Thursday, 18 June 2015

MAINTAINING INDOOR PLANTS



Plants lend eternal charm and visual relief for all the onlookers, of all ages. When they are brought indoors, they become an additional presence, silent but always soothing to all the sensory perceptions. Certain selected and well-maintained plants change the ambience and mood inside homes.

Plants spread freshness and fill the internal atmosphere with liveliness. The outdoor spaces available to the average city dweller gradually dwindling, it certainly makes sense to bring some of the greenery indoors. Both indoor plants and indoor landscaping could be used to offer mental peace and tranquility.

People use plants and flowers that fit in with their chosen style of decoration, and which fuse and make a happy combination of colour and form. Plants have their own inherent psychological and physiological benefits. Dust is reduced by as much as 20 percent where plants are kept. Strategically placed plants quiet down an office as plants have been found to have sound absorption capacity.

A plant can fill any small gap in a room and enhance its space. A plant can fuse and coalesce in balance along with any piece of furniture, making it look better by the gradual opening of its leaves. Its foliage will soften any corner in a house. Palms, tall and wide spreading flowering plants, clusters of small plants, trees meant for the indoors and flowers radiating colour and fragrance all add a new look and dimension to interiors.

Texture and Height

It is important that the texture height and spacing of the plants match and merge with each other. Texture of the plant means the size, shape, edging, arrangement and thickness of leaves of the plant and the number of leaves. Small plants must be placed in front. To increase curiosity, uneven sized plants can be used. When using plants, the scale of surrounding objects should be kept in mind.

If a single plant is to be used to hide the height of a column or object, then it should be made sure that it is about three-fourths the height of the object to be concealed. A plant of three feet height can be placed next to a desk, but a plant of six feet should be selected if it is to be viewed when entering a room. While acquiring plants, the maintenance aspect of them should be kept in mind.

Light

Choosing a plant depends on the amount of light in a room and the direction of windows there. Placing a plant right next to a window has to be avoided. They should be at a distance of atleast two feet away from the window. In smaller area like homes, shops, restaurants and offices, extra light fixtures may be needed. In large areas like shopping malls, offices, etc the intensity of light should be taken into account at the initial planning stage itself.

Indoor plants grow luxuriantly in bright, filtered sunlight or in a well-lit position, but not in direct sun. If sufficient light is not available, the leaves of the plant turn pale and stunted and the growth result in long, thin and weak stems. In time, the mature leaves turn yellow and fall. Such a plant weakened in this way is vulnerable to pests and diseases. In winter there is far less natural light indoors than in summer.

Hence some plants may need to be moved in response to the seasonal variation in intensity of light.

Properly Placing

The impact of plants within a room should be considered in detail before placing them there. They should be judged whether they are in proportion to the room. A tiny potted plant is lost in a large space. The suitability of the background should be taken note of. Plain, pale walls show off flowering plants to their best advantage. The flower or the foliage colour should match and blend with the decor. Large plants or groups can play an architectural role as room dividers.

Adding Creativity

Using some novel ideas with the plants and the pots, the overall decor gets enhanced. Lights can be placed behind plants to throw dramatic shadows on the walls and ceiling, as well as for illuminating the foliage on a dull day and at night. The plants or massed flowers could be put under a down lighter for brilliance. A grouping can be made with plants and sculptures and mass flowers in vases. Planters can be set on small castors or wheels for moving around easily. A bushy indoor tree or a well-planted hanging basket set in front of an uncluttered, uncurtained window can make it look completely dressed.

Relevant Points

- Plants should not be put in a narrow entry way or hallway, because the plants that are constantly brushed against, will not flourish well.

- At times a single large plant will make a stronger statement than a collection of tiny plants in separate pots. Sometimes several smaller plants grouped together in a single basket or pot can convey the mass of a large unit.

- The height of a plant can be enhanced by placing it on a plant stand.

- The centre of a large kitchen island is often overlooked as a good location for a plant.


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