Mandy Moore's Living Room "Gallery Window" Makes This Surprisingly Beautiful Garden Plant the Focal Point
Forget wall decor, the 'This Is Us' star's home uses the nature in her yard to make a real style statement
Up until now, we've loved Mandy Moore for her heartful filmography but after virtually touring her mid-century modern Pasadena home, we can say for certain that her style quotient translates off the red carpet and well into the corners of her gorgeous abode.
The home itself is artfully decorated and wonderfully laid out but the living room, in particular, caught our interest. The actresses' ceiling-to-floor windows look out onto a beautiful cacti patch. Instead of leaving the space barren, Mandy has made the most of this small sliver of land, giving her room a ton of visual interest in the form of this live green backdrop.
We love this cactus garden idea as a way to channel some retro chic for your home and yard, and to help you on your cacti garden journey, we've gotten our experts to give us their top tips on how to bring this trend home.
What's Growing in Mandy Moore's Scenic Cacti Patch?
As seen in the listing images on Realtor.com, Mandy Moore's cacti garden seems to have a variety of tall, spiky plants by her living room. While we can't tell for sure, we did get some insight into the possible cacti mix coming to life in the star's home.
According to gardening expert Tony O'Neill, Mandy's cacti patch seems to include a combination of combination of different varieties to create a stunning, layered effect. Inspired by Meditteranean garden ideas, Tony recommends including cereus peruvianus for one. "Also known as the Peruvian apple cactus, this variety is known for its tall, columnar structure," he notes. "I also recommend planting echinocactus grusonii or golden barrel cactus, recognizable by its round, spiny shape, and golden-yellow color."
On the other hand, plant expert Michael Clarke, tells us that Mandy is most likely cultivating the variegated variety of euphorbia ammak in her cactus garden. "Euphorbia Ammak is easy to grow, requiring very little water and care," he explains. " And it can be grown from a container from your local nursery or propagated from stem cuttings."
The way we see it, these expert-recommended cacti options all make for great growing options. Especially if you reside in a dry climate zone and are looking for drought-tolerant plants that won't die on you.
How to care for your cacti garden?
A cacti garden only looks as good as it is healthy. And when it comes to these hardy plants, they don't need much care but a little love goes a long way.
Michael tells us that these cacti are easy to care for, requiring water once a week in spring and summer and virtually no additional water in the winter, during the rainy season.
"They do best in well-draining soil similar to cactus/succulent mixes," he says. "And you want to allow the soil to dry between waterings so that no excess moisture can linger in the root zone for long periods of time."
To give your cacti an extra boost, Tony also recommends treating them to a dose of organic fertilizer, if and when they need it.
Besides being great outdoor grows, cacti also happen to be one of the best low-maintenance plants for indoor gardening. So whether you're growing them outside like Mandy or in pots within your home, follow these clever tips to keep your crops in the pink of their health.
There's nothing better than plants that double as decorative. And cacti is one of the best in the game when it comes to infusing a space with visual intrigue. Besides, they're totally brat-coded, making now the best time to bring them home.
How to propagate cacti from cuttings?
To propagate cacti on your own, Michael recommends taking a cutting that's at least 6 inches long from another plant, letting it dry for a few days until the cut end is fully calloused, and then planting it in your soil.
"When planting Euphorbia Ammak, you want to make sure your soil is well-draining and doesn't hold water for long periods of time," he says. "Mixing sand into the soil mix will also help with this."
What is the lifespan of cacti?
Planting these gorgeous cacti will allow your garden to reap the benefits for years to come. They're known to live for over 200 years, making them a valuable garden investment.
As long as you take good care of them, giving them the occasional bit of TLC, they'll be good to go for generations to enjoy.
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Amiya is a News Writer at Livingetc. She recently graduated with a Masters Degree in Magazine Journalism from City, University of London, and has lent her words to beauty, fashion, and health sections of lifestyle publications including Harper’s Bazaar and Women’s Health. Her experience as a research analyst has equipped her with an eye for emerging trends. When she’s off the clock, she can be found reading, listening to music, or overanalyzing her latest Co-Star update.
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