How to give houseplants a fabulous festive makeover
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Your tree may be up and dressed, but what about giving your houseplants some Christmas sparkle?
Even at Christmas, with its artificial sparkle and fizz that we all love, it’s the natural elements that bring everything to life and create a homely and cosy environment, according to Ian Drummond, interior landscaper, plant stylist and co-author of . “For many, this means a real fir tree and garlands of ivy, but houseplants can add something very special too," he adds.
Plant-safe lights and decorations can all help give your houseplants a magical makeover for the festive season, adds Claire Bishop, Dobbies Garden Centre's senior houseplant buyer. “We decorate all areas of our home for Christmas, so it makes sense to give your plants a festive touch for the occasion too," she says.
“Having two Christmas trees in your home has been a huge trend for a couple of years now, but who says your second one can’t be a houseplant?” says Bishop.
“Larger plants can be dressed with paper decorations and small baubles to really get the Christmas tree look, and this is where you can have fun and personalise your display to suit your taste.
“To avoid weighing down leaves and causing harm, you should only use small, light decorations, and if you notice your plant drooping from the weight of the décor, immediately remove it,” she adds.
“Larger houseplants like the Dypsis lutescens (Areca palm) and the Strelitzia nicolai (bird of paradise) are a great space-saving alternative to Christmas trees in apartments or compact spaces and will give you a festive effect when dressed with Christmas decorations.”
The poinsettia is the best-known and most popular festive houseplant and comes in a variety of sizes, and in an array of gorgeous colours — reds, pinks and whites — that are perfect for any colour scheme, Drummond explains.
“Position them down the centre of your table for a spectacular effect that can last long beyond the holiday season — just keep them away from drafts because these beauties do not like the cold.
“Buy a couple of extra plants too as they also make fantastic cut flowers which are ideal for bud vases, simply cut each flower (bract), blanch the stem for a moment in hot water and they will bring cheer anywhere they are placed,” he suggests.
For the festive table, try using miniature roses and cyclamens, which are ideal thanks to their dainty proportions and vivid colours.
Paperwhite narcissi, so often seen at Christmas, are shown to their best advantage when grouped together in a china bowl for a classic country-house look or a willow basket, topped with moss for a more natural feel, Drummond suggests.
“They can be bought ready flowering from good garden centres, although bulbs take only three weeks to flower from the time they are planted.”
“For a dramatic display on a mantel or console table, you can’t do better than a row of amaryllis,” says Drummond.
“Each tall stem bears up to three large trumpet-shaped flower heads in a variety of beautiful Christmas colours. Snowy white is an elegant choice, but there is even a candy stripe effect with ‘Clown’, which has huge blooms of crisp white petals, feathered with a vibrant red, resembling festive stripes.
"For extra sparkle, wind wire plant lights around the length of the stems for a show-stopping effect.”
“Seasonal favourites like the poinsettia and anthurium are already known for their Christmas charm, so styling these with your larger decorated plants will make for a really impactful display,” says Bishop.
She adds that delicate houseplants like peace lilies can be added into the mix and used to create a festive jungle effect. Simply group the plants together and style lights and decorations around the pots for a Christmassy feel.
You could also put them in festive-coloured pots for an eye-catching pop of colour.
“Drape battery-operated lights around larger houseplants for some festive sparkle that will give your home a lovely glow and illuminate your plants’ dark leaves,” Bishop suggests.
“Just make sure you use LED lights as these don’t emit any heat, meaning your plant will be safe, and avoid tightly wrapping the lights around stems as this could restrict growth.”
“Curl (wired) lights around stems of larger varieties like cheese plants or fiddle leaf fig, or weave through the dense foliage of ferns or a peace lily,” Drummond suggests.
“Plants of tiny proportions are at their best when grouped together and then the lights can be used to encircle them.”
“It can be fun for children to use small plants to create a miniature festive scene too, just add a sprinkling of faux snow, some robins or a reindeer or two, and don’t forget Santa,” he says.