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Potted plants outdoors

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:36:00 +0200

For many years the focus has been on larger pots, but now Claus Dalby would like to strike a blow for smaller pots that are easy to find room for, even on a small balcony.

Here he gives us some of his tips and ideas, and explains how to create an atmosphere outdoors with plants in pots. Here are his thoughts and ideas:

Use different pots
When I put plants in pots, I choose different shapes and materials that are closely related. I really like concrete pots, for example, because they have a raw look which I feel is well suited to outdoor life.

Remember fertiliser
If you want to have blooming and healthy potted plants, it is important to remember fertiliser. This applies whether the potted plants are indoors or out. Liquid plant fertiliser can be dissolved into the water before watering the plants. It is also a good idea to give the plants a slightly larger pot than they originally had, and plant them in nutrient-enriched potting soil.

Pot roses
Pot roses do fine out in the open, and if you constantly prune away the withered blooms and make sure to fertilise them, they can go on flowering throughout the summer.

Campanula
Lovely campanulas, or bellflowers as they are also known, have become very popular as fine, robust potted plants. If the plant starts to droop a little, prune it halfway back and apply water and fertiliser diligently. A completely fresh bloom will then come along after about a month.

Lavender
In recent years, the southern European French lavender has become very popular as a plant for pots and jars. Here it is unrivalled, but it is not worth your while to plant it out in the garden, because it will not survive the winter in these climes.

Hydrangea
There is no doubt that hydrangeas are popular in jars and pots – and when you see these beautiful flowers with their many colours, you can understand why so many people choose them.

Marguerites
A classic summer flower is the marguerite, or daisy, which is now available in many cultivated varieties. This means that they can remain in bloom for a long time, and they have particularly beautiful foliage.

Facts:
To illustrate his thoughts and ideas on small still life tableaux, Claus Dalby has used some delicate Danish plant novelties.

This summer's plant trend: Botanical Renaissance

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:05:00 +0200

The classical Renaissance period marked a break with the condemnatory medieval view of humanity and gave more freedom to the individual. Aesthetics and an idealised approach to nature and flowers became an important linchpin in artistic expression – and it is from this universe that the plant trend Botanical Renaissance draws its inspiration.

Delicate natural colours
Anja Bisgaard Gaede, trend manager at pej group, elaborates on the trend in relation to the interior image:

"Right from the start of the year, we saw art being used as an initiator and source of inspiration. This trend has continued, and has now found a place in the classical Renaissance, which is a very popular period at the moment," she explains.

"We have drawn closer to the colours of nature and the delicate, romanticised colour expression. Inspiration from the botanical world provides a white, chalky expression, while motifs from nature and the summer garden have taken on a more ornamental role."

"Or to put it another way, nature will eventually go from being a trend to a style."

Plant + base = whole
Anja continues:

"In Botanical Renaissance, it is a goal to create a relation, or object, if you like, made up of a potted plant and a base, where by base we mean the pot, bowl or vase in which the plants are arranged and styled."

"Translated into practical plant solutions for the consumers, this means bases with soft, rounded shapes in materials such as ceramics decorated with marbling techniques or Renaissance motifs, or wooden or metallic surfaces, which perfectly complement the natural plants and colours from the world of flowers."

"In this way you can create the desired look, and achieve the match that the trend aims for between the living potted plants and the processed base."

Ideas for plants that match Botanical Renaissance:
Anigozanthos
Begonia
Campanula
Gerbera
Hibiscus
Hydrangea
Kalanchoe
Pelargonium
Peperomia
Rosa

In good company

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 09:11:00 +0200

Claus Dalby provided the following thoughts and ideas: From one to several - When I combine plants, whether in a bed, pots or vases, I look not just at their colour, but also at their form and structure. I often take my starting-point in one plant, and let myself be inspired by that. - In my heart of hearts, I feel that individual plants are a little boring. They ought to be combined, so that they get into good company. Purple and blue - In this case, I began with the new hydrangea 'Deep Purple', which is something really special with its purple flowers. The centre of each flower is a beautiful shade of blue, so I chose a Campanula to complement it. Wild and grey - I really like leafy plants, and one of my favourites is Trifolium, because with its slightly unruly growth and beautiful leaves it makes a lovely potted plant. The choice fell on 'Dragons Blood', as the purple shades of its leaves provide an obvious match for the hydrangea. - There's a little grey in Trifolium too, so I also chose Orostachys iwarenge, also known as 'Chinese Dunce Cap', which is a succulent with a fine hanging growth. A fine composition - It is worth noting that the four plants are very different in terms of growth and size. This helps to create a fine composition. Living still life - I love to use pots in natural materials - here, bright terracotta clay and concrete. I choose the pots with care, and I usually use varying ones, because it gives a more exciting look. By placing the pots side by side on a rise, I have created a small still life tableau, in which each of the plants contribute something to each other. Photo: Claus Dalby

