An expertly-done interiorscape brings a lot to a room. There’s an essence of tranquility and a pleasant feeling of peaceful calm that is actually very noticeable in a room that has been tended to by the professional interiorscaper’s hands. It’s not necessary to go out and hire a professional; with some forethought, you can create the same ambiance yourself.

What is interiorscaping? It the creative combination of plants, pots and accents to achieve an appealing look. Begin with the end in mind: what would you like to see? Typically, low-light foliage plants that require little water or maintenance are the best. They will look the best without much fuss and that is something that you will likely be very appreciative of at some point. The idea is to create atmosphere, not necessarily a focal point, so save that flowering plant for another area.

Where in the room will you be placing your plants? A sofa table is an excellent place as well as in corners of the room, on and around a table or plant stand. Use areas where the plants won’t be completely shaded. Multiple placements, around two or three to a room look very nice. One perk of grouping plants together is that the average humidity is increased in the air around the plants, much to their pleasure. A drawback is that insect pests like this environment as well, so keep an eye open for them. Keeping the plants free of dead leaves will help keep them at bay.

Choose pots and baskets that compliment your décor but stick to neutral tones. The natural look will be most effective in fashioning a relaxing mood. Go for different textures and shapes if you’d like to add interest. Uniform pots and plants in odd multiples of three or five can also make a statement, depending on your style. One large planter with several plants in it is another viable option, presuming all the plants selected for it have similar cultural requirements.

The selection of the actual plants is important. Again, easy-to-care-for, low-light plants will produce the best results. Some of the very best plants are the ones you see in offices and shopping centers. Any of the following plants can be used singly in their own pots or in mixed containers, will be very-low maintenance, and will look wonderful.

Low Light: use in locations away from windows.

Aluminum Plant – Pilea cadierei – 12 inches tall, 12 inches wide
Arrowhead Plant (a.k.a. Nephthytis) – Syngonium podophyllum – bushy, cascading
Baby Tears - Soleirolia soleirolii, a.k.a. Helxine soleirolii – low growing, cascading
Cast Iron Plant – Aspidistra spp. – 6 inches to 3 feet, depending on cultivar
Chinese Evergreen – Aglaonema spp. – 1 to 2 feet
Grape Ivy, Oak Leaf Ivy - Cissus rhombifolia – cascading
Janet Craig Dracaena – Dracaena fragrans – tall, up to 10 feet
Lady Palm – Rhapis spp. – tall, focal point
Mother-in-Law’s Tongue – Sansevieria spp. – tall, focal point
Peace Lily – Spathyphyllum – 1 to 3 feet, depending on cultivar
Philodendron – Philodendron spp. – low growing, cascading
Pothos – Epipremnum pinnatum, a.k.a. E. aureum - cascading
Rubber Tree – Ficus elastica – 15 feet or more
Screw Pine – Pandanus spp. – 10 feet or more
Swiss Cheese Plant, Split-leaf Philodendron – Monstera spp. – 10 feet or more, climber
Ivy – Hedera helix – low growing, cascading


Medium Light: use near windows.

Asparagus Fern - Asparagus densiflorus – bushy, cascading
Baby Tears - Soleirolia soleirolii, a.k.a. Helxine soleirolii – dense, low growing, cascading
Bird’s Nest Fern - Asplenium nidus – vase-shaped, 2 feet or more tall
Cast Iron Plant – Aspidistra spp. – 6 inches to 3 feet, depending on cultivar
Corn Plant – Dracaena fragrans – tall
Dinner Plate Aralia, Balfour Aralia - Polyscias balfouriana – very tall, 6 feet or more
Dragon Tree – Dracaena marginata – 2 to 15 feet, depending on cultivar and pruning
Dumb Cane – Dieffenbachia spp. – 4 to 6 feet
Dwarf Schefflera – Schefflera arboricola – 4 feet or more
Fiddle Leaf Fig – Ficus lyrata – up to 20 feet
Kentia Palm – Howea forsteriana – very tall, 40 feet or more
Moses-in-a-Basket – Tradescantia spathacea, T. bermudensis – 1 to 1.5 feet
Peperomia – Peperomia spp. – 12 inches tall, 12 inches wide
Swiss Cheese Plant, Split-leaf Philodendron – Monstera spp. – 10 feet or more, climber
Ti Plant - Cordyline fruticosa – 3 to 5 feet
Wandering Jew, Inch Plant – Tradescantia zebrina - cascading
Weeping Fig – Ficus benjamina – very tall, 15 to 20 feet