I’m Stealing Martha Stewart’s Tip to “Decorate Any Outdoor Space”

Martha Stewart knows a thing or two about making a space feel refined, but luckily, you don’t need a big budget to make your outdoor area feel as high-end as Stewart’s Skylands. In a recent Instagram caption, Stewart wrote that she loves decorating her outdoor space with various potted plants to create a feeling of tropical lushness (and she doesn’t worry about planting varieties that can withstand a Maine winter either). How’s that possible? Well, take a page from Stewart’s book in a single visit to your nearest garden center and follow her advice once you get those plant babies home.

“My pool is officially open for the season and looking great with all the potted agaves and fan palms surrounding it,” Stewart wrote in her Instagram caption. “During the warmer months, I always display lots of container plants around my home — it’s an easy way to decorate any outdoor space.”

On Stewart’s blog, she provides more detail about the plants she has in her containers. She has several Squid Agave plants that look just like squid tentacles as well as Mexican fan palms, which “prefer full sun to partial shade — they will do well poolside,” Stewart adds in that caption.

The palms and succulents evoke a sense of being in a warmer climate. And here’s Stewart’s trick for success with these varieties year-round: When the summer season ends, she relocates the containers to her greenhouse to keep them healthy during the winter. If you don’t have a greenhouse, not to worry! You can bring your plants into your home to give them the same kind of TLC that Stewart does.

You can easily take Stewart’s decorating advice by checking out your local garden center for plants and planters — and Wayfair for the latter. The site has pots similar to Stewart’s for a fairly reasonable price. In fact, this one looks nearly identical to the one in which Stewart has planted her palms.

Or, if you have a smaller outdoor area, consider the Pepinn planter, which is a bit more compact. It’s made of durable resin that withstands the elements and comes in either sable or black colors.

Then, all you need to do is find some easy-to-care-for plants to fill these pots with! Palms and succulents not only give a tropical feel, but they’re also fairly hands off. Just let them get plenty of sun and water them when the soil is completely dry. Then you’re good to go!

Fill your porch, patio, or pool area with container plants to give the space a lush, vibrant look. And when the summer is over, you can bring the plants back inside to give your interior a lush vibe, too!