A Jungle in Here

(My new-to-me side table, a lucky Craigslist find.)

So we got our new furniture, which meant a few minor updates were needed for the living room.  I decided a round pedestal table would work really well in the corner space between the couch and loveseat, and luckily, the perfect piece happened to be for sale on Craigslist.  We picked it up over the weekend and I’m so thrilled with it.

(New succulents waiting for permanent pots.)

Of course, a new table in a window out of the boys’ reach is the perfect place for plants, which I love like my own children.  I’ve been hoping to add more indoor plants now that the boys are older, and succulents are perfect for indoor use and don’t need a lot of water.  I tend to have a heavy hand when it comes to watering, so I’m learning to be very gentle with the new “babies” I bought at Home Depot on Saturday.

(My Christmas cactus isn’t looking so hot these days.)

Succulents are trendy plants, but I think most of their appeal comes from their interesting shapes and textures, which are quite artful.  They aren’t delicate like orchids and African violets, both of which I’ve raised and killed, and they require very little care.  I’ve been doing research on succulents here and there, and I decided to add a few to my indoor assortment of plants.  I’ve ordered a few from Etsy, along with some pretty pots, and I hope to show those to you once they arrive.

(I rescued this small ivy from Home Depot.)

Since my house is armed against the brutal Texas summers with solar screens, I don’t have a ton of natural light in every room and I congregate my plants in small groups where the sun shines most often during the day.  The majority of my plants are at the front of my house, and I’m hoping my new additions in the living room will flourish with the ample afternoon sun.

(Plants at my front door. The larger two are over five years old.)

I think growing plants is a lot like raising children.  There’s always a steep learning curve, and just when you think you have something figured out, they go and change on you.  But I’m having a lot of fun with their quirky ways and their beauty, too, and I guess that’s part of the fun.