Indoor Garden Room
We all have our problems when it comes to plant care indoors, hut in future when your rubber plant decides to shed a leaf.
Sometimes a plant is required for a special display point, a corner of a hall or living room which demands one dominant feature.
Some of the majestic screw pines have beautiful saw-edged yellow leaves and may attain a height of 8 to 12 ft. when roots are confined to a plant pot, or large tub. Tightly overlapping leaves radiate in all directions and may give the really super plant a diameter in the region of 12 ft. Tight, warm conditions are needed and, because of the saw-edged leaves, a position away from the general stream of humanity that may be passing. Alas, plants are in acutely short supply and take many, many years to .reach maturity, so it may be a little unfair.
Unfortunately there are all too few of these specimen plants available today. And to see them in their full glory they must be of specimen size when purchased, as many do not produce fully mat tire leaves until they are several years old.
We seldom think of garden conservatories without recalling the experience of a florist who was commissioned to plant up and maintain a rather grand Victorian-style conservatory in the home counties. Many mature plants were installed and doing very well until a collection of tropical birds was introduced.
Green leaves edged with a thin strip of red are narrow and pointed, and give this plant a stark, elegant appearance, seen to best effect when several plants of varying height are grouped together in a container. Light, fairly dry conditions are best, also moderate watering. Like most dracaenas, these plants lose their lower leaves as the plant extends in height, but attractive silver-coloured stems make the loss of leaves much easier to bear.
March 17 2009 | Gardening | No Comments »
sport new varieties to such an extent that the choice is becoming bewildering in its diversity. Buttercup, as the name implies, is a good yellow form, which dare I whisper it, always has the same effect on me as flat lemonade. Congesta is slow growing with small grey-green leaves. It is a fine plant for a terraced corner or a large stone in the rock garden.