Sometimes it’s what’s on the outside that counts. In “Front of House,” we dig into all the elements that give a home “stop the car!” kind of curb appeal, from main character mailboxes to much–welcome yard transformations.

In 2022, Amanda Lillard Colohan, aka @modernjunecleaver on Instagram, had just ripped up her front yard to remove old bushes and add a concrete driveway when inspiration struck in the most unlikely of places: “I happened to be watching Matilda and saw Miss Honey’s house and thought, Well, I can probably do that on a much smaller scale.” She’s referring to the character’s charming cottage, where a wildflower garden sprawls across the front lawn. 

So Colohan, an entertainment lawyer, started researching English cottage gardens and figured that planting flowers would be more manageable than getting grass to grow. (More on that in a second.) Then she started measuring the lawn and making a spreadsheet of potential blooms. After consulting the agriculture program at the University of Tennesee-Knoxville to rule out invasive plants, she stumbled upon online seeds store American Meadows, which sells a bulk mix specifically for the Southeast. She also stocked up on EarthMix Proganix-I to supplement her soil.

“My first year, I leaned very heavily on annual, easy-to-grow flowers that basically had no germination time,” she says. “I needed a guarantee that I hadn’t made the worst decision ever.” So she stuck to perennials and annuals (both native and non-) that would bloom in six to nine weeks. What she didn’t realize was how often she’d have to water the garden—twice a day—but thankfully at the time, Colohan was working from home and could water between meetings. She was also surprised that flowers continued to bloom, or stayed blooming, until November. 

Since then—this is her third year of the garden—she has learned to go lighter on the seeding, and after trial and error, found a watering system that works. (Last year’s drip houses brought in too many invasive species.) And while Colohan swears she wasn’t going for a particular palette, she’s learned that the easiest wildflowers to grow just so happen to all look great together. 

The garden isn’t just a joy for Colohan: The bees love it, and so do her neighbors. “They’ve started to make requests,” she says. “I have a neighbor who loves sunflowers, so she asks for them closer to her side of the yard.” She has even handed out bouquets to neighbors who ask—“I have more flowers that I’ll ever need,” she says—but she does warn that they need to be cut properly in order to regrow. (So please don’t grab stems on your own!)

Even the Internet noticed when one of her TikToks on the garden went viral last year. “One of the most trending comments was, ‘Isn’t this Miss Honey’s house?’” she says. “And I was like, ‘Yes! That was my exact goal.’” 

The post This Nashville Front Yard Went From Mud Puddle to English Wildflower Garden appeared first on domino.

If there’s one styling trick that Domino editors count on above all others when sprucing up a space for a photo shoot, it’s greenery, from a couple of budding branches in a tall ceramic column to a bunch of baby’s breath tied up in an amber glass vase. If you can’t hit New York’s Flower District, a local florist, or even your neighborhood grocery for fresh florals, a delivery service is the way to go. But we’re not talking about the usual suspects. For a no-fail arrangement that doesn’t look cheesy and ships quickly and relatively inexpensively in boxes that ensure its quality, you need the best flower delivery services. Consider one of the six Domino-approved sources, below, for a beautiful bouquet that won’t disappoint.  

Our Favorites

• Best sustainable stems: The Bouqs Co. 
• Best rustic wraps: Farmgirl Flowers
• Best dried bouquets: Popup Florist
• Best DIY arrangements: Botanical Brothers
• Best single stems: UrbanStems 
• Best convenient curations: Fresh Sends

Best Sustainable Stems: The Bouqs Co. 

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Same-day delivery: Yes | Price range: $39–$120 | Storefront: Yes (in 6 states) 

Why we chose it: The simplest bouquets, all sourced from local farms, start at just $39. 

If you’re the forgetful type, the Bouqs Co. has you covered. You can schedule a flower delivery up to a year in advance, so you never have to apologize for missing a birthday. Yes, sifting through the huge inventory of bouquets, plants, wreaths, and more can feel a bit like doom scrolling, but this company has simplified the process by categorizing its creations by color, style, and occasion, and everything ships same-day (or the next in a pinch), so it’s worth the time investment up front. Make your purchase on a Wednesday and you can opt into curated deals of the week, which range from deep discounts on supersize arrangements to surprise gifts from partner brands like Sugarfina. 

Best Rustic Wraps: Farmgirl Flowers

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Same-day delivery: No | Price range: $50–$129 | Storefront: Yes (in San Francisco) 

Why we chose it: Burlap-wrapped beauties that go beyond typical tightly bound rose arrangements. 

