FEATURE
PLANTS OF INTEREST Poinsettia
To most the poinsettia is resolutely red, but the strength of this beautiful Christmas plant lies in the variety of colours ranging from autumnal orange, pinks and whites. There are any number of shapes and sizes available, even tiny miniatures – whatever the requirement, poinsettia will have the solution.
“Christmas decorations are most
effective when they include natural elements, particularly plants.”
The white spectrum of poinsettia is looking to be very popular this year and ranges from softest cream to sharpest white – bracts can also be crinkled, speckled, spotted, marbled or plain, and will provide a dense abundance of colour and texture. They are also highly versatile in that they can be planted in a variety of interesting ways too – this plant is happy to be suspended upside down from ceilings either with their root balls wrapped in moss and secured with twine, or within a special planter. It’s a simple, elegant and impactful way of imbuing an environment with the essence of Christmas and creating an installation that is a meeting point between art and horticulture, but without losing any floor space.
Poinsettias have suffered a bad reputation for fragility over the years, however if the plants are acquired from a trusted grower, ensuring that they aren’t damaged during delivery and are planted away from draughts and cold, there shouldn’t be a problem and this plant will happily dazzle throughout the season.
Amaryllis Amaryllis
A natural show-stopper, the amaryllis brings much festive dazzle to Christmas with its natural height, trumpet-like blooms and strappy leaves. These striking plants have tall flower spires, ranging in height from 30cm to 60cm with blooms almost disproportionately large for the stem beneath them. They are however surprisingly sturdy, very unlikely to topple over and with sufficient natural light will joyfully flower throughout the festive weeks. Native to South Africa, amaryllis blooms are available in a sunset of intense reds perfect for Christmas, as well as pure whites - there’s even a combination of both in one flower, a red and white candy stripe option too.
Cyclamen
Alongside the festive pizzazz of poinsettia and amaryllis, or Christmas trees with their show-stopping decorations, these tiny gems can be too easily forgotten. The colours are quintessentially festive, with a seasonal symphony of bright, rich reds and cool whites, as well as the abundance of hot pinks (often a festive trend) for which they are best known. Each flower lasts for weeks and the display is further lengthened by the succession of subsequent blooms.
Single colour planting can be stunning due to the graduations of colour within each flower, so there is nothing ‘flat’ about this look. Conversely, red/white or pink/white combinations can be used to stunning effect. Their shape and size make them ideal for underplanting too, when their colours can provide a perfect contrast or harmony with what’s going on around them. They require little care, good humidity and bright, indirect light and they’re good to go.
Rosemary
No winter-season flowers here, but the rosemary is ideal for topiary – cut into miniature pyramidal tree shapes, particularly if graduating in size, plus their powerful fragrance (so often lacking in real pine trees), they bring something unique to the Christmas party. Miniature rosemary trees provide a dense, textured evergreen backdrop to accompany the vivid colours and sparkle of Christmas.
Indoor Garden Design was established in 1975 and is a multi-award-winning company at the forefront of contemporary interior and exterior horticultural design - transforming workspaces, offices, hotels and restaurants, and bringing events to life.
Poinsettia
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www.indoorgardendesign.com TOMORROW’S FM | 23
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