You Don’t Need a Garden: 6 Plants I’m Growing in My Nashville Apartment This Spring
Can I tell you something that changed my entire relationship with my apartment? Plants.
Not in a “I bought a fiddle leaf fig and it died within three weeks and I cried about it” way — been there, done that, not doing it again. I mean actually figuring out which plants work in a small rented space with inconsistent natural light and a person (me) who sometimes forgets things exist for four days straight.
This spring I’ve been fully in my plant era and honestly? My apartment has never felt more alive. There’s something about having living things on your windowsill and shelves that makes even the most basic rented space feel intentional and cared for. It’s the $12 version of an interior design glow-up and I am completely sold.
Here are the six plants I’m currently growing indoors — all apartment-friendly, all beginner-proof, and all genuinely beautiful enough to earn a spot in your space.
01 — Basil
The one that makes your kitchen smell like Italy
Basil is my ride-or-die windowsill plant and I will not hear otherwise. It’s fast-growing, incredibly satisfying to harvest, and the smell alone is worth every penny. I keep mine in a terracotta pot on my south-facing kitchen windowsill where it gets the most direct light — basil is a sun lover and will tell you immediately if it’s not getting enough (it gets leggy and sad, very dramatic).
Care basics: Water when the top inch of soil feels dry — roughly every 2-3 days in spring. Don’t let it sit in standing water. Pinch off any flower buds as soon as they appear or the leaves will turn bitter. Harvest from the top down to encourage bushy growth. Full sun, 6+ hours a day minimum.
Why I love it: I use it in everything — pasta, salads, the occasional fancy lemonade. Growing your own herbs is genuinely one of the most satisfying small shifts you can make in your kitchen.
02 — Pothos
The plant that survives everything, including me
If you’ve killed every plant you’ve ever owned, get a pothos. Seriously. This trailing beauty is practically indestructible — it tolerates low light, irregular watering, and general neglect with an ease that borders on impressive. Mine lives on a high shelf in my living room and trails down about two feet now. It looks like something from an editorial shoot and requires almost zero effort.
Care basics: Water every 1-2 weeks, allowing soil to dry out between waterings. Tolerates low to medium indirect light, though it grows faster and stays more vibrant in brighter spots. Wipe leaves with a damp cloth occasionally to keep them glossy. Propagates incredibly easily in water if you want more plants for free.
Why I love it: It adds that lush, green, “this person has their life together” energy to any shelf or bookcase. And the trailing vines look beautiful in a hanging planter near a window.
03 — Mint
Iced tea season is coming and you need this
Mint is having a serious moment in my apartment right now and the timing is perfect — spring is exactly when you want to start growing it so it’s in full swing by the time iced drinks season hits. I keep mine in a pot on its own because mint will absolutely take over a shared container if you let it.
Care basics: Mint loves moisture — water regularly and don’t let it dry out completely. It prefers indirect light but handles some direct morning sun well. Pinch regularly to encourage fuller growth and prevent it from bolting. Keep it in its own pot, always.
Why I love it: Fresh mint in iced water, in salads, in cocktails — it feels incredibly luxurious and costs pennies to grow. Also, the smell when you brush against it is genuinely one of the best things in the world.
04 — Peace Lily
The most elegant low-maintenance plant you can own
The peace lily is my “I want my apartment to look like a boutique hotel” plant. Those glossy dark green leaves and elegant white blooms are stunning, and unlike most flowering plants, it genuinely thrives in low light — which makes it perfect for rooms that don’t get much direct sun. My bathroom one is living its best life with zero direct sunlight and minimal attention.
Care basics: Water once a week, or when leaves start to very slightly droop — it’s actually good at telling you when it’s thirsty. Keep out of direct sunlight which can scorch the leaves. Wipe leaves down occasionally. It’ll let you know it’s happy by blooming in spring and summer.
Why I love it: It’s one of the few plants that genuinely looks like a design choice. No one looks at a peace lily and thinks “beginner plant” — they think “this person has taste.”
05 — Succulents
Tiny, beautiful, and completely unbothered
I know succulents are everywhere and have been for years, but hear me out — there’s a reason. They are genuinely perfect for small spaces, they come in the most beautiful shapes and colors, and they require so little attention that they thrive on neglect. I have a small collection on my bedroom windowsill and they’ve been happily doing their thing since November.
Care basics: Water deeply but infrequently — every 2-3 weeks in spring, even less in winter. They need well-draining soil and bright indirect light. The number one way to kill a succulent is overwatering. When in doubt, don’t water it yet.
Why I love it: A cluster of three or four different succulents in small terracotta pots looks incredibly intentional on a windowsill or shelf. They’re also great for gifting — propagate a few and pop them in cute little pots for friends.
06 — Cherry Tomatoes
Yes, you can grow these indoors and yes it’s as satisfying as it sounds
Okay this one feels a little ambitious but I promise it’s not. Cherry tomatoes are actually one of the better options for indoor growing because they don’t need as much space as full-size tomatoes and they produce fruit faster. I have mine in a deep window box on my sunniest windowsill and the progress has been genuinely exciting to watch.
Care basics: They need the most sun of anything on this list — aim for 6-8 hours of direct or very bright indirect light daily. Water consistently and deeply, keeping soil moist but not soggy. Use a tomato-specific or all-purpose liquid fertilizer every two weeks once flowering starts. You’ll likely need a small bamboo stake as they grow taller.
Why I love it: There is nothing quite like eating a tomato you grew yourself in a Nashville apartment in the middle of May. Nothing. It is the small shift with the biggest possible payoff.
One Last Thing Before You Start
Here’s the advice I wish someone had given me when I started: don’t buy everything at once. Pick two plants from this list — one easy one (pothos, succulent) and one that excites you (basil, cherry tomatoes) — and get comfortable with those before adding more. The worst thing for a beginner is buying six plants, getting overwhelmed, and watching them all slowly decline because you didn’t have a system yet.
Start small. Build confidence. Add more when you’re ready. Your apartment will get greener gradually, and that slow transformation is honestly half the fun.
Spring is the absolute best time to start — the longer days and warmer light means everything grows faster and more forgivingly. There’s no better moment than right now.
Tell me in the comments — are you a plant person or a “I’ve killed everything I’ve ever owned” person? And if you try any of these, I’d genuinely love to know how it goes. 🌿