Domino editors love to send Farmgirl Flowers arrangements—they’re well-packaged (no squished petals here!) and feature less expected and endlessly photogenic buds like anemone and ranunculus. The stems are delivered a little long to keep them intact during travel and come with a care pack and step-by-step guide to prepping your beauties for a more permanent vessel. Just be sure to choose the brand’s signature burlap wrapping for a bit of rustic refinery that also does the world a little good (it’s compostable and reusable). While the company offers arrangements of all kinds, from single-flower bundles and mixed bouquets that change daily to wreaths and houseplants, we’re also crazy about its Big Box bulk orders, a curated collection of 100 to 200 blooms for the DIY enthusiast with an upcoming event that needs embellishing. 

Best Dried Bouquets: Popup Florist

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Same-day delivery: No | Price range: $20–$250 | Storefront: Yes (in New York) 

Why we chose it: No water, no sunlight? No problem. 

If you live in New York City, you’ve probably come across a Popup Florist event installation. Favored by Eva Chen, Gigi Hadid, and Gucci, the flash florist is now a full retail store offering fresh and dried bouquets nationwide—think: simple bunches of lavender or pampas grass and decorative arrangements of preserved blooms like daisies, bunny tails, and more—because not everyone was born with a green thumb. Want to really wow Manhattan friends? Choose the monthly subscription service to have blooms delivered every Tuesday. If that feels too extravagant, the company sells small posies they can admire all season long for as little as $20 each.

Best DIY Arrangements: Botanical Brothers 

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Same-day delivery: No | Price range: $45 | Storefront: No 

Why we chose it: Seasonal buds and design directions arrive whenever you want for $45 a box. 

Every week is a surprise when you subscribe to Botanical Brothers, a flexible subscription service that feels a lot like a flower CSA. For just $45, you’ll get boutique blooms like mimosa, gerbera, snapdragon, Earl Grey rose, Lady White proterra, and chrysanthemum, plus tips on how to arrange them yourself. Free deliveries are made in the New York area every Thursday by bike, but if getting flowers every week seems over the top, you can control how often they arrive by spreading out the deliveries. The best part: The company plants a tree every time it delivers the ethically sourced buds. If you’ve always wanted to try creating your own bouquet (sans ikebana stress), this subscription service is for you.  

Best Single Stems: UrbanStems 

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Same-day delivery: Limited | Price range: $30–$230 | Storefront: No 

Why we chose it: When you want to keep things clean and simple.  

A lot of the best flower delivery services on this list don’t allow for much customization—you get what you get and you don’t get upset. In some instances, that’s part of their allure, but for times when you want control over which flowers you receive, use UrbanStems. It offers single-bloom arrangements of anemones, ranunculus, delphinium, lavender, peonies, lilies, and more. The brand works with Rainforest Alliance–certified farms to ensure stems that help protect ecosystems, conserve water, and promote safe conditions for workers, so you can feel good about your purchase, too. And if you happen to live in New York City or the Washington, D.C., metro area, you can double down on your do-gooder status by taking advantage of same-day delivery via bike. 

Best Convenient Curations: Fresh Sends

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Same-day delivery: No | Price range: $55 | Storefront: No 

Why we chose it: Decision fatigue is a bummer, but these flowers aren’t. 

If you can relinquish control over the look of the bouquet you’re gifting, Fresh Sends deserves your trust. Here, you won’t have to check any boxes for colors or styles or flower categories—in fact, the only choice you’ll be making is whether to go with the regular- (15 to 18 stems) or full-size (24 to 27 stems) arrangement. Part of the reason for all the ambiguity is that the company chooses the freshest flowers available at the time, which changes not just from season to season but throughout the day. Domino’s photo editor, Andie Diemer, loved her experience. “I sent them to my gram, and she was raving about the variety of flowers,” shares Diemer. One caveat: If you’re aiming for next-day delivery, be sure to order before 5 p.m. ET. 

For the Plant Lovers Out There

• If you’re more of a “I’d rather pluck my flowers from the garden” type of person, then we’d like to point you in the direction of Plantgem. The company ships seeds and rare bulbs, making this the perfect gift for expert and amateur growers alike. 
  
• To satisfy all your plant-mama friends, consider The Sill, Bloomscape, and Leaf & Clay. 

Vases That Pair Perfectly

You, or they, will need a vase for that arrangement, right? In addition to bouquet-size options like below, stylist Naomi deMañana says she loves having lots of small julep cup–size vases: “I use them for leftover wintergreens, herbs, foliage, and flowers foraged by me and my kids—even grocery store flowers look prettier cut down and made into little sweet arrangements. They work great for bedside tables and bathroom ledges, or grouped on a mantel or down a table as a centerpiece.” And style editor Julia Stevens says it’s always helpful to have a couple of bud vases on hand, whether it’s a modern one like the MoMA Design Store’s Glass Ribbon vase or something more organic such as Malaika’s Daisy Yellow vase. “Creating arrangements for these vessels is so effortless that I find myself reaching for them left and right,” she adds. 

