit to Giverny. But the other night at a dinner party Bill leaned over

Garden Visit: At Home with Jeweler Kathleen Whitaker in LA

In the midst of the hustle and bustle of LA's Echo Park neighborhood, jeweler Kathleen Whitaker has created an oasis of calm seclusion. Step into her 14,000-square-foot garden, and all is peaceful. "The piece

10 Easy Pieces: Wardian Cases

A precursor to the terrarium, Wardian cases were invented in the mid-1800s to transport rare plant specimens. And they had staying power–they're just as useful for protecting your prized plants today. Here's

Studio Visit: At Home with Brooklyn's Plant Whisperer

Today online magazine Freunde von Freunde publishes an exclusive interview (and apartment visit) with Brooklyn architect and designer Huy Bui, who is building a new kind of terrarium to solve a dilemma many city dwellers

Living Small: A Hanging Window Box Planter

French design collective Compagnie has figured out a way for you to have a window box even if you don't have a window. Founded 12 years ago by architect Jean-Francois Bellemère, Compagnie makes clever indoor garden

Opening Ceremony: A Preview of New York's 2015 Orchid Show

The New York Botanical Garden's annual Orchid Show could not have come at a better time for snow-blind New Yorkers living at the cutting edge of the Siberian Express. When the exhibit opens tomorrow, they can catch

DIY: How to Hang a Staghorn Fern

I've debated hanging a staghorn fern in my apartment for years. But with prices ranging from $85 to $150 for a mounted fern, I was afraid I'd get sick of the thing–unless I killed it first. But our recent pos

Gardening 101: How to Care for an Orchid

A lot of people bemoan their incompetence at growing orchids. I have the opposite problem–an inability to kill my scraggly supermarket-variety species after they stop blooming. Here's my secret: I ignore them. My o

DIY: How to Care for Aloe Vera, the Plant of Immortality

Growing up in a beach town, I saw my fair share of sunburns. (We were a bit more lax about sunscreen in those days). Luckily my stepmother always had an aloe vera on hand to soothe my sun-kissed shoulders. Ever since the

Still Life with Houseplants: Macramé Artist Emily Katz in Portland, Oregon

Forget minimalism. Portland, Oregon-based macramé artist Emily Katz takes a maximalist's approach to living with houseplants. Two years ago Katz learned how to make her first 1970s-style plant hangers during a visi

High Achievers: Trellises and Pots for Indoor Vines and Climbers

Coming this month from Danish design house Ferm Living: a collection of wide-mouthed concrete planters and pots to pair with the company's mini trellises. Suddenly it makes sense to grow a vine up a wall indoors.

Ask the Expert: Tips for Starting a Houseplant Collection

When I asked Alea Joy Bessey, co-owner of Solabee Flowers and Botanicals in Oregon, how she first became interested in houseplants, I knew straight away that she was a woman after my own heart. Even as a child, Alea says

#GardenistaIndoors: Happy Houseplants from Gardenista Readers

To wrap up our week of Living With Plants, we're sharing houseplant scenes from our readers. We asked readers to share their indoor gardens by tagging their Instagram pictures with #GardenistaIndoors. Thank y

10 Easy Pieces: Kokedama Plants

The Japanese tradition of kokedama–in which a plant's roots are wrapped in a moss ball–has spread worldwide and prompted many admiring variations (including our own DIY Kokedama Planters). It's easy to see wh

Terrarium Trend Alert: Glass, with Brassy Highlights

The most stylish thing you can do this fall is to let your roots show. Especially if you're a houseplant. Japanese design team Daisuke Tsumanuma and Kenichi Yamada of 1012 Terra have created a cross between a terra

10 Easy Pieces: Self-Watering Pots and Planters

Headed out of town? Dog sitter (check), house sitter (check), cat sitter (if necessary). But a plant sitter? No thank you. Instead, we've rounded up 10 stylish self-watering pots to keep your plants alive while you

Gardening 101: How to Water an Air Plant

Pity the poor tillandsia. With its affable, low-maintenance personality, your little friend tends to get ignored on a bookshelf. Its nickname–air plant–may reinforce the idea that it needs no special attention. But whil

Studio Visit: 10¹² Terra and the Modern Terrarium

Japan-based designers Daisuke Tsumanuma and Kenichi Yamada of 10¹² Terra are gaining a cult following for their glass terrariums created specially to grow succulents. Online shop Nalata Nalata recently visited the desi