Make a welcome entrance
Bamboos and fiddle leaf figs are some of the plants that work well indoors. SHOW OFF: PERFECT POSITIONING OF PLANTS CAN BREATHE LIFE INTO A ROOM
In Japanese culture great emphasis is placed on transitioning from the outer busy world of work to the nurturing inner space of the home. The journey from the car to the front door is that transition space, a moment to pause. But, in many cases, our garages lead directly into the home. In apartment living the distance between the outer and inner world is literally one step apart.
Which means that the entrance to the home and hallway, becomes the transition space. Even in the smallest of spaces, it’s possible to create a welcoming environment, and of course plants can play a huge role.
GO BIG
A very large, high volume entrance area has its own challenges. It can feel a little stark but it’s the perfect position for displaying plants with large, textured leaves that grab the eye. One of two strategically placed plants will fill an empty space and bring it to life.
Areca palm (Bamboo) is one of the most graceful indoor plants with its arching, feathery leaves. It fills a space, but with a light touch. It needs a warm room and will do best if its pot is placed on a gravel-filled tray. The gravel keeps the base out of the water but helps with humidity.
Fiddle leaf fig (Ficus lyrata) is one of those stop-you-in-yourtracks kind of plant with its huge green lobed leaves. These plants can become indoor trees and can act as a natural room divider as well. They do best with good indirect light, tolerate ordinary household temperatures and should not be over-watered. They are also powerful air-purifying plants.
Spathiphyllum “Sensation” is a very large leaved peace lily. It grows up to 2m high and leaves can be almost 1m long. The white flaglike flowers are also a feature, and stand out against the lush, bright green leaves. It grows in bright, indirect light.
LIMITED SPACE?
If the entrance hall only allows a small table or shelf use the tabletop space to show off a flowering plant or compact foliage plant in a complementary container. Because entrances can be draughty choose hardy plants that don’t mind the passing traffic and occasional gusts of air. Generally, the light is good so there is quite a range of plants to choose from.
Long lasting flowering plants like chrysanthemum, calandiva, kalanchoe, Guzmania and even phalaenopsis orchids will brighten up the hallway.
Peperomia “Zorro” is hard to beat for vivid foliage colour. Its dark green pointed leaves, with a silvery sheen, appear to grow upwards towards the light, showing off the deep reddish-brown underside of the leaf. This variety can flower if it receives enough bright indirect light.
NO SPACE AT ALL?
The answer to this question is hanging baskets or trailing plants. These are the next big thing in indoor plants as indoor gardeners run out of space on the ground.
Train trailing plants to frame the entrance into the rest of the home or suspend one or two in hanging baskets, but not so that guests bang their heads.
Most trailing plants are happy with minimal water and are less likely to rot because of better air
flow. They are easy to trail with a little support and you can also take them up a stair rail.
The variegated yellow and green trailing Philodendron scandens is a very popular and easy to care for trailing plant. They grow in medium light and like moist soil that drains well. Use them in a hanging basket or plant in a trough with a small trellis and train the plant so that it completely covers the trellis. Trimming in summer triggers growth and keeps the plant fuller and leafier.
Indigenous senecio “String of Pearls” and related strings (turtles, hearts, dolphins, bananas) are real novelty plants and the more succulent types need very little water, but good light.