Mastering Multi planting: How to Create Stunning Mixed Indoor Plant Displays 

Have you ever walked through a shopping centre or a local business and noticed a single, lush planter overflowing with different textures and colours? This technique is known as multi planting.  

Multi planting is the art of combining a variety of indoor plants into one planter to create a miniature ecosystem. By mixing species with varying heights, leaf shapes, textures, colours and growing habits, a standard pot can be transformed into a statement. 

Today we're sharing our expertise and secrets on choosing the right plant combinations for indoor multi planting.  

The Golden Rule: Match your care requirements 

The secret to long-lasting indoor plants and a fuss-free planter is grouping plants with similar light and watering needs – similar to outdoor gardening. Grouping plants with the same care requirements ensures that plants can thrive together, rather than competing for resources and attempting to outgrow one another. 

Multi planting Combinations to Try 

 1. Low Maintenance Duo: Snake Plants and ZZ Plants 

A low light office or home will benefit from pairing Sansevieria (Snake Plants) and ZZ plants (Zanzibars) together.  

• Hardiness: Both varieties are incredibly hardy being that they can thrive in low light conditions and are drought tolerant.  

• Low-maintenance: Ideal for forgetful plant parents as they are low maintenance plants. 

• Design Idea: Utilise the Snake Plant as the height of the planter, with a surrounding of Zanzibars in front as a filler.  

• Design Idea: Utilise the Kentia Palm for its height as the centrepiece of the display as the Thriller, with Parlor Palms as the Filler sitting under the canopy helping to fill in the lower portion of the Kentia stems. Devils Ivy as the spiller, tucked beneath the base of the planter to spill over the edges of the pot, creating a cascading effect.  

• Care requirements: All three plants are similar lighting and watering requirements – making watering less work.  

• Colour pop: Fittonias come in a range of colours, and contrasting veining in individual leaves. Pair varying colours of Fittonias together for a vibrant, textured display that pops. 

• Space efficient: Fittonias are low lying, compact plants – perfect for coffee tables, desks or in terrariums for a pop of colour. 

 Tips for Multi planting Success  

• Space: Ensure you have chosen a pot with adequate space. Whether you are leaving the plants in their original grow pot or potting directly into the soil – it's important that the plants will fit and have room to grow!  

• Soil: If replanting directly into the planter, ensure you have selected the correct soil mix that meets the specific needs of your plants.  

• Maintenance: Plants aren't a once and done – they require some maintenance! Trim off any yellowing, damaged or diseased leaves to promote healthy growth and keep your planter visually appealing.  

When well considered, multi planting enables homes, businesses and shopping centres to create visually interesting, lush and layered displays, especially in areas which have limited space available. 

Multi planting FAQ'S 

What do I do if one plant gets a pest?  

Identify the pest and treat accordingly. It's best to treat the entire planter as a preventative measure; pests love to hide and can breed extremely quickly in the ideal conditions of shared pot.  

How often should I fertilise my planter?  

During the growing season it is recommended to feed your indoor plants roughly once a month. Each fertiliser will have their own dosage and frequency suggestions – so check the label!  

We always recommend drainage – it makes plant care much easier. If your indoor decorative pot has a drainage hole, simply place a saucer underneath to catch any excess water and protect your surfaces. If your planter is under a porch, we recommend elevating your plant pot with some pot "feet" to ensure adequate airflow under the bottom of the planter and prevent any potential mould or rotting build-up of the surface overtime. 

How often do I need to prune my planter? 

Prune when you see dead, damaged and diseased leaves to prevent an environment where pests and diseases thrive. It is ideal to prune for aesthetics when plants become too large. For example: 

Ready to start? Visit your local The Grow Centre in Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane or Sydney to start designing your planter setup and check out below some inspiration. Unsure what plants would be beneficial together? Drop us a DM on our socials or speak with our expert team in store!  

Check out some of our multi planting designs below for inspo!