Decorating a dorm room can be tough. You’ll find yourself going out to countless retailers on the hunt for the perfect decorations and accessories to adorn your new space, only to be left unsatisfied. You’ve already spent hundreds of dollars on knick-knacks, posters, tapestries, decorative pillows and string lights. What more is there to even include? The answer to that question is staring you right in the face through your window: plants. Keeping a houseplant or two in your dorm is a great way to add a pop of color and give your life a bit of structure, but the question is: Where can I find some houseplants for my dorm?
Local plant nurseries
The best place to get your plants will be a plant nursery. Prices at these nurseries will probably be a bit higher than elsewhere, but the plants are usually in better condition. They’ve been better taken care of and are usually healthier than plants from larger retailers. These plants are also native and won’t be carrying foreign pests or diseases, meaning they’re likely to have a longer lifespan. A great perk about buying directly from plant nurseries in the area is that the employees at the plant nursery are knowledgeable on these plants and will give you better advice on which plant to pick and how to care for it than someone working at a large chain retailer.
The Sill
The Sill is an online plant vendor that specializes in plants for beginners. Many of the plants they offer come with a little book on how to take care of it and also come with “plant insurance.” Yes, you read that correctly. If you purchase a plant from The Sill and it dies within a year, they will replace it at no cost to you. This guarantee doesn’t apply to every type of plant they offer, but it does apply to many of them. The Sill is also one of the more expensive options on this list, but they guarantee quality, fast shipping and customer service that many of these other retailers do not.
Walmart
Walmart’s outdoors and gardening section has slowly been growing over the last few years. The plants found here aren’t always the healthiest, nor do they have a very large variety, but they are generally cheaper than anywhere else. Many of their smaller plants already come potted in cute decorative clay pots, so if you’re more into plants for the decorative aspect as opposed to the horticultural aspect, a retailer like Walmart is likely your best bet.
Lowe’s or Home Depot
Retailers like Lowe’s and Home Depot are similar to Walmart. The prices are lower than they are at nurseries. The plants have been shipped from varying locations, may be pre-potted and may not be in the best of health. Since they are stores that specialize in outdoor equipment and home improvement, they have a larger variety of plants in stock. If you can’t find the perfect plant at Walmart but still don’t want to spend the time and money on a plant from a local nursery, try perusing your local home improvement retailer.
Etsy
There are countless shops on Etsy that sell potted plants if you type in the plant you are looking for. These plants can range anywhere from less than $10 to over $500. Some of the plants are sold in pots or with other accessories while some are just the plant shipped in a cheap plastic pot. Since Etsy is just a site composed of individual sellers and small businesses, be sure to read plenty of reviews and the business’ policies to be sure you’re getting what you want and what you paid for.
