Winter Challenges, Interiorscape Wins: A Guide for Seasonal Success

It’s a cold but sunny January day. As you step out of your car, your boots crunch on the frozen gravel. You open the metal and glass storm door to your local greenhouse and step inside. Instantly, the earthy smell of peat, the aroma of herbs, and the fresh smell of spring rain fill your nose. The air is warm and humid, like a carefree summer night of your youth. You see the sun streaming down through the fiberglass panels above, illuminating the blooms of African violets. A warm drop of condensation lands on your face as you look up to admire a towering schefflera tree reaching to the ceiling with its glossy, umbrella-shaped leaves. It’s sheer joy, and you wish you could stay there all day and buy each and every plant!

This feeling, experience, and core memory is what propels each of us forward on our interiorscape journeys. Sharing our own version of this euphoric greenhouse experience with our clients is the reason we work so hard to do what we do. But creating this magic, especially in winter, requires skill, planning, and a deep understanding of the challenges we face as interiorscapers. When done well, these efforts translate into what I like to call interiorscape wins—moments when our hard work shines, even in the toughest of conditions.

What Drives Success in Winter Interiorscaping?

The truth is that winter is the most challenging yet rewarding time to be an interiorscaper. Many plants can be lost with improper winter care and planning. Let’s face it—anyone in a warm, sunny climate such as Florida or California can easily grow tropical plants year-round. But our real superpower shines brightest in the colder climates, especially as winter sets in. This is our chance to show clients our worth. With the right approach, challenges become opportunities to create interiorscape wins. So, let’s take a look at what’s within our control, what we can influence, and what is beyond our reach. Understanding these is key to thriving during the winter season.

Factors In Our Control

1. Maintenance visits: As we all know, regular maintenance is essential for plant health, especially during the winter. Focus on tasks like watering, dusting, pruning, and occasional fertilizing to meet the seasonal needs of plants you care for. Regularly check for signs of stress, like yellowing leaves, so you can address issues quickly. Keeping a journal of observations helps you track patterns, adjust your care routine, and ensure plants thrive through the changing season.
2. Knowledge: Winter changes everything for plants, and recognizing their responses is key to their care. Take time to learn how each plant in your designs shows signs of slower growth. Are there fewer new leaves? Does it require less water? Use those long winter nights to research and learn all you can! This knowledge will set you up for more interiorscape wins as you tackle the season’s challenges.

Factors We Can Influence, Though Not Fully Control

1. Environmental conditions: While you can’t control building temperatures, you can examine each situation and move plants away from heating vents, drafty doors, or cold windows to minimize stress. Don’t hesitate to suggest small environmental changes to clients such as adding sheer curtains to diffuse harsh sunlight or using draft stoppers near doors to create a more plant-friendly environment.
2. Plant relocation: Address situations where plants are relocated for holiday events or parties. Request that you be involved in moving plants beforehand to ensure they remain healthy. Nothing is worse than finding a dead plant because it was moved by a client and overlooked during a rotation.
3. Holiday closures: Building closures during the holidays are out of your control, but you can plan ahead by rescheduling visits or finding an alternative way to access them to care for the plants.
4. Client communication and education: Work with clients to help them understand the changes you will make for the welfare of the plants during winter. For example, I care for plants in a tea house. During the warm months, the plants by the door grace the menu area and entryway, but in the winter, the door is often propped open for deliveries, which creates drafts and extreme temperature changes. I explained to my client how this affects the plants and suggested replacing them with draft-hardy varieties. They agreed to this and appreciated the knowledge and caring behind my decision. Moments like these, where collaboration leads to healthier plants and satisfied clients, are the types of interiorscape wins we strive for.

Factors Beyond Our Control

1. Seasonal changes and dormancy: Shorter daylight hours, cloudy winter days, and cooler indoor temperatures slow plant growth and trigger dormancy. Respect the plants’ needs and adapt your maintenance routine by reducing water and adjusting plant placement to maximize available light. Many plants will benefit from the lower sun angles during this time.
2. Power outages and severe weather: Unexpected winter storms and extreme weather can lead to building closures or power outages that affect plant health. I’ve also dealt with a situation where a furnace malfunctioned and literally cooked every plant in the space—devastating, but completely out of my control. Although not related to winter, this is why I include a clause in my contracts stating that I am not responsible for plants lost due to power failures or extreme temperature changes. These kinds of events are unavoidable, and it’s important to protect yourself with clear terms.
3. Client decisions: Client choices, such as relocating plants or changing their environment, can impact their well-being. You can provide recommendations (as suggested above), but the final decision lies with the client. Open communication and gentle guidance can sometimes help clients make choices that benefit the plants without overstepping boundaries.
   

Winter challenges us to adapt, innovate, and bring out our best as interiorscapers. By focusing on the factors you can—and can’t—control, you put yourself in a position to wow your clients, even in the depths of winter. These moments of success, no matter how small, are the interiorscape wins that keep us inspired and moving forward. If you’re new to the industry and need guidance, please reach out to me at [email protected]. I’m happy to help in any way I can! Happy winter plantscaping!