An African violet mix has sphagnum peat moss, charcoal, vermiculite and perlite . A cactus blend has everything the African violet mix has, plus some sand. You can make your own mixes, but it's a messy and time-consuming task. If all you need is a little specialty mix, store-bought bags are ideal. You can also buy small bags of goodies that can really dress up your houseplants.
Spanish moss is great for placing at the base of houseplants to hide the dirt.
The same is true of ground moss, which you can put around all sorts of container plants . You can also buy small bags of stones, and they too can make the perfect finishing touch on a plant-pot combination.