Houseplants

Due to the onset of winter, I have not spent much time talking about my other passion...gardening!  Not much is going on in the garden right now, since it is taking a much deserved nap.  This is nice because it gives me time away from it for a few months and also time to do other house projects! 

I thought I would show off a few of the houseplants I keep around.  I like houseplants because they add texture and interesting shapes.  They also improve the air quality inside the house.  Even if you don't have a green thumb, there are some super easy houseplants out there and also some good fake ones, too!

Today, the whole family traveled to IKEA.  Kids' meals are free from now until Jan. 10--bonus!  Our whole lunch cost $4.59!  Husband didn't eat...but got a $1 cinnamon bun on the way out.  I bought a beautiful new houseplant---and saw some nice fake ones there also!

Here she is:

It is called Zamioculcas zamiifolia....or more commonly known as the ZZ plant.  I have read about these before and heard them touted as one of the best and easiest houseplants you can own!  So, I am very excited to finally have one and give it a try.  I do think the foliage is really pretty...very dark and glossy.  The label says "half shade, no direct sunlight; water sparingly."  Sounds good to me.

Here are a few more I have in our master bath.  The pots all came from IKEA and the plants came from either IKEA or probably Home Depot:

I have had this plant for a really long time.  It was a gift at school one year from the PTO and it has been quite long-lived!  I have trimmed it a bunch and it just keeps growing.

Not 100% sure on names, although I do know the plant on the right in the above picture is a philodendron.  The one you can barely see on the left is a succulent (plant suited for desert and hot, dry conditions....not necessarily my bathroom?) that I have had some struggles keeping alive.  It died off on the top and there is a very tiny shoot of new growth, but it has not flourished.  The middle plant is a great one because it wilts whenever it has not had enough water.  So, I water it and am also reminded to water the other ones, too.

More houseplants to come....