Green is the new gold: How to add a festive touch to your home with plants and flowers

As Poila Boishakh, Bihu, and Vaisakhi roll in with mango blossoms, new calendars, and that age-old itch to give your home a glow-up, here’s a hot take — let your décor bloom. Literally. Forget swanky drapes and that gold-accented something from an online sale. This year, go for a glow that grows — with potted plants, foraged flowers, and all things leaf-and-love.


Doors, dining & that 'first impression' flexWhy spend hours crafting a rangoli when your staircase can be flanked by areca palms that say "hello" in green? Deck your grill gate with marigold malas, or better yet, twist some neem and tulsi into your own DIY toran. For the dining table, ditch the sterile ceramic and plonk a wild bunch of eucalyptus, bougainvillea or even hibiscus into that kulhad you've been hoarding. Clay pots, terracotta jugs, or recycled jam jars — let them double up as flower vases. The best centrepieces are the ones that make your relatives think you’ve hired a stylist.
Use: gate-side palms + DIY floral centrepiece




Balconies & bedrooms: Your everyday escape zonesWhy book a staycation when your balcony can feel like a spring soirée? Cluster flowering pots with leafy friends. A mismatched family of rajanigandha, rose, and some mogra in a chipped kettle — it's the Bengali version of cottagecore. Add a decorative moira butterfly on metal resin stick to your planters — it’s like that one nosy but fabulous aunt who brings flair to every gathering. Move indoors and let your bedroom turn into a bloom-scented bubble. Hang kokedama balls from curtain rods, or place a single rajnigandha stem beside your bed in a brass tumbler. You’ll dream better, we promise.
Use: balcony corner + Moira butterfly + bedside floral pop


Loos & ladders: The unexpected glow-upEven your bathroom’s in on the glow-up this year. A pothos trailing from the shower window? Yes, please. A peace lily next to the sink? Namaste, zen. Got an awkward hallway or an old ladder gathering dust? Give it a second life. Lean it against a corner and dress it in string lights, potted ivies, or even dried wheat stalks tied with festive ribbons. Add a tall snake plant in a copper bucket below and boom — forgotten corner turned festive photo-op.

Use: trailing plants in bathroom + bamboo ladder moment

Phool proof: This season’s buzziest blooms
Here’s what you can grab in 20 minutes from your local phoolwallah:

• Genda (marigold): Bright, cheap, and basically the haldi of home décor.
• Rajnigandha (tuberose): For that dreamy, old-world Pujo-adda aroma.
• Bougainvillea: Vivid, wild, and free—especially if you snip it from your neighbour’s wall.
• Palash (flame of the forest): The OG spring bloomer—sets the festive tone on literal fire.
• Roses (drama queens): Classic, fragrant, and they know they’re the main character.
• Hibiscus: Bold red, sacred, and puja-approved.
• Aparajita: Soft violet, totally underrated, and perfect for stringing into torans.

“Even if you don’t have a green thumb—and call yourself a ‘plant killer’—you can still use flower cuttings, leafy branches, and painted recycled bottles for a touch of green. It adds a personal signature to your space.”
— Alokananda Mukherjee, gardening enthusiast