Before we get into this review, there's something you should know about me. I don't have a green thumb to save my life. In fact, every plant or flower that has come into my home has had a sad future. I'll admit, this is partially due to laziness, but a lot of what intimidates me about real plants is that every one of them has unique nuances you have to remember for it to thrive (how much water does it need? Does it like bright light? What's the deal on misting?). Not to mention, I don't know anything about potting or soil, nor do I have the brain capacity to learn. Needless to say, faux plants and I have been in a committed relationship for most of my adulthood.
The thing is, I love the look of a living space that's adorned with beautifully grown, real houseplants. So you can imagine my excitement when I discovered Bloomscape, an online shop that delivers plants directly from the greenhouse to your front door — potted, with soil, and ready to be displayed.
Bloomscape not only provides you with healthy, ready-to-go plants — it gives digestible, easy-to-follow tips and tricks you need to keep your plants thriving. Ultimately, Bloomscape gave me the confidence I needed to become a good plant mom — and I'm sure it will do the same for you.
What is Bloomscape?
Bloomscape is an online plant store made for people with black thumbs (hi, that's me). A mere scan of their website will make you feel like you've got this whole plant mom thing in the bag, with useful drop-down menus that allow you to shop by maintenance level, size, and pet-friendly plants. It's incredibly user-friendly to navigate and I was able to quickly select which plants I wanted for my home. Plus, to set you up for success, Bloomscape lists out common issues you may face with your plant (example: curled, yellowing leaves), but they do so in a way that's non-intimidating and actually helpful.
The delivery service is a byproduct of five generations of greenhouse growers — and their plants show for it. Bloomscape cuts the middle man (aka nurseries) out of the equation, which means instead of your plant sitting in an uncontrolled environment for several weeks, it spends up to four days being taken care of in Bloomscape's greenhouse before getting shipped off to its new home (aka to you). According to the brand, this means your plants arrive healthy and already thriving — and after testing several plants, I can attest this is true.
Bloomscape's library of plants is impressive. There aren't thousands of options that would overwhelm a beginner, but there's enough variety to keep you intrigued — from no-fuss plants like the Sansevieria to options that require a tad more TLC like the fiddle leaf fig. The best part? Bloomscape allows you to filter through three maintenance levels: no-fuss, easy, and moderate. With moderate being the most "difficult" option, you never have to worry about taking care of high-maintenance plants.
Best plants for new plant parents
There are several beautiful, low-maintenance plant options you can find on Bloomscape. Every plant comes in a sleek, eco-friendly pot and saucer, and there are different color options to choose from including gray, indigo, and charcoal. Side note: If you're serious about being a plant mom, I recommend getting a moisture meter to tell you when it's time to water. Here are my recommended plants if you're just dipping your toes into houseplants:
The Easy Peasy collection (US$87) is just that: incredibly easy to take care of. This is a small trio of two Sansevieria plants and a ponytail palm that thrive in an average household temperature, require little water and no misting, and only needs to be fed once every six months. They're just adorable.
Give your space a tropical touch with the bird of paradise plant (US$199). The brand says this is an easy plant to take care of — and despite one hiccup I had where my leaves were curling, I'd say it's still going strong in my home. I made sure to place it in an area that gives it direct light, and I mist it every other day as well as make sure the soil is always moist (not soggy).
The ZZ plant (US$69) is a care-free, medium-sized plant that looks great sitting on a stool or on a countertop. The name says it all — this plant quite literally takes care of itself and requires little to no maintenance to thrive. It's great for people who don't have a lot of light in their home or don't have time to do frequent waterings, and it's impressively adaptable. Mine arrived slightly bent to one side, but I clipped a few sticks to the stems to make them stand upright.
I'm a huge fan of the modern look the Sansevieria (US$149) — or snake plant — provides. And, it's super adaptable — it can tolerate low light and bright light, and doesn't need a ton of watering. I chose to pot mine in my own planter, and I love the contemporary element it gives my living space.
If you're looking for a more substantial plant, go for the fiddle leaf fig (US$249). At XXL, this is part of the largest size of plants Bloomscape carries and falls under the "moderate" maintenance level category. Its gorgeous curvatures and dramatic presence give a fresh edge to any nook you place it in, but because it prefers a warm, bright, and humid condition, it requires a bit more TLC to take care of. Still, I've had no trouble taking care of this plant and am enjoying seeing it thrive.
Informational care cards
Part of what sold me on Bloomscape are the informational care cards they provide for each plant. These cards tell you what your plant likes (and doesn't like), so keep them handy to reference later. Though if you're prone to losing things, each plant comes with a paper pin where you can write down the plant's specifications and pop it into the soil (they really thought of everything, folks). I wish the pins were already pre-written (I told you, I'm lazy), but it still provides reassurance that you won't have to rely on memory to know how to take care of your plant.
Excellent customer service
I was thoroughly impressed with Bloomscape's customer service. They provide real-time expert support and a free replacement if your plant dies within 30 days. It was helpful knowing that the online customer service chat was available 24/7 — I was able to send them a picture of an issue I was having with one of my plants and they immediately sent me several helpful tips on how to remedy it.
One thing I'd dock a point for are the inconsistencies with the packaging. One of my trays arrived broken (to which customer service replaced it immediately) and a few of my plants came in damaged boxes.
Is Bloomscape worth it?
If you need a bit (or a lot) of hand-holding when it comes to shopping for plants, or if large nurseries overwhelm you, Bloomscape is definitely worth it. Though the price points are higher than what you'd find in a nursery, you know you're getting a fresh, healthy, ready-to-go plant. You can easily shop for plants and filter by difficulty level, which is helpful in getting a head start on what plants you'd like to invest in. The plants also come already potted in aesthetically-pleasing pots with an accompanying saucer, so you don't have to worry about spending money on a planter if you don't want to.
All in all, Bloomscape takes the guesswork out of plant care and offers beautiful, versatile plants, great customer service, and reasonable price tags.
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