Plant Society (Hardie Grant, 2018) by Jason Chongue is an essential guide to bringing plants into your home, using them to decorate, and most importantly, keeping them alive. Chongue covers everything you need to know to be sure that you best incorporate plants into your home and lifestyle. The following excerpt is his guide to using plants to decorate your office.
Compact plants are perfect for decorating your desk at home or at the office. There is often limited natural light at work and air circulation is poor. Try using some hardier table plants such as the ZZ plant, cast-iron plant or peace lily.
Good Office or Desk Plants
• Cast-iron plant (Aspidistra elatior)
• fruit salad plant (Monstera deliciosa)
• Zanzibar gem (Zamioculcas)
Styling Tips: Plants bring life to corners and dead spaces in the office. Training plants to grow up against the wall will help soften harsh lines.
Plants can enhance the workplace. Suspending plants from the ceiling or placing them on desks are great ways to break up your office space. Use neutral colored pots to avoid making the office too chaotic.
Kitchenettes in offices are often forgotten when it comes to styling. Even when you are short on space, there are places you can incorporate greenery. Plants can be grown higher up, out of the way. Delicate leaves perfectly complement bold architectural features.
Meeting and Reception Areas
Plants make for a nice welcome when placed in hallways in your home and in reception spaces. They are comforting and create a calming first impression. These spaces are often used heavily and have limited natural lighting so try using plants like the cast-iron plant, rubber plant or umbrella tree.
Good Hallway, Waiting Room or Reception Plants
• Bird of paradise (Strelitzia nicolai)
• cast-iron plant (Aspidistra elatior)
• dumb cane (Dieffenbachia)
• lady palm (Rhapis)
• rubber plant (Ficus elastica)
Styling Tips: Plants have a calming effect in waiting rooms. Consider grouping a number of plants to create a focal point. Smaller plants in handmade ceramic pots are perfect for side tables where they can be appreciated close up.
Meeting areas are typically lifeless and stark. Introducing larger plants around the meeting room can lighten the mood while also keeping the meeting table free for paperwork.
More from: Plant Society
• Choosing Your Houseplants
• How to Clean Houseplants
• Having Indoor Plants with Pets
Excerpted with permission from Plant Society by Jason Chongue, published by Hardie Grant Books April 2018, RRP $22.99.