If you’re like me, your dining room table is more functional than pretty most of the time. It’s a quick place to enjoy a quick meal or get some work done. But, I confess that my table also houses a stack (or two) of papers I haven’t gotten around to filing and a handful of other things. Of course, that quickly changes when I host friends for dinner; I go into full on décor mode.
Because I’m such a plant lover, my favorite way to decorate the table is with houseplants. They look great, have a fun feel and best of all, are inexpensive. Plus, there are varieties that fit every season so I can always get just the right look!
Not sure where to begin? Here’s my strategy for decorating my table with plants.
Start with a Showpiece
I usually select a focal plant and use it to guide the rest of my décor. For fall, few plants are more perfect than crotons. They bring rich, exotic colors in all the shades of the season. I particularly love the way the variety ‘Petra’ lights up the table with its bright yellow-and-orange-and-red variegated leaves.
Other outstanding varieties that have autumnal appeal include:
While an attractive plant puts on a good show on its own, you can take it to the next level with a good-looking container. If you want to use a container that you’ll grow the plants in over the long term, make sure it has drainage holes. But, if you just need it to look good for guests, any vessel that holds soil will do. Plus, it’s super-easy to slip your plants back into a real pot after your friends have gone for the evening.
Show Off Fun Accents
This is the fun part. You can be as creative as you wish when it comes to supporting characters for table décor. Fun holiday-themed accents like a turkey-shaped vase, complemented with a pumpkin-shaped luminaria repurposed as a planter adds a ton of fall flair to any table. English ivy adds a soft look. And orange mums placed on a wood serving platter with pine cones and plastic deer antlers keep the natural theme going.
That’s how easy it is to transform your dining room table into a display your friends will fawn over for your next gathering. And if you really want to make it memorable, give the plants as gifts so your friends take more home than just good memories.
By Dan Heims, President, Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc.
Photographs courtesy of Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc.
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