Easter with a twist of natural and neon

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 13:43:00 +0100

One suggestion for unusual and personal Easter decorations comes from photographer Sophie Helsted and interior designer Mille Fly, known from the Danish TV programme “Fra skrot til slot” (“From Dump to Dream”). Together, the two women run the company Fly + Helsted, focusing, amongst other things, on shop and interior design. Neon and nature
"For this project, we took ourselves as the starting-point. We work a lot with visualisation, and our approach is humorous and quirky. Neon is very in at the moment, so neon-yellow eggs form a natural, ‘Eastery’ feature in the table decorations," says Mille Fly, and continues: "The neon-yellow items form a bold contrast to the classic blue fluted crockery, while the plants we use as decorations on the table are not styled, but appear in their ‘raw’ state. As a fun detail, we have let an egg hang down in the vase with the plant." "We have also used violets and muscari, the blue shades of which match the crockery, while the yellow flowers of the blue anemones ‘talk to’ the yellow items on the table." Aesthetics and coherence
Aesthetics and coherence mean a lot to Sofie Helsted and Mille Fly. That’s why they have for example used glass vases with plants on the table to create a ‘pure’ and transparent look, which is continued by the potplant on the windowsill. "With us, plants are allowed to just ‘be plants’ – the structure of the leaves and the colour is the decorative element, while the composition of vases or dishes makes it all work together. We have for example made a dish with eggs and chocolate, creating a dialogue between the green, yellow and blue shades," says Mille Fly. Easter and spring – two sides of the same coin
"The decoration is flexible in nature and can quickly change character – although the eggs make this arrangement an Easter universe, you can have a ‘normal’ spring look by removing the eggs after the holidays," concludes Mille Fly. Photo: Sofie Helsted and Mille Fly

A spring greeting at the front door

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 10:33:00 +0100

The form and style of pots and bases are a large part of the message when you offer a welcome to the new season at the front door with colourful harbingers of spring.

The variety of violets
The violet or pansy is a sure sign of spring, and right now the many diverse types and colours of violet are adorning the shops, making your fingers itch to get started on the spring planting at home.

With such a wide selection, you can be sure of finding the perfect plant to match exactly the mood and style you would like to project at your front door.

Fresh and modern with bright colours
A fresh and modern style will often find expression in bold bright colours that provide beautiful contrasts and emphasise the natural shades of the flowers.

Romance and edge
The romantic type will often choose pots with round, soft shapes that convey a lush and feminine look, while the minimalist typically prefers a more cubistic, formal style that brings edge and character to the spring floral arrangement.

So find the pot or pots that you feel best match you and your style, and give your front doorstep a personal touch this spring. Facts:

Name	Popular name	Location	Care instructions
Viola x wittrockiana		Outdoor	Always keep the compost moist, thrives best in a bright position, but does not tolerate direct sunlight.
Viola cornuta	Hornviol	Outdoor	Always keep the compost moist, thrives best in a bright position, but does not tolerate direct sunlight. Winter-hardy.
Viola odorata	Sweet Violet	Outdoor/indoor	Keep the compost moist, thrives best in direct sunlight. Winter-hardy.

This spring's plant trend: Ornamental Balance

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 11:54:00 +0100

According to the trend researchers, we need new pathways and landmarks. The consumers lack passion, the politicians lack vision, and the creative people lack budgets. But all of this helps to make art an obvious source of inspiration.

