Plants in your listing

[Katie]

Having greenery in your home is very on-trend, but does it work within an STR?

I have quite a few plants at home, and they definitely help to give the place a green feel and enhance the mood. However, if you have an entire home listing then it might be harder to ensure you keep your plants looking healthy and watered without disturbing your guests.

It would be great to hear from you guys on your own experience: is it practical to have plants in your listing, or is it too much hard work? 

If you do have plants, what are your tips for caring for them from a distance?

[Emilia42]

What a beautiful photo! All my spaces have Venetian blinds and the first thing 90% of my guests do is close them all! So it's really tough to have plants. And while I started off with plants in all my listings, they eventually all died. I have one small high up a window that doesn't have a blind and plants are able to survive on this windowsill so I can maintain a small assortment of plants in one of my three listings. Guests obviously value being holed up with maximum privacy then they value greenery and natural light. At least this is my experience with many Americans. I always love it when Europeans stay and the blinds and windows are pulled wide open throughout the day.  

[Colleen253]

@Emilia42 Snake plants do well in low light and thrive on neglect. They do well with being dry for a period and mild stress can actually force blooms which smell heavenly. Other plants that do well in your situation are ivy, pothos, and spider plants.

[Emilia42]

Thanks @Colleen253 I'm going to look into those types. I'll give them a try!

[Katie]

Hey @Emilia42 thanks for sharing - super interesting that the US guests like to keep the blinds closed! I hate having my blinds closed during the day, but then I guess we have to try and get all the vitamin D we can here in the UK haha 😂

Great suggestions @Colleen253 - I love the look of Snake plants, I have it on my list to add one to my collection. Peace Lilies are meant to be good with low level lighting too - I have one that seems to get on ok.

[Laura2592]

I think I am a weirdo. I am an American and I really hate closed curtains. Give me natural light! The only time I make an effort to close shades is when I am undressing. People are welcome to peek in and see my furnishings, my dog, me sitting in front of the computer etc. It doesn't bother me one bit. 

[Lynn1221]

Same here- the more open the better- unless in the shower or undressing

[Ann783]

We have plants!  ZZ, Snake plants, peperomia and a Hoya heart. I tell guests not to freak out if they see a single bug (but to let us know if there are many) and to not water them. I tried a few succulents, but I think they need more sunlight then our cottage can provide.  

[Katie]

Great choices @Ann783 - I just googled a Hoya Heart and they are so cute 😍

Yes, I hadn't thought about bugs, but I guess a lot of guests seem to get very freaked out at the first sign of an insect, so it's a good idea to warn them just in case.

[Cathie19]

@Katie , @Ann783 , @Emilia42 

I like the greenery of plants to create a calm atmosphere and to improve air quality. I found that in the constant heat, plants in soil, inside the space suffer, depending on the length of stay.  One of the last things I do before a check in, is change the water for the indoor plantings, as well as water the outdoor plants. No air conditioning -they dry out, too low an air conditioner setting, they can get shocked, so inside, I use hardy greenery, hydroponically. That is, vases with fresh greenery that is growing and sometimes add either real or very good artificial flowers to some of them. This way, the indoor greenery doesn’t dry out with longer stays. I can use hoses from a distance to reach potted plants if needed, but our backyard is a scape of greenery!

(Currently unable to upload photos, but will try later.)

[Colleen253]

@Cathie19  Please do upload pictures. Those of us here in this post would appreciate a little plant porn, I'm sure. 😉

[Katie]

@Cathie19 sounds like you've got the routine down to a tee 👌 Great idea to use artificial greenery as well - it's a good option for anyone who can't guarantee a watering routine in guest rooms, and some of them are very realistic nowadays. I've also learnt a new term today - hydroponics 🤓

I second @Colleen253's request - I'd love to see pictures! 

[Cathie19]

Finally have a camera icon visible! Lucky bamboo gets a big hooray from me. Loves many conditions and sits in the vases very happily. I have plain green leaf as well as variegated green.

Sorry, for the delay uploading, I’ve been deep cleaning for my first 2020 guests who arrive Thursday. I need sleep as it’s now 0023 in the morning....... Normal work tomorrow.

@Katie, @Jessica-and-Henry0 , @Emilia42 , @Colleen253 

[Cathie19]

The pots with all 3 plants don’t drain to hold water.Greenery is ALWAYS real. Flowers may not.

[Cathie19]