Glass Vase, H&M Home ($25)

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Ferm Living Brown Verso Table Vase, SSense ($135)

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Dansk Købenstyle Pitcher, Schoolhouse ($95)

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Creative Co-Op Stoneware Cream Pitcher, Amazon ($39)

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Iittala Alvar Aalto Glass Vase, Nordstrom ($250)

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Billy Cotton Etched Pitcher, West Elm ($40)

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How We Chose These Products

We avoided tacky arrangements and pricey shipments by asking Domino editors which of the best flower delivery services they turn to when gifting family and friends (or, let’s be honest, their own tabletops).  

Our Shopping Checklist

Packaging

Part of the risk of going with an online floral delivery service rather than making a local stop is damage along the way. The services listed here do their best to keep buds safe, namely through a fitted cardboard box that won’t crush your petals when fully closed. You also want your bouquet in transit for the least amount of time possible—these flowers are starved of water and sunlight!—and in most instances the companies offer same-day and overnight shipping.

Freshness

According to our chief creative officer (and resident plant whisperer), Kate Berry, the greatest indicators of fresh florals are firm, tight buds with flecks of green. You’ll have better luck at keeping them prim and proper all week long than those that arrive fully unfurled. If longevity is a concern, go with varieties that typically last longer, like carnations. 

Size

The more stems your bouquet contains, the bigger and more expensive it likely is. If you’re shipping your gift with a vase, the number of flowers sent isn’t really a concern, as they’ll be made to order, but if not, consider what will fit with what you (or your giftee) has. 

Ask Domino

Q: Do all flower delivery services come with a vase? 

Nope—and most aren’t included in the cost either. But don’t feel pressured to use what these services suggest; part of the fun of receiving a bouquet is being able to place it in something that pairs best with your aesthetic (scroll back up if you skipped our editors’ favorites). 

Q: I don’t have a green thumb. Any tips on how to keep my flowers from drooping? 

Depending on how your bouquet arrives, you may need to do a bit of prepping before plopping it in your vessel of choice. Grab a pair of scissors and cut at least a half-inch off the end of the stems (this number will vary depending on the height of your vase), holding them at a 45-degree angle to give the flowers more surface area to suck up water. Then keep florals fresh with daily water changes (and maybe a splash of Sprite or 7Up) and foliage trims to make sure leaves don’t sit below the water level, where they’ll rot. Last but not least, don’t place your flowers just anywhere. Free from their roots, these petal-studded stems are a bit heat- and light-sensitive, so avoid spots where they’ll bask in the sun all day or temperatures are sure to fluctuate (read: no radiators!). 

Q: When my flowers have run their course, how can I dry my bouquet to keep it forever?

You might be shocked to learn that you shouldn’t wait until the bitter end to preserve your stems. Fully opened buds are more prone to losing their petals, so plan to pull and section them out beforehand, then hang them up to dry. For more in-depth advice, we’ll default to Tiffany Thompson and this guide to drying flowers. 

The Last Word

If you’re looking for an alternative to the generic 800-number flower arrangements, consider one of these six tried-and-true best flower delivery services, approved by Domino editors and their loved ones. Whether you’re choosing sustainable blooms or DIY-friendly bundles, the magazine-worthy bouquets arrive quickly and hassle-free, ensuring that your gift gets where it needs to be with minimal stress. 

The post The Best Flower Delivery Services We Actually Order From appeared first on domino.

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Hilton Carter sees your bottle of wine and raises you a much more personal gift idea: a plant cutting. Propagation is a green thumb’s favorite trick for doubling their amount of greenery for free, but it’s also a way to share your passion with loved ones. And now you don’t need to worry if said recipient has no clue what to do with the little stem you just gave them. Carter’s newest book, The Propagation Handbook: A Guide to Propagating Houseplants, will equip them with all the necessary knowledge and tools they need to turn that snippet into a thriving houseplant. 

It comes at the perfect moment. In case you didn’t know, the best time of year to propagate is anytime between spring and summer, when most plants are actively growing. Psst: You can snag Carter’s book, along with a slew of gardening tools and sculptural planters, at your local Target (his latest collection with the brand just launched). You’ll even find live plants in the mix, including the sun-loving Ficus Shivereana. “The more light it receives, the more lime green speckled leaves it’ll grow!” he says.

If there is a propagation method to familiarize yourself with ASAP, it’s the stem cut. Once you’re able to successfully identify a node (the small bump below every leaf growth) and are comfortable cutting around 1 to 2 inches below said sweet spot, congratulations: Most of the hard work is already over. From there, you’ll place your cutting in water until it sprouts roots and then transfer it to soil, which you’ll want to keep nice and moist in the early stages.  

