Displaying Potted Plants Around My Home
Houseplants bring life to any room.
I love container plants, and whenever I am home I always like to keep a collection of interesting specimens in my enclosed porch, around my sitting room, and in my servery where I can see them every day. Most of my potted plants are kept in the greenhouse, so they can be maintained and carefully monitored. Last week, my head gardener, Ryan McCallister, rotated some of the potted specimens and brought in a selection of interesting succulents, ferns, and others.
Enjoy these photos.
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- I often display interesting and eye-catching container plants in my Winter House porch. The big floor to ceiling windows provide lots of light and they all surround my desk, where I can enjoy them while writing or while attending remote meetings.
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- This is a potted rhipsalis, native to the rainforests of South America, the Caribbean and Central America. Rhipsalis is a cacti genus with approximately 35 distinct species. I have many types of rhipsalis growing in my greenhouse. Rhipsalis specimens have long, trailing stems making them perfect choices as indoor plants on pedestals or tall tables.
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- Here’s a closer look. Also known as chain cactus or mistletoe cactus, the thread-like rhipsalis stems are narrow, green and can grow several feet long.
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- Displayed on its own or with other specimens, rhipsalis plants always get lots of attention.
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- Burro’s Tail, also known as Sedum morganianum, is a succulent plant native to Mexico and Honduras. It is characterized by its long, trailing stems that resemble the tails of burros, making it a popular choice for indoor gardening due to its low maintenance needs.
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- I have two potted ficus trees on this porch. Ficus belongs to the family Moraceae. This family includes a diverse range of woody trees, shrubs, and vines. Ficus trees are known for their ornamental value, adaptability, and ease of care. They typically have glossy green leaves, which can vary in size and shape depending on the species.
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- This plant is a Sansevieria cylindrica. It’s native to arid regions of Africa and thrives in dry climates with sandy, well-draining soil. The plant’s cylindrical leaves can be smooth or banded.
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- This succulent is an aloe – a striking variety with star-shaped blue-green rosettes. The leaves are covered in orange bumps and lined with small jagged teeth that tend to be flat with a slight downward arch.
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- Aloe plants are considered to be some of the faster growing succulents.
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- The jade plant is another popular succulent characterized by its thick, woody stems and shiny, oval shaped leaves.
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- Monarch ferns are also easy to care for plants. They are tropical ferns native to the Western Pacific Rim and loved for their glossy, green foliage.
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- Monarch ferns thrive in consistently moist soil, bright indirect light, and high humidity.
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- On one end, I displayed several potted and delicate dracaenas. There are more than 170 different species of dracaena and they all have grass-shaped leaves that grow from one or more thick, cane-like stems. Dracaena is a low-maintenance, easy to maintain plant that does best in bright, indirect sunlight.
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- Dracaena’s narrow foliage may be completely green or may include stripes or edges of green, cream, red, or yellow.
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- In my sitting room right now are several blooming orchids. Oncidium orchids typically bloom heaviest in fall and spring. Caring for orchids can be daunting, but understanding their basic and unique needs, these beautiful plants can thrive in nearly any home.
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- The size of orchids depends on the species. They can be quite small or very large. However, every orchid flower is bilaterally symmetric, which means it can be divided into two equal parts.
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- Here is another orchid – this one in bold pink.
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- And look at these gorgeous cut chrysanthemums in my servery – hopefully you’ve also seen them on my Instagram page @MarthaStewart48. I just can’t get enough of them. They’re from Bear Creek Farm in Stanfordville, New York.
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- I grew these from small plants I received from Bear Creek last spring. I just went back for a wonderful heritage chrysanthemum workshop. I’ll be sharing those photos very soon.
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- Chrysanthemums, also known as mums, are popular fall flowers. They come in a variety of bold colors and add gorgeous seasonal interest just as summer blooms begin to fade. If you love cut flowers and potted plants as much as I do, use them to decorate your home. I feel so fortunate to have such an amazing collection of extraordinary plants to share with my guests and to enjoy myself.
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