According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, the practice of indoor gardening with potted plants can be

traced back to the early Greeks and Romans. Older civilizations like Ancient Egypt, India, and China also
made use of potted plants, but mostly in outdoor spaces and courtyards. For pots, terracotta reigned
supreme-- with the exception of the Ancient Romans, who gravitated toward marble planters (so chic!).

Japanese, Vietnamese and Chinese cultures have unique traditions of dwarfing trees for ornamental
purposes, known variably as Hòn Non Bộ, Penjing and Bonsai. These plants were designed to reflect the
form of fully-grown trees in nature, and were often accompanied by decorative rocks and even water
features to simulate natural landscapes.

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, in what is now modern-day Iraq, even featured a custom garden,
specially curated for the wife of King Nebuchadnezzar II. It showcased the foliage of her homeland, with
date trees, statuesque cedars and meadows.

The Renaissance and Beyond

The Middle Ages weren’t great for houseplants, or, it can be argued, for much of anything! During this
period in Europe, cultivated indoor plants were largely restricted to monasteries, and plants were grown
for practical purposes (primarily for food and medicine) rather than for pleasure or aesthetics.

So, thank goodness for the Renaissance and the cultural transformations it ushered in! During the
renaissance, orangeries came in vogue, and global exploration, a la Christopher Columbus, meant that
an influx of new-world foliage was brought home to showcase in Europe.

The Ultimate Horticulturists: 1840-1930

With industrialization and the Victorian era, ordinary peoples’ homes were beginning to resemble more
closely the homes we know today. They were warmer, thanks to central heating from coal or iron
furnaces, which allowed people to take their cultivation of indoor houseplants to new heights. Ferns
were exceptionally popular for their dense, luxurious foliage, and were often placed in pillar-style
containers called jardiniere. Other plants that we still know and love (and sell on Léon & George!) were
popular as well, like Cast Iron Plants and Kentia Palms.

History of houseplants
History of Houseplants

In the late 1920s, potted houseplants became available on the market for the first time (prior to this
period, it was necessary to grow one’s houseplants from bulbs or seeds). The first nursery to offer
potted houseplants to the market was based in Southern California-- truly a dream land for plants, and
where Léon & George is based today!

The remarkable ease of purchasing potted, grown houseplants inspired a tremendous wave of new plant
owners. Plant and garden societies sprouted wildly, and fashion and interior design trends were replete
with florals and botanical prints.

Earth-First Decor: the 1960s and 1970s

The 1960s and 1970s were all about reverence for greenery and nature. Pothos varieties, Staghorn Ferns
and more were used to create fecund indoor jungles, often paired with macrame, hand-built ceramics,
and nature-themed decor. Many of the current trends in plant styling are throwbacks to this fertile time
of peace, love and plant worship.

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Houseplants

Minimal Accents: the 1980s and 1990s

The 1980s and 1990s looked to the future (and sometimes to space!) for stylistic inspiration. Popular
materials were minimal and fresh, like glass, lucite and industrial metal. Plant styling took a backseat
during the 1980s, and stylish designers limited their greenery to thoughtfully placed focal plants which
played well with gleaming surfaces and geometric designs.

The 1990s brought with them a resurgence in popularity of the orchid. From Susan Orlean’s The Orchid
Thief to high-fashion prints worn by the likes of Madonna, orchids were the ultimate iconoclastic plant
variety of the 90s, blending femininity with their famously sculptural silhouettes.