So what types of plants can you take stem cuts from? While it applies to almost all vinelike plants, in this excerpt from The Propagation Handbook, Carter reveals his five favorite species to propagate with this method. 

Cissus Discolor

While there are plenty of Rex begonias that you could choose to propagate, Cissus discolor is by far one of my favorites. And as is the case with many vining plants, your chances of seeing your Cissus discolor cutting develop roots are extremely high.

Philodendron Painted Lady

One of the reasons the Philodendron Painted Lady is among my favorite plants to propagate is simply because of how easy it is. This in turn makes it easier for me to share. The deciding factor is the number of nodes that grow below each leaf growth. While many vining plants will produce a single node below a leaf growth, the Painted Lady may have two, three, or even four.  

Sygonium Albo

With the Syngonium albo, there are plenty of nodes to choose from. With variegated plants, the type of leaf you cut will more likely determine the type of new leaf that will eventually grow along that vine. So when taking a cutting from the albo, pick a leaf that feels exciting to you in order to produce a similar look in the future.

Piper Crocatum

I love this plant so much that it inspires me to propagate it often so that I can have its vines dripping throughout my home. That feeling won’t escape you as well. Propagating most pipers is easy. Propagating all pipers is fun! The same goes for the crocatum. While I love seeing them develop roots in water, displayed in my cradle vessels, I’ve seen them really show off when placed in sphagnum moss, too.

Monstera Deliciosa Thai Constellation

When it comes to propagating a variegated plant like this, many are hoping that they will produce new growth with more white than green. If this is something that’s important to you, take a look at the stem where the node is located; this will give you a good sense of what will unfurl next. If the stem where the node is located has a mix of white and green in it, you’re more than likely to see a highly variegated leaf. If the stem where the node is located has more green, the next leaf to unfurl will lean more to the green side.  

“The Propagation Handbook” by Hilton Carter, Target ($27)

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From The Propagation Handbook: A Guide to Propagating Houseplants by Hilton Carter, CICO Books. Photography by Hilton Carter © CICO Books 2024.

The post Hilton Carter’s 5 Favorite Plants to Propagate From Stem Cuts appeared first on domino.

For many years, I considered my husband to be the plant person in our partnership. He’s a Cancer, loyal to his commitments, applying method and routine to his hobbies. I wouldn’t consider myself well positioned for the job: I’m not into user manuals, and every day looks different. I’ve somehow killed a rubber plant in the past and found ways to off stalks of cacti and webs of ivy, which doesn’t make for a promising résumé.

But over the past year, I experienced a gradual shift. I was the one gently petting the leaves of our schefflera, trimming long strands of monstera adansonii, and regularly misting the succulents that line our windowsills. There was one problem child, though: the dracaena (or “dragon tree,” as the taller version is more commonly called). Due to a neighboring building, our apartment doesn’t get great light, and that little guy was not thriving. After testing out various positions, and noticing that our fiddle-leaf fig was also struggling, we decided to try a Soltech Aspect grow light late last year.

Soltech Aspect Grow Light

I won’t lie: I’d always resisted grow lights because of their laboratory looks, but there’s something contemporary and versatile about the Aspect that caught my eye. The pendant-style LED light is designed specifically for indoor plants, but it’s not far off from something I’d theoretically hang over my theoretical kitchen island. The solid aluminum fixture comes with a 15-foot fabric cord and is available in two sizes: small (20 watts) and large (40 watts). The small is appropriate for plants that need low-to-medium indirect light, and the large is made for plants that require bright indirect or bright direct light. U.S.- and Canada-bound orders also get an Outlet Timer, which can be used to create a 12- to 16-hour light cycle. The fact that Soltech products are hand-built in the U.S. and come with a five-year warranty really sold me on them. All of this combined does bump the price up from other basic grow lights, so take that into account. (To note, there are payment plan options if you prefer to buy now and pay later.)

The Aspect comes with most of the tools you need to hang it except for a drill, anchors, 3/16-inch drill bit, and No. 2 Phillips screwdriver (things you probably already have around the house anyway). How you go about installing it really depends on whether your ceiling is made out of wood, drywall, plaster, or cement. While someone might be able to install this on their own, I’d recommend a two-person crew. My husband and I, both able-bodied, handled it all in about 20 minutes. Essentially, it works like a little pulley system.

Large Aspect LED Grow Light, Soltech ($200)

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Large Aspect LED Grow Light, Soltech ($200)

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First, determine the hanging height based on the amount of rays your plants require. Soltech has a small resource for this in its plant guide, but even as an on-the-fly kind of person, I’d recommend doing your research. Otherwise, your fixture might not be effective or you’ll end up with burnt leaves. For example, Soltech says that if you’ve purchased a large Aspect for plants that need high light, hanging the pendant 24 to 26 inches above them is ideal.

