"Dolphin Topiary and Flowers" by Karyn Christner

The topiary has been in use in gardens throughout the world since ancientRoman civilization first began creating them, and are often associated with formal European gardens. However, an article  from Topiary Organisation on the history of the topiary states, 

“…there is an ongoing revival in the art of topiary.
It maybe nostalgia, a sentiment common to every generation, that explains our interest, or it may also be the visual impact topiary creates.”

Topiaries are an elegant touch to many plantscapes. They can be large outdoor sculptures that line stately walkways. Topiaries can be the central focus of a garden, or they can be small accents in little pots placed strategically to catch the eye.  Topiaries can be some work to maintain the precise shape,  but they maybe the interesting  touch your clients are looking for.

Two Types of Topiaries

Topiaries can be made in a variety of shapes, from simple circles, to more complex shapes such animals.  There are two ways topiaries can be shaped.  Two dimensional or hollow topiaries are shaped around a wire frame that could be bought or made with an old coat hanger or other wire. Vining plants are typically used for this type of topiary.  The three demensional topiary is made from a frame that is filled with sphagnum moss, in which the plants grow instead of soil.

Care

According to an article by Cindy Haynes of the Iowa State University Extension Service,

“Besides regular pruning to control unwanted growth and maintain the basic shape, most topiaries require about the same amount of care as typical houseplants.”

The work comes in keeping the topiary trim so that the form stays recognizable and neat. It is also important that you monitor the water level in the topiary, as it can dry quickly.

Best Plants for Topiaries

Topiaries can be made from any number of vining plants. An article from Cornell Universityhas excellent step by step instructions for creating and caring for both types of topiaries. The article also includes and extensive list of houseplants that are ideal for indoor topiaries. The article suggests that herbs are especially advantageous as topiary plants because they fill the air with fragrance as they are pruned. Rosemary and Lavender are listed among the plants that work particularly well as topiary plants.  English Ivy  and other creeping plants are also ideal as they are easy to train to climb the frame.

Topiaries Indoors

To bring your topiaries indoors you will need to find the perfect container that compliments the size, shape and style of your creations.  Consider the Lechuza Classico line of containers from NewPro Containers, for their sleek design. They are available in a variety of sizes, finishes and with sub-irrigation systems to help maintain the proper moisture for your arrangement.

The topiaries can add elegance and a sense of identity a variety of plantscapes.   Have you tried a topiary in your plantscapes? What plants have you found work best for topiaries? Have you faced any challenges in trying to use topiaries indoors? Let us know what your experience has been in the comments section.

Photo “Dolphin Topiary and Flowers” courtesy of Karyn Christner

Every business owner and manager wants results.

Something that’s always on the mind of business owners is the morale of the employees. Managers want their employees to be happy and working efficiently. Happy and healthy employees are not only good for business, but when people are happy and healthy it’s better for their own lives in the long term. With many businesses, employees spend a good portion of their lives in an office or building. The setting can determine – to a point – how healthy they are.

And beyond employees, a business’ customers are important as well.

A business owner or manager realizes these things. What is often difficult to understand for these business decision makers is how they can improve their business environment.

As interiorscapers it’s easy to understand how indoor plants can benefit a building’s ecosystem, but it’s more important to get the point across and educate business owners. With education, business owners will know they’re doing something to not only improve their business, but to improve the lives of their employees.

Educating Businesses about the Benefits of Indoor Plants

Start with and stick to the benefits.

Business owners are concerned about how anything and everything can improve their business and lead to positive, measurable return. Backing up claims with studies, research, and first hand experience is something business managers will appreciate. If you go to them with numbers and backing research your potential clients will be more likely to hire you to design their interior landscaping.

Basic Research and Benefits

A good way to stay up to date with the latest information in the indoor plant world is to keep tabs on the news. Here is an example article that includes numbers that are perfect for sharing with existing and potential clients.

Plants clean the air, improve your mood

While considering houseplants for future space bases, NASA found they can help cut down on airborne bacteria and mould spores by 50 per cent to 60 per cent.

In addition, houseplants emit water vapour like a living humidifier, helping the indoor air feel more comfortable. A Virginia Tech study credits houseplants with reducing indoor dust by 20 per cent.

Business owners probably have an idea that indoor plants are good to have, but most are used to making fact based decisions. By using facts like these and providing sources (when asked) you’ll become a thought leader and generally stand out as the authority in the industry. A competitive advantage like this can mean more qualified leads and more long-term clients.

Beyond providing statistics like those above, you can inform your clients that there may be cost savings benefits to indoor plants. Many indoor plants work as air purifiers. This can save businesses from having to install expensive air purifiers. The last thing a business wants to be known for is for having poor air circulation or other air quality deficiencies. It’s not good for employees and it’s not good for customers and visitors.

For businesses looking for clean air they may often overlook the purifying benefits of plants. And beyond cleaning the air, plants add a more appealing quality to the eye than a mechanical purifier.

Summary

Education is an important part of the selling process.

Business owners, managers, and decision makers are looking for ways to improve their office and building space. Most may have some idea of what the possibilities are when it comes to improving their working space, but most also need education from experts on how and why things like indoor plants can be beneficial to morale, business efficiency, and employee health.

Starting with benefits and backing claims with research and specific numbers can mean more leads and clients for you.

Next week we’re planning a post on how you can use the latest marketing tools including a blog as a way to educate your current and potential clients in 2011.

Stay tuned…

Until then – what are some of the methods that have worked for you regarding educating clients about the benefits of indoor plants and arrangements?

Share your thoughts and feel free to ask questions.

Indoor Office Plant image courtesy of sporkist

Sales to Interiorscapers have improved this last year, and as a result of NewPro’s 16 percent growth in 2010, we are adding a larger warehouse facility.

We've added more room for the products you need!

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The supposed death of a two year-old in 1919 after eating a poinsettia leaf seems to be the genesis of a persistent urban legend that poinsettias are deadly for children and pets. While there may not be too many kids or dogs on your Interiorscape service routes, many in the plantscape industry still hear this question from clients dozens of times a season.

Ironically many of you may still answer “yes!” Nearly 66 percent of those participating in a 1995 Society of American Florists poll believed poinsettias toxic if eaten. A 1994 survey of 1,000 Americans by Bruskin/Goldring Research for the Society of American Florists showed that 42 percent of men and 57 percent of women polled also thought that.

The truth is that poinsettia leaves taste awful – but don’t kill.  The assumed cause of the toddler’s death was never confirmed according to the well-respected myth debunking site snopes.com. In fact, after extensive testing by the American Society of Florists and the Ohio State University, researchers confirmed that no part of the Poinsettia plant is toxic. While the leaves may cause minor skin irritation, and consuming any part of the plant could result in a stomachache, there is no documented evidence that ingesting any part of a Poinsettia would be life-threatening or has actually killed anyone.
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Many futurists predict that the lowly cockroach would emerge as the dominant species on Earth should humanity wipe itself out in a nuclear war. But ask any Interiorscaper, and they’d likely say fungus gnats or spider mites would reign supreme.

These two pests have become the “fly in the ointment” of many ‘scapers as they are tough to monitor and control, and often distract and annoy clients.

With so many office buildings focusing on green environments and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) guidelines, the somewhat effective chemical pesticides are now out of the question.  So let’s put it bluntly, is there ANY way to control these buggers without using chemical insecticides?

Yes! Over the years, Interiorscapers have shared with us some ways to take out fungus gnats and spider mites naturally, and some of the most effective methods are with other living organisms available locally or online.
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