Some of you are probably already plotting out your dream (or IRL) edible garden and starting to Pin all the latest garden DIYs — spring *is* right around the corner. But for any apartment-dwelling gardeners who are itching to expand their greenery, indoor gardening can be a real challenge. Luckily, the super talented Erica Chan Coffman of Honestly WTF has joined forces with Etsy for an exclusive indoor spring gardening makeover that is #gardenergoals. With a little help from her favorite Etsy sellers, Erica came up with some über creative ways to bring an indoor garden into every room of the house, focusing specifically on the bathroom and living room. Scroll down to learn more about the collab, see some of Erica’s favorite (and affordable!) Etsy sellers and read a few tips and tricks for getting a gorgeous indoor garden of your own.
Erica was motivated to create her blog Honestly WTF because she wanted a destination where people could come and be inspired by all things pretty, unique and creative. Through her blog, she has learned that challenging yourself creatively is the best way to make something truly beautiful. When it came to her indoor garden, she was more than up for the challenge — even though she’s a self-proclaimed “black thumb.” Etsy supplied her with the handmade ceramic planters and vintage pots, and she did the rest of the designing and potting on her own.
Erica’s favorite part of her indoor garden makeover was seeing how much “life and vibrance” plants bring to a room, and how “you’ll never really realize the effect they have on a space until you take them away.” While planning the two mini gardens, she wanted to incorporate more cacti, but with a toddler and a baby at home, she wanted to make sure no spiky plants were within the reach of little fingers. Thinking outside the cactus trend led Erica to discover certain species of succulents like “string of pearls,” which are “very easy to grow indoors and also make a powerful statement.”
Erica’s bathroom garden is all about those minimalist and modern vibes — using concrete planters in neutral colors with a mix of black and metallic accents. Some of Erica’s favorite Etsy shops for this space were Popbyts, where you can pick up this linocut planter ($19), and UC Designs, which makes these cool gold-dipped concrete planters ($20). To add a little more height to the space, Erica headed to Etta and Odie to pick up this copper and cement planter ($85).
The bar cart garden had more of a vintage vibe, with metallics and a classic color combo of green and gold. Erica’s favorite go-to Etsy store for this space was Seventy Three Vintage, where you can get brass bowls, and Claylicious, which specializes in unique, handmade ceramic pieces like this stone-shaped planter ($39).
In the end, Erica learned *a lot* from her collab with Etsy. Her favorite plants are definitely cacti and succulents, since they are the most low maintenance when it comes to care. She also got over her black thumb once she realized the benefits of having an indoor garden far outweigh the possibility of killing one or two little plants. Most importantly, she learned that plants also clean the air, boost your mood and make you more productive.
Erica’s biggest piece of advice for someone trying to build an indoor garden in a tiny space would be to do your research: “Find out what kind of light, climate and watering frequency your favorite plants need. You might realize your space or lifestyle is better suited for a particular kind of plant.” And if you have pets or kids, make sure nothing is poisonous to the touch or if they nibble on the leaves.
Are you ready to start your indoor garden? Follow us on Pinterest for more gardening inspo.
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