Then you’ll screw in what’s called a swag hook on the ceiling, plus two fairleads on the wall (one near the ceiling and one near the floor). The piece weighs 4 pounds, so while it’s not nothing, it isn’t going to pull the drywall down if you’ve installed your swag hook properly. Nestle the cord in the swag hook so that the light is at its appropriate height and then snugly thread it through the two fairleads, which will tighten down the wire and keep it taught. Plug it in to the nearest outlet and—ta-da!—light. Our timer is set to an overnight cycle, so everyone gets their dose while we’re sleeping.

You would never know that we’ve experienced an exceptionally gray New York winter with the Aspect: My plants have never been happier. The dracaena got a prime spot directly under the light, right next to the schefflera and fiddle-leaf, and it’s previously droopy, brown tips are vibrant and pleased. To my surprise, the sansevieria grew more than it had in months.

The best part is that guests don’t notice it when they come over for dinner—the matte finish blends right into our white walls and the cord doesn’t draw your eye. Although, I wouldn’t mind even if they did.

Shop All Soltech Grow Lights and Accessories

Vita Grow Light, Soltech ($75 was $85)

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Rise & Shine Growlight Bundle, Soltech ($198 was $220)

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Archetto Transparent Wall Mount, Soltech ($30)

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Grove LED Grow Light, Soltech ($130)

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The post This Pendant-Style Grow Light Kept My Plants Perky Through a Long, Gray New York Winter appeared first on domino.

One of the things I often find gets overlooked when people bring greenery into their homes is the use of hanging planters. It goes beyond just the practical reasons of freeing up valuable floor space or getting the leaves out of reach of your pets’ curious mouths. In my work as an interior plant designer, I’ve found that adding even a single hanging plant to a room can do a lot, from drawing the eye up for the illusion of taller ceilings to creating a sense of scale and lushness and making the composition of your greens more dynamic. No matter what effect you’re after, this guide will hopefully demystify the process of how to hang plants indoors. You’ll be reaching new plant parent heights in no time!

What to Look for in a Hanging Planter

First, you’ll want to make sure the planter is the right size—too small and the soil will dry out quickly, which can make watering a nuisance if it’s placed higher up. As a rule, your pot should be at least 1 to 2 inches larger than the plant. (This will also give the plant enough room to grow so it gets lush and long!) 

Planters that don’t come with a hole in the bottom will make watering less of a mess. However, they require proper drainage—I recommend lightweight expandable clay aggregate, aka LECA—and a lighter hand when watering. Containers that have a removable rubber stopper are another great option because they give you control: If the soil is really dry and needs a good drink, you can leave the stopper in and let it rehydrate, avoiding dripping water all over your floor. For plants that are more sensitive to wet soil (or if you’re worried you’ve overwatered), just take the planter over to the sink and remove the stopper to let it drain. 

I tend to look for designs that incorporate the rope, leather, or cord hanging device on the outside of the pot, because natural fibers can easily decay or wear over time with multiple waterings. The result can be coming home to find your beautiful planter in pieces (sad face). However, styles with holes for the cord are common, so if you’re using one, just be mindful to plant below the rope line if possible.

One last thing: Don’t be afraid to switch out the existing hanger on your planter to match your decor or give you more (or less) height.

The Best Plants for Hanging, aka the Best Hang for Your Buck

Generally speaking, I like to use cascading or trailing plants so I can take full advantage of all that vertical growing space. You will get the greatest impact from larger-leaf plants, such as pothos, scindapsus, heart-leaf philodendron (Cortadum, Brazil, or Mican), monstera adansonii, Boston fern, spider plant, or ivy.

Other varieties such as hoyas, lipstick plants, rhipsalis, or trailing succulents like string of pearls offer a more delicate spilling-over-the-sides look. Bonus: In the right conditions, these varieties often flower a few times a year! When it comes to trailing succulents specifically, their smaller roots are a good match for hanging planters, which tend to be shallower.

Many of the varieties I’ve mentioned are also low-maintenance—some can go two weeks or more between waterings, depending on the conditions—which makes them ideal for a spot that’s a pain to reach.

How to Style Your Hanging Planters

Placement Is Key

It’s super-tempting to immediately buy that really cool plant you just saved on Instagram, but it’s important to first assess the lighting conditions where you want to hang it, then decide on the plant type that works for that spot. It will make for easier care and one very happy plant.

I tend to reserve hanging planters for room corners (preferably near windows); to one side of a large window (to keep it from entirely blocking the rays coming in); or to the side of a bed, lounge chair, sofa, or desk (being mindful not to hang it directly overhead, as it’s not always comfortable to sit with something looming over you).

