Clever Ways to Show Off Your Plants That Don't Involve a Pot

Whether you’ve gotten into houseplants during the pandemic, or have long been a fan of their ability to liven up your living space, you’ve probably amassed quite a collection of pots and other containers for your favorite foliage. Unfortunately, at some point, most people will run out of space on their windowsills, end tables, counters, and other flat surfaces. (Some may have already reached that point.)

Either way, you should know that pots aren’t your only option for housing and displaying your plants in your home. Here are a few others to consider.

Trailing plants

Not only are many trailing plants—the ones that have multiple stems but don’t root at nodes along the stems—easy to care for, but they can also help you achieve that lush, tropical look, where it appears as though plants are taking over the room.

Yes, the rooted part of a trailing plant does require some type of small pot or container, but the focal point is the vines that can cascade down the side of a high shelf, drape across a mantle, or creep along a bookcase.

Hanging plants

While you can go the traditional route of attaching a hook to the ceiling, and then hanging a basket containing a plant from it, you can also use hanging plants to spruce up a window. All you need is a reinforced double curtain rod, your plants, and these instructions.

Living walls

If you have more time (and patience) on your hands and really want to go for it, you can create a living wall (or, at least a part of one) in your home. It makes it look like the plants are growing out of your wall—typically in an area surrounded by a frame. (They’re really in some version of a wall-hanging plant holder.) These step-by-step instructions from HGTV walk you through the process.