Placed strategically, they add depth, dimension

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WINNIPEG - Houseplants sometimes get a bad rap. While living plants do take some loving care, they are usually worth the effort. For those without green thumbs, there are lots of other options available in imitation plants that are realistic-looking and only need the occasional dusting.

Before we go into specifics about real versus imitation, let's look at how plants, in general, can add to the look and feel of your decor.

* Plants add depth and dimension to a room

Because of their visual line and movement they house a special sculptural quality that no other accessory can provide. Each plant is unique in shape and colour and is ever-changing so they are rarely visually boring. Plants are not static like a painting might be, and for the most part they can be trained to grow into shapes and sizes that suit your space. You can't say that about any other accessory.

Houseplants have a textural quality that will visually warm up a stark space so they are a great addition to boxy, boring rooms.

* Plants add colour and fragrance

Even if you choose to have only green houseplants, they still add colour and a sense of nature to your space. Flowering plants add splashes of colour that can be used to co-ordinate with your colour scheme. While not many houseplants are highly scented they still clean the air and provide freshness to a room that only a living thing can.

* Use plants strategically

Choose your plants as you would any other accessory. Consider the colour, shape, size and textural qualities that will provide the most impact in your space. When choosing colour, for example, you might purchase purple African violets for a room where the colour purple is part of your original colour scheme. A lovely, flowering violet set on a bedside table might be just the finishing touch needed for a guest bedroom.

You can soften the lines of a boxy room using larger floor plants like fig trees or tropical plants like a rubber tree or philodendron. Use their height to create drama in a dining room, sunroom or even behind a headboard of a bed placed at an angle to the corner of the bedroom. Ensure that the girth of the plant doesn't overpower the space in which it sits. Larger floor plants can be used to visually separate or define a space.

More sculptural looking plants like bamboo, jade plants and cactus can stand alone as an interesting accessory on a bookshelf or ledge. The taller bamboo plant makes a strong vertical statement, which makes it great for a centrepiece on a dining table or coffee table. The rounded lines of the succulent jade plant would work well in a space where soft curves are a focus. Each species has its own unique personality which can be featured as part of your overall decor.

Plants like ivy, which grow rapidly, can be trained to grow along banisters and ledges, which can help soften harsh lines in a room. There is a multitude of fern species from the most feathery soft look to the more common Boston fern. Larger ferns can tend to take over a space and need to have plenty of room both visually and literally. The softer ferns can be potted in smaller sizes and used in triplicate to complement a shelf, ledge or table top.

Flowering plants, like orchids, require a bit more care and maintenance but for those willing to provide them, the outcome can be stunning. An exotic orchid makes a dramatic statement in just about any room in the home. Once again, choose colours that will enhance your colour scheme when considering a flowering plant.

* Less is more

As with anything, don't overdo it. You don't want to be known on your street as "that lady with all of the plants." Choose plants with a purpose as a part of your overall design. Keep them trimmed and watered so they don't become unruly. You might want your house to be green but you don't want to turn it into a greenhouse.

* Plastic flowers

Plastic flowers of the past are no more. Today's faux plants are realistic and affordable. For those on the go or for those who have rooms that are not conducive to live plants, opt for a small fake plant or two to bring some greenery to the space. Faux grasses add softness and interesting lines to most any area of the home. When it comes to choosing fake over real, try to find the most realistic-looking plants that you can and use them sparingly. Mix them with real houseplants for optimum effect.

Plants are a great accessory for your home. Start with easy-to-grow varieties and then blossom from there. Ask friends for cuttings of their plants if you don't want to make a commitment. Once they start to grow and prosper you might just get the houseplant bug.