Be a Plant Groupie

Pots suspended above a cluster of plants on the floor will make a bold focal point, but you can achieve the same look using a few hanging planters grouped on their own. Placing each one at a different height, mixing and matching container type and/or size, and using a range of plant varieties will help to give you a dynamic and verdant display. But don’t underestimate what a single planter can do: In the right space, an extra-large one can make a big statement.

Wonder Walls

Another method that’s often neglected is mounting your greenery to the wall. This works especially well between windows, on small walls, or on columns. Most hanging planters can be suspended from a simple wood or metal wall hook. (Pro tip: Make sure your hook extends further than the width of your planter by at least 1 to 2 inches, so it doesn’t rest awkwardly.)

How to Hang Plants Indoors

No matter what ceiling material you’re drilling into, the process of hanging a planter is generally the same. Although there’s an enormous range of hooks out there, these steps are specifically for National Hardware’s swivel swag hook, which I recommend. My instructions also assume that you’re dealing with the most common ceiling in most people’s homes—drywall with a hollow space behind it—but just in case, here’s what you’ll need for every situation.

The Supplies

For drywall: 

• National Hardware’s Swivel Swag Hook
• Pencil
• Electric drill
• Hammer
• Toggle bolt
• Drill bit that matches the width of the bolt
• Machine screw that matches the size of the toggle bolt

National Hardware Swivel Swag Hook, Amazon ($20)

National Hardware Swivel Swag Hook, Amazon ($20)

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For brick, stone, concrete, and plaster: 

• National Hardware’s swivel swag hook
• Pencil
• Lead anchor
• Electric drill or, ideally, hammer drill with a depth gauge (to make sure you don’t drill too far)
• Drill bit for masonry
• Hammer
• Screw that matches the size of the lead anchor

For wood:

• National Hardware’s swivel swag hook
• Stud finder
• Pencil
• Electric drill
• Drill bit for wood
• Wood screw

Step 1: Mark the Spot

With a pencil, mark the spot on the ceiling where you want your hook (and therefore your plant) to go. 

Step 2: Drill the Hole

The correct drill bit size for the swivel hook and toggle bolt is ⅜ inch, but double-check what it says on the packaging. Then drill a hole into the drywall at the spot you marked. You won’t need to go very deep, at most half an inch to an inch, as there will be a hollow space immediately behind the drywall. The hole will look pretty big, which can be a bit disconcerting to see, but don’t worry—the swivel base of the hook will completely cover it.

Step 3: Prep Your Hook

The National Hardware hook kit has two parts to it: the base, which you’ll mount directly to your ceiling, and the hook, which slides into the base at the very end. Putting the hook aside for now, take the base and insert the long machine screw (that’s the screw that has a flat end) through the base, with the head of the screw facing down. Next, take the toggle bolt and screw it about an inch onto the other end of the screw. The “wings” of the toggle bolt should be facing down, so that they fold towardthe screw.

Step 4: Install the Hook Base

Fold down the toggle bolt’s wings and carefully push the entire screw and bolt into the hole in the ceiling. It may take a bit of force, and you can always gently tap the head of the screw with a hammer to coax it through. The toggle bolt will automatically spring open behind the wall—you’ll hear it. For reassurance, though, you can gently tug on the screw to confirm the toggle bolt has caught and won’t slide back out.

Step 5: Secure the Hook Base

Using your screwdriver, tighten the screw until the base is sitting flush with the ceiling. Gently pull downward on the screw as you go. This might seem counterintuitive, but it will ensure the bolt stays in place. Don’t overtighten—just make sure the base is snug against the ceiling with no wiggle. Then slide the hook onto the base, making sure it’s secure and rotates easily.

Step 6: Hang Your Plant

You’re almost done! Go ahead and hang your planter on the hook by its cord, adjusting its length as needed (I often aim for above eye level, but the sweet spot will depend on what else is in the space). Last but not least, step back and admire the newest addition to your plant family.

The post How to Hang Plants Indoors, According to Someone Who Does It for a Living appeared first on domino.

Allow me to state the obvious: Moving is stressful, even if you’re only going as far as down the street. Because it really doesn’t matter how many miles away your next home may be from your last, the truth remains that you still have to pack up everything—including your plants.

Unlike plates and pillows, greenery is living, so it needs special care for a move, and there are some things you should keep in mind before hauling your beloved olive tree across the country. We asked three plant experts for their advice on how to move plants, and here’s what they shared.

First, Make an Edit

They call it plant parenting for a reason—but who can choose among their children? That said, if you are moving to a smaller space or a home with less natural light, you might have to sell or donate some of your greenery. To make an edit, keep in mind the distance and duration of your move. “If you’re staying local, or driving within a few hours, you can usually plan to keep all of your plants,” says J’Maica Thomas of Blk Girls Green House in Oakland, California. But if you’re thinking of shipping them to your next location, just know that they’re less likely to survive that kind of journey, so consider giving them to a friend. (You can always visit!)  

