I am often asked how can we can make plants and planters look more modern without spending a lot of money. Class A Office Buildings, hotels, restaurants, and shopping malls have a budget to upgrade things such as furniture, carpet and flooring but when it comes to plants – there is not a budget for an upgrade. The good news is that there are several ways Choice Planting has been able to achieve this for our clients without them spending a lot of money.
- Change your topdressing. The most common is sphagnum moss and there is nothing pretty about it other than it looks better than the grow pot. There are, however, new options including rock, faux rock, rubber mulch and glass chips. Quite often, you can upgrade your topdressing with one of these options and it immediately improves the overall appearance of the plant and planter. If you are trying to “go green” rubber mulch is a perfect choice since it is made 100% out of recycled materials.
- Upgrade your containers. They have come a long way with decorative containers. There are tall sleek cylinders and squares, containers in black metal stands and some really cool shapes, colors and textured finishes that can really accent your existing décor. Many of these containers are made in the USA and made out of recycled materials again if you are interested in “going green”. Check out the Eco-Fiberglass Planters offered by ASI – not bad for an inexpensive option.
- Consider new plants and planters with a payment plan option. I like to design under the theory less is more meaning that it is not the quantity of plants and planters but strategically placing the plants and planters to create a “WOW factor” Quite often, we are able to achieve this within the existing budget.
- Living Walls/Plant Portraits/Vertical Gardens. The new trend in the industry is creating a living wall/vertical garden or a plant portrait. Living walls can enhance air quality and support occupants’ health and productivity without taking up floor space.The industry is always changing – New Topdressings, new containers, new plant options with colored foliage, and new trends. Even small changes can make you plantings look new.