The cottagecore aesthetic is rising in popularity. As the world around us seems to move faster and faster, it’s comforting to slow down and enjoy the more primitive aspects. Cottagecore is more than just a look; it’s a lifestyle.
The cottagecore movement is one that embraces pastoral simplicity, country living, and wholesome pastimes. It embraces maximalist nostalgia and veers away from more minimalistic modern styles. If you find yourself perusing flea markets on the weekend and displaying that quilt your grandmother made, you might be into cottagecore style.
Since this aesthetic has roots in nature and domesticity, caring for plants fits in quite naturally. If you Google this style, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a room that doesn’t feature some kind of plant life. Any houseplants you love can add to this aesthetic, but here are a few that I think go particularly well with the cottagecore vibe.
African Violet ‘Mermaid’s Kiss’
African violets have a vintage vibe that I can’t get enough of. Those soft, velvety leaves and shimmery blooms make my heart happy every time I look at them. I associate cottagecore with flowers, so flowering houseplants fit this style for me. Since African violets can bloom year-round, what better plant to add to your collection?
‘Mermaid’s Kiss’ has large, dark green leaves and ruffled, pink, double-petaled blossoms. It will bloom constantly with 12 hours of bright but indirect light. These stay fairly small, so they make great windowsill residents. Keep the soil moist but not soggy, and deadhead the spent blooms to keep them producing more.
Southern Maidenhair Fern
Ferns have a quaint and homey feel, and maidenhair fern is one of the loveliest types. The soft, finely lobed foliage stands up on stiff, wiry stems that dance when the air moves around them. Its low light needs make it a great houseplant, as long as you can get the moisture level correct.
Southern maidenhair fern is a warm climate evergreen. It likes consistently moist but not soggy soil. It also prefers moderately high humidity, so it’s great for decorating bathrooms. It makes a nice terrarium plant in other areas of the home, which has a great cottage vibe.
String of Hearts ‘Silver Glory’
String plants are lovely and delicate, with unique, variegated foliage. The heart-shaped leaves hang in pairs from long, fragile, trailing stems. They have tons of charm and a quiet personality. When they receive enough light, they produce unique, tubular flowers. These are not the main attraction, though, as they are rather inconspicuous.
‘Silver Glory’ is popular for the heavy silver markings on the tops of its leaves. All varieties have some of this, but this variety has leaves that are almost entirely silver. Give your string of hearts a spot with filtered light. It can handle some direct light in the morning but protect it from the harsh afternoon exposure.
English Ivy ‘Anne Marie’
English ivy is the ultimate cottagecore garden vine, and it also makes a nice houseplant. It looks amazing climbing up a wall or trailing as a ground cover. It can be invasive in some places, so keeping it indoors in a container solves that problem. Such a classic and versatile plant surely belongs in the cottagecore style.
‘Anne Marie’ is a sweet, variegated variety. It has blue-green leaves with some mottling of light and dark shades, as well as creamy markings at the leaf margins. English ivy is flexible with exposure; it can handle some direct light, and it also does surprisingly well in nearly full shade and low-light situations.
Cyclamen ‘Maurice Dryden’
Cyclamen adds color to the home in late winter with their twirly blossoms in shades of pink, red, purple, and white. These perennials perform well in the house, preferring partial shade to bright indirect light conditions. They remain small, and even when they’re not in bloom, their foliage is beautiful.
‘Maurice Dryden’ is a popular variety with whorling, powder-pink flowers. The base has a blotch of magenta, and the flowers sit atop dark red stems. The foliage is large and heart-shaped. The center of the leaves is pale, silvery green, and the edges are deep green.
Kalanchoe ‘Calandiva Red’
Kalanchoes are charming succulents that thrive in full to partial exposure. They are low-maintenance and have large, fleshy, dark green leaves. Many species exist, but K. blossfeldiana has the most abundant flowering habit. They are commonly known as florist kalanchoes because they are popular plants for gifting during the holidays.
‘Calandiva Red’ is a wonderful variety with bright red, double-petal flowers that stand out beautifully against the glossy, succulent foliage. The Royal Horticultural Society has awarded the species an Award of Garden Merit.
Geranium ‘Appleblossom Rosebud’
Geraniums’ large clusters of brightly colored flowers work great with this aesthetic. Their shapely, aromatic foliage definitely fulfills the cottage vibe. These evergreens thrive indoors with enough light and are nearly constant bloomers. Plant them in a hanging basket to enjoy the blooms at eye level.
‘Appleblossom Rosebud’ is shrubby and dense, with bright green, lobed foliage. It produces large clusters of ruffled white flowers in double-petal form. The petals have bold pink edges and a hint of green in the center.
Rex Begonia ‘Escargot’
All begonias are wonderful houseplants and have a place in the cottagecore style. I have a special affinity for rex begonias, though, and their intriguing leaf structures. These plants are great indoors, as they prefer partial exposure or bright indirect light. If they receive enough light, they will bloom, too!
‘Escargot’ is a wonderful cultivar with the species’ signature whirling leaves. These are the most exaggerated I have seen, swirling around in an increasingly tight spiral. This cute and charming plant won the RHS Award of Garden Merit and embodies one of nature’s most fascinating patterns: the Fibonacci spiral.
Rosemary ‘Foxtail’
Herbal houseplants work excellently with the cottagecore vibe, as they tie in the idea of growing your own food. Rosemary happens to be my favorite herb for both its flavor and its intoxicating aroma. You’ll need a sunny window for growing herbs, but they will thrive indoors as long as they get enough light. They’re also drought-tolerant and low maintenance.
‘Foxtail’ is a unique variety with an arching habit. It looks great in a hanging basket, as it will drape nicely over the sides. This is another winner of the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society. It blooms through the summer, but it needs a lot of light to do so.
Lavender ‘Little Lady’
Add some lavender to your indoor herb garden! Lavender plants evoke the Mediterranean countryside, and what’s more cottagecore than that? Not to mention, both the flowers and foliage smell amazing. Set this next to your other herbs in a sunny window and enjoy not just the fragrance but their culinary use, too!
‘Little Lady’ is compact, so it works well as a container plant. It has extra fragrant foliage, and with enough exposure, it will produce vibrant purple flowers. Lavender is low-maintenance and likes poor, dry soil. Don’t fertilize it, and water it sparingly for best results.
Flame Violet ‘Pink Smoke’
I saved the best for last because this plant is less common than most of the others on the list, and I absolutely love it. Flame violets are related to African violets, and they have similar needs. They are easy to care for, preferring bright indirect light or partial shade with morning exposure. Keep the soil moist and fertilize with a standard African violet fertilizer.
‘Pink Smoke’ is a gorgeous cultivar with pink and grey-green variegated foliage. The leaves are velvety and heavily veined, so they have tons of texture and personality. This flowering cottagecore houseplant has a trailing habit and looks wonderful in a hanging planter.