Then again: “If the plant is sentimental to you—keep it,” says August Laska of The Old Yew in Manhattan. And if you do plan to make the move with it, here’s how to pack it. 

How to Move Small Plants

Keep your smaller plants (6 to 8 inches tall) in their pots for moving day, otherwise you risk causing them stress—more than they’ll already be getting by being transported to a different home. If your new place is just a short car ride away, you don’t need to do any intricate packing; just make sure they’re arranged in a way that they won’t break, like in a cardboard box or plastic bin, suggests Allison Futeral, owner of Crimson Horticultural Rarities in Oakland, California. 

If there’s a moving truck and a days-long journey in their future, potted greenery should go in a cardboard box poked with holes or a plastic bin with the top off. “Either option is fine, as long as there’s proper ventilation and plants have been watered/drained ahead of time,” says Thomas. “If they’re still a bit wet, they’ll soak through the cardboard and it will likely become soggy and less stable.” 

How to Move Big Plants and Trees

For trees and bigger plants, cover the top of the soil with crumbled packing paper, then use packing tape across the diameter of the pot to secure the paper in place, suggest Laska and Thomas. Seal it all off with plastic wrap around, over, and across the rim of the pot so that it’s totally sealed and no soil will spill, even if you need to lean the plant on its side during transport.

To help physically move them, you might need a dolly or cart, and here’s a trick that will make the whole process easier: “Avoid watering your plants for a few days before your move,” says Laska. “You want them to be as light as possible. Once you’ve taken the plants out of the box at your new place, give them a good, thorough watering so they have an easier time adjusting.” 

Finally, Follow the Light

It’s okay if your greenery doesn’t get light for a few days or so inside of a moving truck, but make sure to place them near the door (in other words, put them in last) so they’re the first things you unpack. 

The one thing more important than light is temperature. “You want to keep your plants close to 68 to 72 degrees, but if you have to expose them to colder or hotter temperatures, do this for as short a time as possible,” explains Laska. (Futeral even suggests putting heating pads next to your plants if you know they’re going to be left in chilly temperatures.) How cold is too cold? “If you’re cold, your plants are cold,” Laska says.

Once you’ve moved your potted plants to their new forever home, remember that they’ll need some time to acclimate. “Give them some time to adjust,” says Laska. “It’s okay if they lose some leaves in the first few weeks. They will usually bounce back with continued care.”

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Plants and small homes don’t tend to mix well: Growing greenery encroaches on your precious little space, dirt gets everywhere when you repot, and it’s all at the mercy of what few windows you have. Leave it to IKEA to come up with a more harmonious arrangement. Starting February 1, you can shop the new Daksjus plant collection in stores and online—it’s all about mess-free planting and effortless maintenance. 

More advanced plant parents can work on expanding their indoor garden with the propagation vases and sprouting dishes, the latter of which are made from a porous red clay that keeps the dish evenly damp. You can feel good about leaving all your tools and vessels out on display, too. Even purely functional accessories like the trellises and potting mats (a game changer if you are sick of getting soil all over your floor!) have a Josef Frank–esque quality about them.

DAKSJUS Plant stand, IKEA ($50)

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DAKSJUS Vase, IKEA ($15)

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DAKSJUS Self-watering plant pot, IKEA ($25)

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DAKSJUS Potting mat, IKEA ($5)

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For novice green thumbs, the Daksjus assortment—ranging from $5 to $50—checks a critical box: self-watering pots and accessories. The containers are made from porous terracotta that holds excess water, allowing your greenery to draw moisture when it needs it. (There is also a handy gap on the side where you can refill it over time.) And if you are worried about keeping something already potted—say, your Dracaena Janet Craig Compacta, the It plant of 2024—alive, a duo of self-watering glass bulbs is ready to shoulder the burden. 

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For the past few years, olive trees, spotted begonias, and branches in elephant-size vases have dominated our feeds, but now there’s a new green goddess in town. According to EasyPlant’s 2024 Trend Report, sales of the Dracaena Janet Craig Compacta (aka dracaena deremensis) have doubled in the past couple of months, making it the houseplant of 2024.

And while the name might not roll off the tongue as easily as “monstera,” the African plant is a solid choice for adding greenery to your space because it’s fairly easy to care for and can thrive in a variety of light, even if your home doesn’t get direct beams of sun. 

As for care, you only need to water it once a week or when the soil dries down 2 to 3 inches, says August Laska, owner of The Old Yew Plant Shop, a favorite of Jeremiah Brent’s. “Additionally, it’s one of the top plants with air-purifying qualities, keeping our spaces fresh with oxygen and free from toxins.”

