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gardens & polka dots

gardens & polka dots

Tag Archives: Indoor Plants

Green On The Inside

07 Friday Feb 2014

Posted by gardensandpolkadots in Gardens, Interesting, Polka Dots

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Architectural Plants, Flower Arrangments, Foliage Arrangements, Foliage Inside, Garden Blog, Indoor Plants, Monstera, Monstera deliciosa, Serendipity Garden Designs, Stems, using Foliage Inside, Using Plants Inside

I have become a little obsessed with greening up the inside of my home. I am fortunate to live in an apartment that I can see out of, meaning, I don’t have views of my neighbours windows or brick walls. In fact I can see far beyond the boundary of the property down to the sea. Outside my kitchen window I can see yellow paper daisies (Xerochrysum sp.), a small potted Bay Tree (Laurus nobilis) and potted herbs that I rotate during the year depending on what’s flowering in my extensive (potted) garden. Outside my bedroom window is the top of my Fig Tree (Ficus benjamina) and on the fence opposite I have Pink Jasmine (Jasminum polyanthum). I have made the most of the spaces and views that I have but I want more. Of course I want more, I live a the city, I want to return to the country!

Brighter up the bedside table with some greenery.

I brightened up my bedside table with some greenery. @SerendipityDSGN

But back to ‘greening up the inside’. I have the usual indoor plant suspects, Peace Lily (Spathiphylum wallisii), Heart-Leaf Phillodendron (Phillodendron sp.) and Jade // Money Plant (Crassula ovata). But I also love arrangements of flowers (you already know this) and greenery to adorn various spots in my home. One of my favourites, due to its glossy green leaves and sculptural qualities is the leaf of the Monstera deliciosa. Most of us know this plant from our childhoods. It was undoubtedly in a garden somewhere around our neighbourhoods, taking over the garden and smothering anything planted underneath. Most owners of this plant, especially those with small city blocks want it removed yesterday, but when it is put to good use, you may just be able to keep it (slightly) contained. There is one on the shady side of my building and I love to cut stems off it to display in my home. I just cut a stem or two, put some water in a suitable vessel, pop the stem in the vessel and place the vessel someone in my home -easy! Alternatively you could have a small specimen growing in a pot – hmmm, now that’s a great idea! If you have one growing in your garden or know someone that does, you should be cutting stems to decorate your home too.

If this is not enough to get you motivated have a look at the pictures that I have gathered to inspire you.

Monstera leaf - perfection!

Monstera leaf – perfection!

Out of control or in proportion?

Out of control or in proportion?

Neat and compact

Neat and compact

Monstera stems, two is perfect

Monstera stems, two is perfect

Monstera, keeping it simple

Monstera, keeping it simple

A green sculpture

A green sculpture

Mix it up to make an impression

Mix it up to make an impression

Monstera Xl

The round, grey pot is perfect

Monstera can be pretty too!

Monstera can be pretty too!

Monstera, perfect for the center of a large dinning table

Monstera, perfect for the center of a large dinning table

It's big and it's bold!

It’s big and it’s bold!

So, are you inspired? Your head should be swirling with ideas and green possibilities. Remember, the sky is the limit, only your imagination can stop you.

Until next time.

Carmel

Images; Mallie + Posh // Brankmk*// Denher // Blog Lovin

Pinterest //Solanacee // Home NineMSN // Bobbye Wolfe

Habitually Chic // Inside Out Mag // Inside Inside

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‘It’s been a while!’

25 Friday Jan 2013

Posted by gardensandpolkadots in Gardens, Polka Dots

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2013, Gardening, Indoor Plants, polka dots, Root Ball, Serendipity, Serendipity Garden Designs, Water Restrictions, Watering

Oh my, it’s been a while!

I hope that your days have been filled with Polka Dots and Garden happiness. Mine have… from surprise birthday parties with friends I adore, to over night stays in my favourite country pub, celebrating my 2nd wedding aniversary with my best friend and companion and finishing the year with a family feast – well not all of my family, not even half really, just a few! Peppered in and amongst those glorious times were far more Polka Dots, far more I am sure than you’d care to read about.

 Bubbles''''''''
 

And now, I find myself as you do too in January 2013. A little surprised that it appeared so quickly. But happy just the same and ready to get on with it. With all of its highs and lows, surprises and dare I say it disappointments, I am ready!

But what about your garden?

While you are quenching your thirst and hiding in shadows don’t forget about your garden, be it in the ground, in a pot or in many pots during these (gorgeous) hot summer days.

Daisy love

If your garden relies on a little help from the hose give it a big soaking when it needs. By big soaking I mean let the water really sink into the soil, down into the root ball and into the surrounding soil. You’de be surprised how far a plants roots will travel. Your garden will love it and you’ll be able to sit back with cool glass in hand and watch your garden flourish.

If your garden is an assortment of pots these will need more regular watering. Pots will dry out quicker than a garden bed especially with these hot dry winds we have been experiencing.

And if you have indoor plants don’t forget about them, they like a good drink too. Take your pot plant outside, imagine filling the pot with water and allow the water to get into every space within the soil then allow the water to drain out the bottom of the pot. Don’t let the roots sit in still water, generally, your plant wont like it. Yes, there are exceptions to this rule but we’ll keep it simple for now.

Rose bud and Lavender

There is no one rule for watering indoor or outdoor plants. You need to look for signs that your plants need watering. Look to see if the foliage is drooping, feel the soil by sticking your finger into the soil and if you have pots try to lift them to see if they are light and need water or heavy and have sufficient. It’s all about understanding what each plant requires and how best to monitor it and it can take a little practice to get it right.

But be careful when you water because in many areas there continues to be Water Restictions and where Water Restictions have been lifted there are now Water Wise Rules that I have list below:

  • All hoses must now have a trigger nozzle
  • To avoid the heat of the day, watering is allowed before 10am and after 4pm
  • No hosing of hard surfaces such as paths and driveways. Washing vehicles is allowed.
  • Fire hoses may be used for fire fighting activites only.

This list was obtained from NSW Government website here.

Heirloom tomatoes

So, on that note I wish you happy summer days.

Good luck with your summer watering.

Until next time.

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Aside

Welcome…

26 Monday Mar 2012

Posted by gardensandpolkadots in Gardens

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Balcony Plants, Courtyards, Garden Blog, garden design, Gardening, Gardening Blog, Gardens, Gardens and Polka Dots, Indoor Plants, landscape design, Planting, plants, polka dots, Serendipity, Serendipity Garden Designs, Vegetable Gardens, Vegetables

Welcome to Gardens and Polka Dots.

This is a place where you can come to see interesting gardens of old world classic beauty, modern ideas or where you can marvel at the innovation of great garden designers, landscape architects and engineers. I love the outdoors and am continually inspired by the magic that some designers are able to achieve.

But what are the Polka Dots, I hear you ask? Well Polka Dots are for the finer things in life, like, a day at the beach when the sky blends effortlessly into the sea…a cup of coffee with a rosette on top… a glass of Rosé that smells like summer and looks like sunshine… a smile from a friend at just the right time… a fig picked from the tree and shared…

They are the unexpected surprises in our lives that seem to just appear from out of nowhere. However, some Polka Dots are always there, we just haven’t noticed them yet.

I am always on the lookout for Polka Dots during my day. In fact I can see one now, a Dragonfly with a red tail just landed on the fence outside my window. It could have picked any window, but it picked mine. How lucky. And off it flies…

Please feel free to share any Gardens or Polka Dots that you discover during your day. Who knows, maybe there is a Polka Dot just outside your window.

Thanks for visiting, I hope you enjoy Gardens and Polka Dots.

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