So you think the lawn guy can design your interiorscape and keep it looking good? While some try to accommodate their valued customers and attempt to provide this specialized service, they often learn that interior plant maintenance is a whole different game. The consensus among exterior landscape and maintenance professionals, therefore, is “we do the outside and refer the inside to the interiorscapers.” Now, you’re probably thinking this is just one more expense, but wait! You need plants…

So what is Interiorscaping?

In his book "A History of Landscaping Indoors," author Scott D. Appell, Director of Education for the Horticultural Society of New York, tells us that the art of glassmaking lead to the first manufactured glass window in 50 AD. Since light is a plant’s best friend, the development and use of windows ultimately enabled people to enjoy live plants indoors. Fast forward. Depending on how old (you say) you are, you may recall the "bromeliad tree" of the 1920s and '30s, the terrarium craze of the 1960s, and the macrame plant hangers of the 1970s. Architects designed elegant high-rise buildings with atriums and built-in planters to bring the outdoors inside because people LOVE plants!  Today, the strategic placement of plants indoors is synonymously called Plantscaping, Interior Landscaping, or simply Interiorscaping. Whatever you like to call it, live plants are an investment that add true value to your property.

Why have plants?

Have you heard the expression "Dress to Impress?"  This has never been more important than in today’s economic climate. First impressions are essential in all areas of your life today, from employment searching to selling your car.  High-rise Condominiums that were stars 20 or 30 years ago now face competition from their younger rivals.  Just as jewelry and other accessories enhance a designer dress, live plants can be the accessories to your habitat that add pizzazz and complete the look.  However, live plants are accessories with benefits.  Paired with decorative containers selected to complement the theme of a clubhouse or grand lobby, plants add beauty and effectively purify the air, thus enhancing the human experience.

The term "Going Green" has now become very popular.  Nearly every industry has a product or service that will help make the world a better place.  Time-honored products and procedures are replaced with new ones on the promise of saving the earth. That's called sustainability.  Some ideas actually make sense and are worth pursuing.  Retrofitting energy-hungry light bulbs, monitoring water consumption, repainting with low VOC products all seem to be changes worth consideration. If "going green" is something that rings true for the residents of a community with expansive common areas such as clubhouses, lobbies and built-in planters, interiorscaping with live plants should be considered.  After all, plants are the ORIGINAL green product. A successful interiorscape depends on 2 key components: Design and Maintenance

Design….More than Just Pretty

Having a beautiful, carefree interiorscape starts with good design. You will benefit from the services of an experienced interiorscape designer. These professionals not only apply the principles of design, essential to any artful project, but must also consider lighting, humidity, irrigation, accessibility of utilities for maintenance, and the unpredictability of a living product. There is a difference between a professionally designed interiorscape and a mere collection of plants. In order to receive the most value from your investment, a professional design is highly recommended.  Like an Interior Designer, a professional interiorscaper can offer unique and specimen quality plants not available to the general public. The proper plant choices and industry experience generally get the project done right the first time and keep maintenance affordable, especially when that is a priority. Enhancements like orchids, bromeliads and other floral or seasonal plants can create interest and excitement when budget allows.

Maintenance
Design and maintenance go hand in hand.   Nothing short of frequent replacements will keep an interiorscape picture perfect if the best suited plants are not paired with the appropriate maintenance factors.  Proper lighting and moisture are at the top of the maintenance list.  When a celebrity look is desired it is usually accompanied by a celebrity budget.  In most cases, however, reasonable is the rule, and plants are usually selected for affordable maintenance, as well as aesthetics.  With that established, there are a few other considerations that distinguish interior plant maintenance.  Indoor plants often call for more attention to detail, a delicate touch, and extra care to the property itself.  Some property managers feel that this task can be handled by owner volunteers, inhouse maintenance personnel or the exterior landscape company.  While this may work for a small inventory of easily accessible plants, which might be ordinary plants that are cost effective to replace when they decline, Horticultural Technicians are specially trained to care for indoor plants.  Their work may be as simple as correct watering of some easily accessible plants and snipping aging leaves, or it may involve climbing ladders to water and groom plants in more challenging locations like ledges and built-in planters of some luxury hi-rise condominium buildings.  Horticultural Technicians generally wear uniforms that contribute to the professional ambiance of a property when they are there.  Overall, professional maintenance is a proactive step to insure that the interiorscape provides pleasure and pride to property owners. 

A well managed property reaps what it sows. This includes preventative and timely maintenance, improvements and enhancements that distinguish the property from the competition. This attracts buyers who will reward sellers with top dollar sales and support good management practices.  Remember, "Dress to Impress."  Keep your property looking healthy and vibrant with an investment that literally breathes life into indoor environments. Live plants are an affordable way to achieve that.