'Interior landscaping'
makes houseplants stylish
Thursday,
September 25, 2008
By BILL SCHEICK / Special
Contributor to The Dallas Morning News
They called me because there were strange noises coming from their plants,"
says Terry Lemons, an 18-year interior landscaper now with Ambius in Carrollton.
"I had to search around a bit before I found a tiny tree frog," Ms. Lemons
explains via e-mail. Interior landscaping creates a spectacular effect, she
adds, "but sometimes you get more than just the plants. Sometimes they arrive
with traveling friends."
The visiting tree frog was a minor matter, easily taken care of and not the
real story.
The real story is Ms. Lemons' profession, indoor landscaping, a growing trend
in interior decoration – especially in contemporary spaces where sculptural
plants and trees take on architectural significance.
"Interior landscaping is becoming a fashion-driven business," says Michelle
Rodwell, marketing director at Ambius. "As much effort is now put into the
design of the containers, accessories and overall look as into plant selection."
The interior style and architecture of a residence usually influence the
color, material and shape of the container, says Dr. Delphinium's Melody Neff,
director of corporate sales, events and interior landscaping.
"The container selection in a traditional home filled with antiques is so
completely different than the streamlined, sharp-edged containers I would use in
a contemporary setting," she says.
Instead of minimalist shapes and colors appropriate for contemporary
interiors, she explains, she would consider French-style urns or vessels
reproducing the imagery and colors of 18th-century Chinese export wares.
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Large palms, which the Victorian English cultivated in their drawing rooms
and American twentysomethings nurtured in the corners of their '70s apartments,
remain popular. They are graceful, available in monumental sizes and easy to
keep alive with minimal expertise.
Ms. Neff says for her high-end clients, "I do a broad scale of palms, still,
but for other styles of homes I do all types of aralias. Another home might call
for lyrata, what some people call fiddleleaf fig; somebody else might want all
succulents.
"A lot of my new clients are coming from all parts of the world, transferred
here for their jobs," she continues. "People are wanting cactus, for instance,
because they didn't see it in the environment they came from. Something we think
is everyday, to them is exotic." |
A barrel cactus is an unusual, but striking,
houseplant. Consider its placement carefully.
Photos by NATALIE CAUDILL/DMN
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On the other hand, the client whose North Dallas house is pictured here chose
plant material she remembers from her childhood in another region of the United
States. With the client's interior designer on hand to suggest the bare
positions that needed a botanical solution, "I told the client what we could
make thrive that she remembered from her past and showed her pictures" of other
plants as alternatives.
Consumers for whom interior landscaping will be a DIY project should be aware
of several key points, says Ms. Lemons.
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"You don't want your plant to be dwarfed by its spot, nor should you squeeze
your plant into a space that is too small," she says.
Cycads, for example, can make a dramatic impression, but they require plenty
of room to keep them from becoming prickly obstructions.
Ms. Lemons recommends slender lady palm (Raphis excelsa) "for that
narrower area where an elegant, upright growth habit looks best." For larger
corners, the Kentia palm (Howea forsteriana) is a slow-growing selection
that becomes increasingly graceful as it ages. |
Large palms, like this one in a bedroom corner,
remain popular.
Photos by NATALIE CAUDILL/DMN
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The Chinese fan palm (Livistona chinensis) is often mistaken for the
Kentia palm. The Chinese fan palm grows more slowly but eventually gets much
taller and wider. It gets way too big for most rooms. Recently the majestic
Chinese fan palm grown in the Palm House in Austria had to be cut down because,
at 82 feet, it was threatening the glass roof.
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Besides plant type and space size, there are other practical considerations;
lighting heads the list.
"Being in or near a window, or beneath a good fluorescent light, is a must,"
Ms. Lemons advises. How much light depends on the type of plant. While the
slender lady palm requires a considerable amount of light, the Kentia palm and
the tropical bird-of-paradise tree (Strelitzia nicolai ) do fine with
medium exposure. Gorgeous Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema pseudobracteatum),
with big, variegated, oval foliage, thrives in low-light areas.
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Paddle-shape leaves of Ficus lyrata, in the fig
family, add a sculptural shape to a spare corrider.
