Decorating with Houseplants for a Special Breakfast
Houseplants bring life to any room, especially during these cold, dreary days of winter.
I love container plants, and whenever I entertain, I like to decorate my home with a wide assortment of interesting specimens from my greenhouse. Yesterday, in preparation for a special business breakfast at my Bedford, New York farm, Ryan brought in more than two dozen potted plants - begonias, rhipsalis and other cheerful succulents to welcome my early morning guests.
Enjoy these photos.
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- A day before any party, Ryan loads up my Polaris Ranger with beautiful houseplants and brings them into my Winter House. Fortunately, this vehicle is completely enclosed, so the plants could be transported without too much exposure to the cold.
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- Here’s Ryan carrying two houseplants through my expansive porch entrance on the upper terrace parterre. I keep all my houseplants in the greenhouse, where they can be maintained properly, especially during winter and times when I am traveling.
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- In my foyer, Ryan placed six small Haworthia plants on the center table. These are delightful little succulents that form very attractive and singular houseplants.
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- These low growing plants form rosettes of fleshy green leaves that are generously covered with white, pearly warts or bands, giving them a distinctive appearance.
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- Also in this front hall – a potted rhipsalis, native to the rainforests of South America, the Caribbean and Central America.
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- Here is another potted rhipsalis with its drooping green stems. It is an epiphytic cactus that needs morning sun and afternoon shade.
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- To the right of my foyer is my green parlor. It looks so inviting decorated with container plants. Here is a trio of begonias. Rhizomatous begonia flowers bloom in late winter to early spring and can range from shades of pink blush to bright white.
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- A similar trio of plants is in another corner – all sitting on antique cast-iron pedestals. Begonias are considered cool temperature plants and will do best in temperatures ranging from 58 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
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- Sitting on another decorative pedestal near my fireplace is a a slightly larger rhipsalis than the ones in my front hall. Rhipsalis is the largest and most widely distributed genus of epiphytic cacti. The long tendrils are dark green at the top and somewhat paler at the ends.
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- On a table in this parlor, Ryan placed another begonia. Begonias are remarkably resistant to pests primarily because their leaves are rich in oxalic acid – a natural insect repellent.
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- On one side of my “canary” room, more rhipsalis – I love its growing habit. It looks so beautiful draping over the sides of my antique wicker planter.
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- Here is a gorgeous vase of cut Cymbidium orchids – they add such pretty color to the room with their vibrant pinks and yellows.
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- If you like growing plants, but don’t really have the time to care for them properly, consider growing succulents. Succulents require very little maintenance. These plants are able to survive prolonged drought because they store moisture in their fleshy stems, roots, or leaves. And they grow in so many different and interesting formations.
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- Sansevieria cylindrica or the cylindrical snake plant is a succulent native to Angola. It has striped, rounded leaves that are smooth and green to gray in color.
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- This colorful houseplant is a Calathea lancifolia, or rattlesnake plant. It’s a great indoor ornamental houseplant with long, medium green leaves and dark green spots. The undersides of the leaves are a deep shade of purple.
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- In between my kitchen and “canary” room is my servery, a room from which meals are served – I often prepare and serve cocktails and other drinks from this space. Ryan decorated it with more beautiful begonias.
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- On the opposite side is another begonia with bold green foliage. Begonias grow best in light, well-drained soil. Any good light potting mix is okay for your containers.
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- There is no end to the variety of leaf shape, color and texture in the begonia. This is one of two that were placed at the entrance to my kitchen.
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- And here is my longtime housekeeper, Laura, at the sink washing spinach for the green juice I will prepare for my breakfast. I am so thrilled I can grow delicious organic greens to share with my guests.
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- As always, Laura set a lovely table for the event. This breakfast will be at my kitchen island – a small group of 10.
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- Laura decorated it with drabware dishes and cheerful plaid napkins – the perfect touch for this special meal.
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- Laying on the floor nearby is Empress Qin – she has grown up to be a gorgeous Chow Chow just like her mother, Peluche, and her grandfather, G.K.
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- The next time you are entertaining, consider using houseplants as decorations – they are sure to liven up any space. What are your favorite container plants?
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