Houseplants and Cut Flowers

An attractive and affordable tablescape occurred to me last month. In fact, it was created out of necessity. The cut flowers I had purchased for Thanksgiving were beautiful, but I had not bought enough to have them look full and festive on the table I had expanded with its center leaf.

That is when my houseplants saved the day. I took containers of Green Baby Tears, Soleirolia soleirolii, to the table. I had been nurturing these plants with regular misting to keep them in the humid environment they like. In return, their tiny rounded leaves were healthy, and the plants themselves had gotten bushy enough to have impact. They were just right for placing down the center of the table. Soleirolia soleirolii added much-needed green, and these plants would not block the flow of conversation across the table.

I cut the stems of my fresh flowers to become closer to the height of Soleirolia soleirolii. Because I had a small variety of cut flowers, I created petite bouquets to place amid the greenery. Small glasses, around the size of jelly jars, worked well for holding these bouquets. I fit these in snugly, with the glasses sitting near the small houseplant containers.

I added a few pots of Golden Baby Tears, Soleirolia aurea. These contrasted nicely with their greener cousins and accentuated some of the colors of the cut flowers.

The containers for my Green and Golden Baby Tears had already been placed in high-rimmed saucers filled with pebbles. I typically use pebbles to help with drainage, but for Soleirolia plants, I did this to hold water. Soleirolia plants like humidity so much, they will tolerate wet feet if that is what it takes to get moisture in the air. At the table, I did not change a thing. Even the pebbles added visual interest. My cut flowers were in their small glass containers. The Soleirolia plants were in the containers I had already put to use in my home. Together, cut flowers and houseplants made a beautiful tablescape.

In my kitchen, I had a pumpkin which I had crafted into a planter with a nice houseplant inside. I thought of using that as a focal point on my table, but instead, that stayed in the kitchen to add beauty. Beauty was already evident at my table, which looked abundantly filled out. A few votive candles in glass holders rounded out the display, and the table was ready.

Now, at this time, my mind is on December holidays. I know December shopping trips will once again draw me to the cut flower stand at the market. I will buy some, but I must remember how good the Thanksgiving display looked, complete with Baby Tears in two shades. They are still growing beautifully, so I can use them again. Rather than purchase fresh stem upon stem, I can use my houseplants to supplement a smaller selection of flowers.

At Thanksgiving, the flowers which were low to the table became easier to admire than they might have been in a single large bouquet. And the living foliage of Soleirolia soleirolii and Soleirolia aurea that was turned into a last-minute part of the tablescape really made a difference. I give myself permission to use this approach again.

So, permission given; plan in place… I look forward to December dinners and utilizing my houseplants in special displays.