From Plant Murderer to Plant Enthusiast: How This Plant Wall Came to Be

At last count, I have 27 plants in my home. It wasn’t that long ago that any plant that entered through our doors waited for its inevitable fate: death. But a few years ago I decided to really make an effort and bought a couple of “hard-to-kill” plants (including a pothos I aptly named Michael Myers). They survived and I got excited and bought a couple more. Now the rest is history and I am obsessed.

Fast forward to my desire to add more plants. I struggled figuring out where I could possibly put them (the downside of an open-concept space). For 4 years, this wall in our breakfast nook was filled with a very large mug rack and a collection of 23 Rae Dunn mugs. I loved it at the time, but change is good. It energizes my creative juices and makes me really reassess my style and what I want in my home. I’ve known since last summer I was ready to move on from the mug rack and fill this room with even more plants, but I decided to be patient and look for just the right planters to come along.

Over the Christmas holiday, I came across these copper wall planters from World Market and I knew that they would be perfect. I love the patina of the metal and how they would bring a little more copper into the space (we already have copper chairs at our table). I grabbed 4 of them online with free shipping and a coupon code. While I waited for them to come in, I sold my mugs and mug rack to a small, locally owned coffee shop.

Once they arrived, I decided on wall placement. I measured and hung them in a diamond shape. I felt this would be more interesting visually than a 2×2 square. I spackled the mug rack holes that I’d really hoped would be covered by the planters! Then I decided to use vining plants in the planters on either side so they’d have plenty of room to grow long. I would plant succulents or something that doesn’t grow tall very quickly in the top and bottom planters.

I headed to a local nursery (the State Line Suburban Lawn location for those of you in KC) and went to the tropicals department. I shared my vision and a photo of the planters with Brad in the tropicals department and he was able to recommend many plants in 4 inch pots that would work well. I ended up leaving with the following: a Heartleaf Philodendron, a Fishhooks Senecio, a Staghorn Fern, and a Ripple Peperomia. Brad shared that all of these plants could dry out completely before being watered and were slow to moderate growers. Also, thanks to the month-long 20% off sale, I couldn’t leave without that gorgeous Hindu Rope!

Since the planters don’t have drainage and are metal (prone to rust), Brad recommended keeping them in their original pots and tucking them into the opening of the planter. I will check them once a week and when the soil is thoroughly dry, I will take them to the sink to water. Once I had them just how I wanted them, I used a level to make sure they were straight and stuck a bit of museum putty on the backs to keep them perfect on the wall, even if they get bumped. Fingers crossed I can grow these plants from babies and enjoy the delayed gratification!

Clockwise from the top: Staghorn Fern, Heartleaf Philodendron, Ripple Peperomia, and Fishhooks Senecio. The plant in the basket planter is a Hindu Rope and the stone planter holds a Snake plant.