By Elaine Tunn

With Christmas fast approaching, you will certainly be thinking about how you are going to decorate your home or office space.  The artificial Christmas tree, with the same decorations you had last year, might not be so appealing this year. Why not get creative and include living plants into your Christmas theme for your office or home environment. Your colleagues and family will appreciate a brighter, healthier Christmas display.

So, where do you begin?

Firstly decide on a theme and how are you going to create that theme. If you are looking for live plants Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) is one of the most well-known Christmas plants. There are many varieties of poinsettia, but the most popular varieties are the ones rich in deep red hues.  At this time of year, they are often sold in decorative pots, but their striking natural colour is so vibrant that they serve well enough on their own as centrepieces and as decorations inside your office or home.

Or if you want to get more creative a ‘Christmas Green Wall’ might be the answer!

 

 

This beauty was designed and installed by Advance Plant Services, Nerang QLD (Interior Plantscape Association member) and it created a lot of media interest for the client and was a talking point for visitors and staff. www.advanceplants.com.au

 

 

USA interior plantscape designers always know how to impress their clients. In 2018 Cityscapes Inc. Boston USA in consultation with their client designed this theme with red and natural botanical elements that they called ‘Sleigh Ride’. They decorated trees with the Lit birch and smaller prop trees and included real ivy and red and gold poinsettias to add colour and different heights. Specular and stunning way to include artificial and living plants.  www.bostoncityscapes.com  Photo credit: Jan Goodman

 

 

 

Another 2018 inspirational USA Christmas theme ‘Less is More’ was created by Heroman Services Plant Company Pensacola, Florida for ‘The Lodge, Gulf State Park, A Hilton Hotel on Alabama’s Gulf Coast. This design included fresh poinsettia plants & certainly kept to the theme ‘Less is More’.  The GM and staff were so proud of their holiday décor that one of the wreaths were used as the cover for their Christmas card and brochures.

Deborah Heroman commented that ‘The Christmas décor at the Lodge was no means the largest, the flashiest or even the most tradition but it is one of the most special projects from the heart that Heroman Services have ever completed. And frankly loads of seasonal fun’!!  www.heromanservices.com

Australian Christmas

 

Not all of your Christmas decorations need to be in the traditional reds and greens. You can embrace our Australian culture and still create a seasonal celebration in your business or home with plants from your very own back garden.

Many Australians looking for a living Christmas tree will purchase firs and pines. But many others will think outside the box, or out in their back garden and gather fallen eucalyptus boughs or driftwood to decorate with baubles. Ferns and fronds are also a great option, bringing lush, green vibrancy and plenty of clean air inside and most importantly they will stay alive and thriving for not only the Christmas period but for many months after, especially if you have your Christmas décor and indoor plants are installed and maintained by a professional Interior Plantscaper.

Christmas comes but once a year, thank goodness I can hear you say!! J. So, if you’re not sure about what theme, what colours or more importantly how much should you invest there’s a much easier option. Interior Plantscape Association members are experienced interior plant designers and are ready to help bring some cheer to your business or home with their creative and professional Christmas designs incorporating living plants. Contact one of members now for suggestions on how to make your Christmas magical. www.interiorplantscape.asn.au

Note: Special thanks to Cityscapes Inc. Boston and Heroman Services Plant Company, Pensacola, FL for sharing photos and stories. And a big thank you to Kathy Fediw www.interiorscapeconsultant.co for connecting Interior Plantscapers in the USA with the Interior Plantscape Association, Australia.