March is slowly coming to an end but for gardeners in many parts of Canada actual gardening is still a good month or two away. So who among us, itching to get our hands on plants and dirt, have turned in desperation to our houseplants? There they sit, oblivious, while you come to the conclusion that a total indoor plant makeover is in order. And so it begins.

I didn’t realize styling your indoor plants as decor was such a trend until I started looking into it. Google ‘houseplant styling’ and you’ll get a ton of services and resources. BTW: Am I the only one who finds it surprising that there are people out there making a good living doing whole home houseplant makeovers? They’ll work with the plants you already have and maybe add a few here and there. Mind you, these people tend to be in really big cities like New York City where there’s a bonanza of homeowners with (presumably) lots of money and little time. And I guess if you want the beauty and the health benefits of indoor plants and you want it fast, that’s the best way to get your abode instantly plantastic.

But when you want to DIY…

Getting some ideas to implement your own makeover has never been easier. Take plant and interior stylist, author and artist Hilton Carter who has three books out, including the best-selling Wild at Home: How To Style And Care For Beautiful Plants and an entire YouTube channel filled with houseplant inspo. And he’s just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

I love Apartment Therapy’s 11 Genius Plant Styling Tips article, featuring ideas gleaned from all the house tours the staff and contributors have done. They offer solid, reality-based inspirations that are surprisingly original like:

• Idea #2: Turn a clothing rack into a plant rack. (Really. Check out the site to see a photo of this idea. It’s actually a great idea.)
• Idea #3: Hang plants under the stairs. (They’re referring to light-filled, open staircases here, not closed in, dark and kind of creepy cellar stairs.)
• Idea #9: Light your plants as dramatically as you would outdoor landscaping using up-lights.

Honestly, though, I think injecting a little botanical flair into your home doesn’t have to get too complicated or involve large (read: expensive) collections of plants. In fact, I’ve found that most interior designs with the biggest WOW! looks plant-wise boiled down to doing two things: Adding one or two new statement plants and rethinking the containers.

1. Upping your plant game

Two eye-catching indoor plants bring on the contrast: String of pearls (Curio rowleyanus), left, is all about its playful shape and Blue Star Fern (Phlebodium aureum), right, adds a cool blue colouring. Both images courtesy of Plantsome.

When you feel the need to blow the dust off your indoor plant display (besides actually blowing the dust off the plants – just saying), simply introduce one or two new plants that bring dramatic contrast in texture or colour or both. Think about height, too. One tall palm or an elegant Dracaena (Snake Plant) can really spice up an otherwise ho-hum plant collection. (And, yes, Snake Plants can make a big style statement.) A new-ish to Canada online plant store called Plantsome makes the right plant for the right room easier with search categories by size and room type – living room, office, bedroom or bathroom.

2. Adding colour and texture to containers

I find that late winter/early spring not only brings on the itch to get out into a garden, any garden, but also a craving for colour. Spring bulbs may be making a too-early arrival but I’m wanting a full-on flower explosion. Now!

But a quick switch out of plant pots (along with pillows and the occasional rug, I’ll admit) in zingy colours and patterns is like flipping a switch. Hello, happy vibes! Purchasing some cheap-and-cheerful potted plants from the corner store that just happen to be in full bloom doesn’t hurt, either. Nothing can be done to hasten the disappearance of winter’s mud-crusted snow but a fast and fun houseplant makeover can at least scratch that itch.