Airs And Graces

Naturally beguiling and low-maintenance, air plants offer a modern spin on greening your interiors

- Mandy Allen

HANGING GARDENS

Greenery in the bathroom is often overlooked, even though it’s usually the best place for plant life. Air plants get to take advantage of the humidity here, saving you from the chore of watering. For an ethereal effect, secure lighter air plants with transparent fishing line and hang from hooks in the ceiling.

RAIN FOREST

Transform your shower into a tropical paradise. Air plants generally enjoy a humid environment, but allow some air to circulate so they have a chance to dry off. Access to at least six hours of indirect sunlight will also ensure that they thrive.

IN GOOD COMPANY

There’s strength in numbers; grouping plants close together increases the level of water vapour. Display the heavier species on window sills and flat surfaces. Combine these with rustic and man-made elements such as wood, stone and clear-glass lab jars and beakers for an industrial effect.

MAGIC REALISM

Because air plants do not rely on soil as a growing medium, almost any object or surface can be used to display these exotic botanicals. Maximise their impact by setting them against sculptural, man-made objects that display the patina of time. Here, they have been affixed to a distressed, textured pedestal in an evocative fusion of industrial and organic.

SHOW AND TELL