Photos by NATALIE CAUDILL/DMN
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"Watering is the biggest challenge for most people," Ms. Lemons says. "People
tend to love their big plants to death by over-watering."
Under-watering can be just as disastrous, and excellent drainage is
crucial. Plants should never sit directly in water. To offset the drying effect
of heating systems, mist foliage and place containers on a layer of pebbles in
trays of shallow water. Use distilled water to avoid leaf-tip burn from the
chemicals in tap water.
Check the soil once a week to determine whether it is dry. "Don't be afraid
to stick your finger deep into the soil," Ms. Lemons says. "If after a week the
soil is still wet, then you over-watered and should not hydrate again until dry
to the touch. But water less to compensate for over-watering last time." If the
dirt is bone dry – an extreme condition best avoided – then add more water than
was applied the previous time.
Dr. Delphinium's clients are signing on for the company's turn-key service,
but Ms. Neff's checklist is also useful for consumers. In addition to the
factors of light exposure and water needs, Ms. Neff warns against placing plants
in direct contact with heated and cooled air from vents. It's also important to
choose plants based on whether there are pets or children in the house. Not only
are some plants poisonous if eaten, but are there spines, sharp leaf tips or
serrated edges?
| Both the slender lady palm and the Kentia palm can be pricey. Ficus
varieties are less-expensive alternatives, particularly for people experimenting
with large indoor plants for the first time. These fig species generally require
high light. Think beyond the India rubber plant (Ficus elastica). Look
for the weeping fig (F. benjamina ), with festive cultivars such as
deep-hued 'Wintergreen'. Or consider the fiddleleaf fig (F. lyrata),
prized for the largest foliage of any indoor ficus. For an emphatic exotic look
there is the Alii fig (F. maclellandii 'Alii'), a recent introduction
somewhat mimicking a palm profile but topped with graceful, willowlike leaves.
It's hard to beat the aesthetic appeal of large plants, but there are
practical benefits, too. Indoor foliage reduces background noise, counters
stress and promotes well-being.
Large plants filter benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene,
chemicals often present in upholstered furnishings. |
Large indoor plants
can be placed strategically in a living room for a decorative effect.
Photos by NATALIE CAUDILL/DMN
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"During winter, in particular," Ms. Lemons adds, "big plants humidify air
dried by heating and reduce carbon dioxide, a contributor to sick-building
syndrome."
According to the International Society of Arboriculture, proper placement of
healthy interior trees can reduce heating and cooling costs by as much as 20
percent. Plants have a natural cooling process called transpiration and can
decrease a room's temperature by 10 degrees, according to the U.S. Department of
Agriculture.
Home editor Mariana Greene contributed to this story.
INDOOR PLANT LIGHT GUIDE
LOW LIGHT
Cast-iron plant (Aspidistra elatior)
Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema pseudobracteatum)
'Janet Craig' dracaena (Dracaena deremensis 'Janet Craig')
Parlor palm (Chamaedorea elegans)
Peace lily (Spathiphyllum spp.)
Philodendron (Philodendron spp.)
Pothos ivy (Epipremnum aureum)
'Warneckii' dracaena (Dracaena deremensis 'Warneckii')
ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)
MEDIUM LIGHT
Bird-of-paradise-tree (Strelitzia nicolai)
'Festival Grass' cordyline
Flamingo flower (Anthurium scherzerianum)
Kentia palm (Howea forsteriana)
Sago palms (Cycas circinalis; C. revoluta)
Schefflera (Brassaia actinophylla)
HIGH LIGHT
Bamboo palm (Chamaedorea erumpens)
Chinese fan palm (Livistona chinensis)
Fig (Ficus benjamina; F. lyrata; F. maclellandii 'Alii')
Miniature date palm (Phoenix roebelenii)
Pony tail (Beaucarnea recurvata)
Slender lady palm (Raphis excelsa)
Source: Top Tropicals Botanical Garden, www.toptropicals.com
PLANT TIPS
•Choose the right space for the size of each plant.
•Light is important – natural or fluorescent.
•Check the soil to ensure that plants aren't over- or underwatered.
•Don't place plants in direct contact with heated and cooled air from vents.
•Choose plants based on whether there are pets or children in the house.
SOURCES: Terry Lemons and Melody Neff
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