A few trailing plants can turn a plain bookshelf into the best corner of the room. Here is how our designers do it.
A shelf of books and objects can look flat until something living spills over the edge. Trailing plants add movement, soften hard lines and draw the eye upwards, which makes a room feel taller. You do not need many. Three well placed plants will do more than ten scattered ones.
Choose plants that suit the light
Shelves are often set back from the window, so pick plants that cope with medium to low light. Money plant is the most reliable, with golden marbled leaves that brighten a dark corner. Spider plant brings a fountain shape and striped leaves. Boston fern adds soft texture, although it needs more humidity and regular watering. For a bright shelf near a window, a string of succulents or a small jade plant works well.
Work in odd numbers and varied heights
Group plants in ones and threes. Place the longest trailer on the highest shelf so it can hang freely, a medium plant at eye level and a small upright plant lower down. This creates a gentle diagonal that guides the eye across the shelf.
Mix leaf shapes
Contrast is what makes a display look considered. Pair the heart-shaped leaves of a pothos with the fine fronds of a fern and the firm rosette of a haworthia. Keep the colour palette of the pots simple. Two materials, such as white ceramic and terracotta, are enough.
Leave some breathing room
Allow space around each plant. Stack a few books on their sides to make a plinth, and leave one section of the shelf almost empty. Plants look their best when they are not competing with clutter.
Make watering easy
Shelf plants are often forgotten because they are out of reach. Keep each one in its nursery pot inside a planter, so you can lift it out, water it at the sink and return it once it has drained. A self-watering planter is a good choice for the highest shelf.
Keep them tidy
Trim long vines every couple of months to keep them full at the top. The cuttings root easily in a glass of water, which gives you new plants for the next shelf. Turn each pot a quarter turn every fortnight so that growth stays even.