Art as kick-start
Anja Bisgaard Gaede, trend manager at pej group, explains the opportunities and the potential that lies in the art universe: "Art provides a kick-start to innovation. The designers have taken it to heart and put into a provoking and innovative context, where it will help to change the status quo and create a new direction for design," says Anja, and continues: "While the Renaissance was a cultural movement, the trend now is for art to be widely embraced. The focus is on ornamentation and colours, which can really be cultivated and expanded on in the plant universe, and we will see a new balance between sensuality and technology." Playing with light
"There will be a strong influence from holography and other technologies that work with light and ways in which it can be captured for bases and accessories for plants, while flowers and plants will play their natural roles," says Anja. "Besides white, which plays a central role, the colour spectrum will shift in the direction of sorbet shades of coral, yellow and pink, in a refreshing interaction with neon pink and golden orange. This may find expression in surprising decorations, in which the physical and natural potted plants are placed in organic or square pot covers of plastic, Plexiglas or coloured glass." "The expression may well surprise, for surprise is precisely one of the experiences that art helps to foster and reinforce," Anja concludes.
Ideas for plants that match Ornamental Balance: Bellis
Campanula
Jasminum
Kalanchoe
Hydranghea
Muehlenbeckia
Phalaenopsis
Primula
Ranunculus
Rosa
Saintpaulia
Senecio cruentus

Floradania Innovation Award 2013: Danish growers in the super league

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 10:45:00 +0100

On Tuesday, amid enthusiastic applause, three Danish growers were awarded the coveted novelties prize of the Danish horticultural industry, the Floradania Innovation Award.

With every passing year, the prize, which was founded in 2008, attracts greater and greater attention from the international press and plant industry, and provides a stamp of confirmation that Danish pot plant growers really can assert themselves on the international scene.

Sustainable Candyfloss
The winner in the category "Indoor Plants" is a new and exciting addition to the hydrangea repertoire from the Odense nursery, 4Kløver. While hydrangeas are experiencing great popularity in recent years, the award-winning Hydrangea macrophylla 'Candyfloss', to give the plant its full name, stands out mainly because of its natural growth form and uniform structure that makes it highly suitable as cut flowers for bouquets. Its environmentally friendly production is another plus. Unique and authentic Hebe
In the "Outdoor Plants" category, there was exciting news for the garden, terrace and balcony in the form of a brand new Hebe variety named 'Zeastar', produced by Gartneriet Kjærgårdsminde, Nyborg. In addition to its unique appearance, the judges emphasised the plant’s resistance and long flowering time, with large, beautiful flowers in bright colours. Here, too, the plant’s environmentally-friendly production gave extra points.

Strong garden concept
And there's even more for gardening folk to look forward to with the winner of the "Concept" category, Garden Symphony® from Gartneriet Pedersen A/S in Hørning. The concept establishes a light and harmonious mood in the garden’s pots and beds, with its diverse and easily accessible colour concepts that will appeal to all tastes.

The award-winning products and the other novelties will all be on sale in the course of 2013.

The Flower Design Award
In extension of the Floradania Award show, the first ever Danish flower design prize was also awarded. The winner was Urban Planting, a project developed by students from the School of Design in Kolding. For further information, please contact:
Lone Taklo, Floradania Marketing, tel. +45 6592 6266 or e-mail lt@floradania.dk. You can read more about the winners and the other nominees at: www.floradania.dk/en/nyheder Facts: The Danish novelties prize, the Floradania Innovation Award, encompasses the categories "Indoor", "Outdoor" and "Concept", and is designed to encourage innovation among Danish growers.

See the winning products here

Boost your well-being with flowers

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 14:24:00 +0100

The home workplace has become an important part of modern life, and just as there is a focus on the working environment at normal workplaces, it is also important that job satisfaction and well-being are given a high priority when you work at home. Studies have shown that plants are important to people’s physical and mental working environment. If you work at home sometimes or full-time, you have the opportunity to create your own personal environment for your working day. Mobile flower arrangement
Take your favourite tray or dish, and treat yourself to a fresh and cheerful spring potpourri of Primula. You could keep the plants in the same shade, or give yourself a ‘vitamin shot’ from the whole wide repertoire of Primula colours. Natural source of fragrance and cheer
As well as bringing colour, renewal and freshness into your home, several of the plants of early spring are also fragrant. While Primula emits a pleasant, subtle scent when placed in a chilly spot, the perfume of Jasmine can pervade the whole house. Jasmine can first of all be enjoyed indoors, and then planted out when the risk of night frost is gone. Explode a vitamin bomb in your home
With a mobile plant solution, you can take your plants around with you in your home, and enjoy their good company wherever you are. In this way, you can turn your whole house into a vitamin bomb of lovely harbingers of spring that will bring scent, joy and freshness to your home.

