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Potted Plants, Trees, & Topiaries: Bringing the Garden Into the Design
There’s something about a beautifully placed potted plant that can completely transform a space.
A simple ivy topiary in a weathered terra cotta pot. A pair of citrus trees flanking an entry. Pots of wispy grasses adding movement to a patio. It doesn’t need to be elaborate to make an impactful impression.
I think of potted plants and topiaries as another layer of a home’s design; a layer that can soften the architecture, create a natural transition between indoors and out, and bring life to places that need just a little extra something.
Start With the Setting
When deciding exactly what kind of plant to use, the first consideration should always be where it will live.
At an entry, potted plants can create a beautiful sense of arrival.
On a back patio, they can help blur the line between the landscape and the spaces where you gather and entertain. And inside the home, containers give us an opportunity to introduce height, structure, color, and natural softness into your interiors.
But the architecture around it matters, as well.
Just as with interiors, deciding what’s right is about composition: the relationship between scale, form, color, and texture, preferably with a hint of the unexpected.
I love the simplicity of a classic terra cotta pot with a fern or ivy plant placed against beautiful architecture. In another setting, an oversized container filled with grasses might be more compelling.
Either way, taking the surrounding architecture into consideration before deciding on a pot or a plant will yield the best results.
What to Plant
I tend to gravitate towards plants that give us beautiful greenery for much of the year.
Boston ivy is a favorite of mine. Jasmine can be wonderful. Dwarf Meyer lemon and dwarf kumquat trees give not only glossy green foliage but also fragrant flowers and fruit. And there’s something so charming about seeing citrus growing just outside the door, or even inside if you have a sunroom or a skylight that can give those sun-loving plants what they need to thrive.
Succulents can create beautiful compositions, particularly when you combine varieties with different shapes, colors, and textures. Even something as straightforward as ornamental grasses can be stunning in the right vessel.
I’ve also successfully grown roses in pots for years. They can require a little more attention, but when the conditions are right, they’re absolutely worth it.
And then there are hydrangeas.
A lush hydrangea spilling out of a container is hard to beat. I also love that the blooms can have a second life: cut them at the right time, dry them, and bring them indoors to enjoy long after their season has passed.
Let the Seasons Change the Composition
Not every container needs to look the same twelve months of the year.
In fact, I love the idea of changing them with the seasons.
A pot that creates a wonderful moment at the front of the house during one part of the year might do best if moved to a more protected location later.
That creates an opportunity to bring something entirely new into its place for a season.
Our homes aren’t static, and neither is nature. A seasonal rotation lets the exterior evolve throughout the year and gives you the pleasure of enjoying a bit of change.
The Right Plant in the Right Place
Of course, we can’t choose plants based on appearance alone.
Sun and shade, airflow, climate, and the particular conditions around your home all matter. A plant tucked beside an entry may look perfect there, but if it isn’t receiving the light or circulation it needs (stagnant air can invite pests), it won’t stay beautiful for long.
This is one of the reasons I value working with talented landscape professionals like Mick Kopetsky at MIX Garden here in Healdsburg.
Image via MIX Garden Image via Pintrest Image via The Lumber Queen
Just as we collaborate with exceptional craftspeople and makers inside the home, bringing in someone who understands plants and the surrounding landscape allows us to make sure all the elements of the design work together well, and that whatever plants we bring in will be both beautiful and appropriate for the environment we place them in.
A Little Nature Goes a Long Way
I believe strongly in the restorative power of connecting with nature, and I’m always looking for ways to strengthen that connection at home.
Potted plants are one of the simplest ways to do just that.
They can soften a threshold, enliven a patio, echo the surrounding landscape, or simply create a beautiful moment that catches your eye every time you walk past.
And the best part is that it doesn’t have to be complicated to be beautiful.
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