With the cold Montana winters come more time indoors. For a lot of people, that can have a negative impact on both physical and mental health. But it’s more important than ever that we start paying closer attention to our needs.
One of the simplest ways to cope—and to soothe those winter blues—just may be with the addition of indoor plants. An interior plant design in Bozeman or Big Sky, MT can have some exciting benefits including plenty of aesthetic appeal for not only the holidays but beyond!
At Blanchford Landscape Group, we love creating interior plantscape designs. If it’s something that you’re looking for ideas or information on, in this article, we’ll talk about how these designs can not only add holiday cheer to your home but keep your mood lifted once the holidays have come and gone.
I (Andy Blanchford, owner of Blanchford Landscape Group) spoke to both Carrie Rule, one of our Garden Services Division Managers, and Chris Spalding, one of our Build Project Managers (who handles a lot of interior plantscaping), to find out what you might want to know.
Live greenery can really brighten up a home for the holidays. According to Chris, a lot of the holiday decorations that Blanchford Landscape Group installs consist of live garland decorated with pine cones, red and white berries, and other decorations. There’s nothing quite better to “deck the halls” with than live greenery. It easily helps your home to feel (and smell) as though it's brimming with holiday cheer.
“All of these together present a very warm, festive holiday look and feel,” Chris tells me. “Some of the holiday plants that we provide are Amaryllis, Paper Whites, and Poinsettias, all of which really warm up a space and bring a touch of ‘tropical’ to the home.”
There’s no question that bringing greenery inside the home can create a seasonal interior that evokes a sense of holiday magic, too. Since many of our residential clients are vacation homeowners here in Montana, they want to be able to just show up and enjoy the holidays to the fullest.
That means they want to know their home is already festively decorated and they don’t have to do any additional work. All they have to do is relax and enjoy it!
Carrie says that she’ll often create arrangements using greenery and other plant material in vases placed strategically around the home. This can help fill the home with fragrance and eye-catching appeal.
“I may bring in an assortment of materials or go out and cut fresh greens,” she says. “I often like to use Curly Willow and Red Dogwood for some colorful and interesting arrangements. Berries always add a nice touch, as well, since they give a nice pop of color.”
Carrie says that she’ll often create arrangements that don’t include a lot of fresh flowers because that can ultimately become more work for the homeowners to maintain. But you don’t need to have flowers to have a fresh, living plant look.
“You can have a beautiful and seasonal assortment that brightens the home without needing a lot of care,” she says. “It comes down to the right plant selection arranged in an appealing way.”
Of course, house plants need not only be about brightening a home for the holidays. Indoor plants add aesthetic appeal that can be enjoyed all winter long.
“Outside of the traditional holiday decorations and plants, there are also a variety of houseplants that can brighten a space, increase humidity, and really help our long winters to feel less dreary,” says Chris.
Chris has created some beautiful living walls that help add vertical appeal to homes and offices. We like to think of living walls as literally “bringing your walls to life.” It’s a really unique way to make a statement in one of your home’s rooms.
Carrie adds that a lot of homeowners are interested in low-maintenance houseplants that don’t require constant care. She has created some gorgeous large succulent bowls for clients who want a unique piece that they can enjoy for the long haul. With just minimal care, succulents can thrive for decades.
“Succulents are incredibly popular right now,” Carries says. “People love them because they’re beautiful and unique but they don’t require the care that other plants need. They are really easy.”
Carrie recently created a massive succulent bowl in a gorgeous wooden container that one of our clients already had. She meticulously lined the bowl to protect it and installed close to 300 succulents! This becomes a showpiece that can be enjoyed all winter (and for years to come).
“We also have access to tropical foliage, which some of our clients specifically request to brighten up their homes in the winter,” adds Carrie. “Sometimes clients have very specific plant requests or they want us to make suggestions. Either way, we can bring those in. Often, the client’s interior decorator will pick out the containers and we’ll come in and complete the plant install.”
If you have had plants in your home in the past, then you know they can be incredibly helpful in lifting moods and reducing stress. When it comes to “winter blues” this is important. As the days get shorter and we spend less time outside, as many as one in five Americans suffer from some form of seasonal depression.
We’re not claiming that houseplants can cure depression. But it’s a safe bet that greenery can help lift peoples’ moods. Plants make people happy and even the slightest positive effect is worth it, in our opinion!
But the other obvious benefit of creating an interior plant design is the aesthetic appeal that greenery can offer. Plants make your home look great and we’re guessing that will put a smile on your face, too.
“Aesthetically speaking, plants are beautiful,” says Carrie. “It’s another accessory that people add to their homes to make them look great. That pop of green and that added texture really enhance the overall home decor. People invest a lot of money into interior decorating. But plants are ultimately a small investment that gives you a lot for your money. We often look at them as the jewel on the crown or the finishing touch that really completes the space.”
If you’re considering adding any sort of indoor plants to your home in Bozeman or Big Sky, MT we’d love for you to consider Blanchford Landscape Group. We have the horticultural knowledge and experience to help you make wise plant choices and create arrangements and designs that truly enhance your home.
Whether you’re just looking to add some holiday cheer or you want indoor plants that can help brighten your home all winter long, we can help you implement transformative ideas that will create the look, feel, and experience you’re seeking.
Are you ready to learn more about our interior plant designs for your Bozeman or Big Sky, MT home or business? Let’s connect and talk about your needs. Then we can meet and review a detailed plan of action. With everything being handled for you, you’ll be able to relax and enjoy your indoor plants to the fullest.