And the rest of the family will also get their daily dose when you are not at work.

Caption: Give your home some life and vitamins with the colours of spring!

Table, set yourself!

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 23:13:37 +0100

“Turkey or goose?” is one of the major questions in many families as Christmas approaches. That issue usually finds an amicable solution, but what about the actual surroundings for the big day? What will delight the eye while the lovely Christmas dinner is pleasing the palate?

Table decorations with plants
With plants, you can create exactly the expression that emphasises your personal style, whether your preference is for the simple and elegant, or the festive and colourful.

Delicate and stylish
White is the colour of winter, and what could be more beautiful and evocative than a simple and stylish Christmas table? Get out the white damask, and use plants with tendrils such as maidenhair vine or Muehlenbeckia. Decorate with baubles, pine cones, candles and branches for an elegant and festive look.

Christmas with a bang
If you want the party to go with a colourful bang, plants offer lots of possibilities here, too. Cover the table with a neutral tablecloth, for example in flax, and create a cosy atmosphere with Christmas mini-plants, poinsettias, Cyclamen and Schlumbergera in bright, warm colours, and decorate with apples. It will bring some colour to your Christmas table, and create lots of life and festivity.

Table arrangements will of course decorate the table during Christmas, but why should lovely plant arrangements only give you pleasure at mealtimes? Use plants in your Christmas decorations all over the house, and let the lovely freshness that plants provide blend with the Christmas spirit.

Small Christmas tableaux with plants and candles
You can create small, cosy plant tableaux, each telling its own little Christmas narrative, around the rooms – place for example one arrangement on the coffee table and another on the sideboard, and harmonise the plant colours and expression with the decor. You could for example decorate a dish with plants, candles, Christmas baubles and cones. Pack the soil on the plant into a leaf, then join all the plants with thin, colourful wooden pegs inserted through the plants.

You can also create an elegant decoration with white candles. Attach the pine cones to the wire in rows by inserting them into an oasis block covered with moss. Make holes in the block and plant green Sedum makinoi Max in the holes. Finally, attach the candle holders. Fresh plants don’t burn
Enhancing the decor is not the only benefit of using living plants – the danger of fire is also greatly reduced compared to Christmas decorations made of branches, which will dry out as time goes on. The juice in the leaves and flowers stops flames being fed, and as the plants also need regular watering, this helps to further reduce the risk.

A cosy December with plants

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 11:55:07 +0100

It does not take much to change a sad, grey concrete surface into a pleasant scene. And although there may not be much light and warmth at this time of year, there are still many plants that can tolerate being outside. Outdoor pots with atmosphere
Helleborus or Christmas rose is of course one of the popular plants of the season. It is available in white and pink, and spreads a delightful Christmas atmosphere, whether on its own in a pot or planted together with other seasonal plants.

A beautiful green outdoor potpourri with Sedum, Sempervivum and Ilex (holly) is also a good way to brighten up the grey daily routine. The dense foliage of Sedum provides a nice "cuddly" appearance, while the red berries of holly present fine and beautiful details in the greenery. An unusual Advent wreath
Before we know it, it will be the first Sunday in Advent. If you would like to make your own Advent wreath, it could be worthwhile to take your inspiration from the many beautiful houseplants which can give the wreath a fresh and inviting expression throughout Advent.

You could also make the "wreath" a little differently this year, and plant, for example, white mini-Phalaenopsis (orchids) in an elongated container or box. Place four candles in a row and decorate with moss, pine cones and other natural ornaments.

If you are really in a Christmas mood, you could also make your own "Christmas tree" with plants. Cover a rustic iron candlestick with white mini-Phalaenopsis by fastening the roots to the candlestick with wire. Arrange them so that the flower heads point both upwards and downwards.

Christmas plant arrangements
You can also choose to make small Christmas arrangements to decorate the coffee table, sideboard or dining table. Rhipsalis is for example a green plant with a modern look, and comes in many varieties.

Ferns are also very useful in seasonal decorations. Plant them on a silver platter, decorate with silver baubles, and you will have a beautiful and simple decoration which with a minimum of care can last for a long time. To complete the December cosiness, hang up some mistletoe – to the delight of the whole family!