Style-wise, the spiky clusters of leaves make a statement wherever you put them and no matter what your home’s personal style—just keep in mind that they can grow tall, so you’ll want to make sure you place one in a room with enough clearance. Other than that, you’re golden.

Dracaena Janet Craig Compacta, EasyPlant ($269)

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“Predictability is achingly boring,” says Kimberly Von Koontz. “If something is left undone or lying against the wall, it gives the room a sense of impending evolution.” The California-raised landscape designer, who helped create the rooftop garden at 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge, abides by her word. Nothing in her spacious two-bedroom apartment—which she shares with her son, Romeo—is what you’d expect to find in the heart of Manhattan’s Financial District.

With her wavy butter-blonde hair and streamlined personal style, Von Koontz looks every bit the successful New York designer. But as with much of her life, the path was hardly predictable. As a junior studying architecture at the University of Colorado and visiting Florence, Italy, on a study-abroad program, she became so entranced with the culture she decided to leave school and stay. “It was massively influential,” she says of the time spent in the city. Later, she moved to Milan to earn a master’s degree in fashion brand management at the Istituto Marangoni and then to Hong Kong to handle marketing events for Lane Crawford, a luxury retailer.

A thrilling highlight was assisting Italian architect Roberto Baciocchi, who established the look of hundreds of Prada boutiques globally, with trend research for in-store displays. In 2012, when she arrived in New York—“The most sophisticated place I could dream up”—she quit the fashion world to devote herself to landscape design, which she had been studying in her spare time. Today her eponymous firm tackles everything from creating a meditative green roof for a renovated firehouse in Manhattan to studding a horse farm in upstate New York with scores of crab apple trees.

Like her landscapes, Von Koontz’s home has a sense of wildness to it that defies easy categorization. “I wasn’t trying to capture a mood,” she says nonchalantly of the living and dining areas. “This is literally a collection of my things.” The through-line here is the fact that every item is something she wants to own forever. Of course, with Italian mid-century collectibles, including a 1950s wood bar cart and Superleggera chair, it’s not hard to see why. A pair of low-slung Gae Aulenti chairs, placed around a glass table with a cantilevered steel base, play well with the “sexy” black lacquered floors, while an array of Italian sculptures, some by Giorgio de Chirico and Marino di Teana, hint at Von Koontz’s love of old-world refinement. The “menacing” aluminum blinds are a recent addition.

As one would hope, her home is a showcase for Von Koontz’s enviable green thumb. Rex begonias, with their splashy displays of color and love of indirect light, are perennial standbys, as is Strelizia nicolai, the white bird of paradise with a hauntingly beautiful flower. (Romeo’s pick: the escargot, whose snail-like foliage makes him gasp, “Oh, wow, Mama!”) Much like the hallway, which dazzles with an enormous abstract tapestry by French painter Edgard Pillet and a pair of Carl Fagerlund mirrors scored from Von Koontz’s friends at Maison Gerard in Greenwich Village, Romeo’s bedroom is a study in contrasts. A banner of slick bubblegum pink fabric Baciocchi made for Prada hangs from the wall by the bed, a cheeky rebuff to the vignette of neutrals—a chocolate-and-cream checkerboard rug, an industrial table, and a resin and papier-mâché chair. “It has this speed to it,” Von Koontz says fondly of the cloth. “And that little yellow mirror worked out perfectly, too.”

Still, she doesn’t like her apartment to feel too crowded, so she stores many things, including treasured ones, in a warehouse. Culling and editing Romeo’s toys has become a pastime, and she isn’t afraid to give things away. “I think having 10 inspiring toys is far more useful for a young mind than thousands,” she notes. Coming from someone who has owned the same plates for 25 years, this makes sense. “Never buy anything that you don’t totally love,” Von Koontz states adamantly. “Go without the dishes until you can get the ones you want.” This strict sensibility informs how she lives. She likes a set table—preferably with 18th-century Chinese plates, silverware inlaid with Swarovski crystal, and prized Venetian glasses plucked at a street market. “All these temporary baby things go against my creed of purchasing something you’ll keep forever,” she says. Not that Romeo isn’t making his mark. He has his own idea of keepsake possessions, and if you look closely, you’ll see toy animals lining his windowsill. Says Von Koontz, “The house has never been given over to kids, but I’m increasingly seeing how he’s spreading his wings.”

The Goods

Lounge Chair by Gae Aulenti for Knoll, Chairish ($2,495)

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Walker Checkered Shag Area Rug, AllModern ($130 was $173)

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Raawii Duplum Mirror, Nordstorm ($180 was $250)

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Set of 3 Earth Fired Clay Dishes + Saucers, Terrain ($40 was $60)

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This story was originally published in our Spring 2019 issue with the headline “In Pursuit of Beauty.”

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