Famille Rose For Flowers and Plants

Famille Rose Set of Bud Vases

I have posted before about Williams Sonoma's very popular and beautiful Famille Rose Collection. They have come out with a gorgeous collection of vases and planters just in time for Valentine's Day.

Creating Tropical Style

Amanda Lindroth

 

I love the view into the outdoor space filled with potted tropical plants and her signature rattan and bamboo lanterns. Whether you have a balcony, patio, lanai, or porch, this is such a great way to bring beachy island style to your home.

Chinese Chippendale Planters

Jonathan Adler

 

I love the pair of fiddle leaf figs in the orange boxes. So fun. I love plants in containers and am always on the lookout for planters. I found some Chinese Chippendale planters in white, orange, and black that are for use indoors or outside. They can be used with potted plants and also come with an optional insert so you can plant flowers directly in the planter.

These are great for annuals, tropicals, topiaries, or house plants and would also be perfect for faux plants. Made of polypropylene, these are maintenance free.

Chinese Chippendale Planters

The Cachepot

Mandy Kellogg Rye

 

What exactly is a cachepot?

It is a French word for an ornamental receptacle to hold and conceal a flowerpot.

How is it pronounced?

CASH-poh.

Sourcing Large Chinoiserie Planters

Mark D. Sikes

I often get questions about sourcing large chinoiserie planters for indoor trees (faux or real) that do not cost a fortune. Here are some favorites of mine, depending on your size requirement and your budget. 

The "It" Houseplant

J. Joern Cunningham

For several years, real fiddle leaf fig trees were the "it" houseplant. They were everywhere on the internet and articles abounded on how to keep them alive. Now that everyone has killed off their fiddle leaf figs, the stores are filled with faux versions. But I think their day has passed. Too many bad memories....

Chinoiserie Gone Wrong

Aerin Lauder - House and Garden

Today's Chinoiserie Gone Wrong is about scale. Above is a photo of Aerin Lauder's East Hampton home's foyer from a 2007 House & Garden Christmas issue. The scale of that short and wide palm in a blue and white Chinese porcelain pot does not work at all in that space. Perhaps it was just pulled in for the photo shoot, who knows, it is just wrong. Not to mention that the poor thing would have perished in that dark corner. Here below is the same space more recently with furnishings in scale.

Harpers Bazaar Arabia

I love a potted palm in a home. But please use a large blue and white Chinese fish bowl with a big palm and add some drama! Here is a perfect example in a Ralph Lauren room. If in doubt, go larger, as opposed to small. Dinky does diddly-squat in a room. I am not a houseplant fan anyway, with a few notable exceptions. I love potted orchids. Trader Joe's are the best quality and price. Feed your orchid three ice cubes a week and it will last for months. I love a large potted palm or a large potted fiddle leaf fig. Put them in either a blue and white Chinese fish bowl or a beautiful big basket. But with both, go bold or go home.

Ralph Lauren

Blue and White Outdoors

Michelle Nussbaumer - Veranda

This is a stunning example of bringing blue and white outdoors. I have posted before about how much fun I am having decorating the lanai. This space above has so much inspiration. I already have a huge collection of blue and white Chinese porcelain in the lanai including half a dozen Chinese garden stools. I love outdoor wicker and yesterday I ordered a pair of outdoor wicker chaise lounges. Already on my list are lemon and lime trees. I did not mention that there is a huge balcony on the second floor, and after I finish with the lanai, that will be next to focus on.

Blue and White Outdoors

Mark D. Sikes

This beautiful blue and white outdoor living space belonging to Mark D. Sikes features lots of blue and white Chinese porcelain. Here are more shots below. Don't have any concern about using your blue and white Chinese porcelain outdoors - I have been using blue and white Chinese garden stools in my garden for decades with no deterioration at all. That stuff is made to last! I picked up a new piece of furniture for the lanai at Ballard Designs in Tampa yesterday, but after two wonderful rum distillery tours and tastings, I was not motivated to unpack it, so I will post about it tomorrow. I love Mark's use of blue and white Chinese porcelain containers for topiaries as well. Although English boxwood does not grow well in South Florida, Eugenia does beautifully here with the same look. I planted two huge Eugenia topiaries in the garden here and they are doing great.

The Fiddle Leaf Fig in Florida

Unknown

 "The fiddle leaf fig in Florida" - say that 5 times really fast! I have been wanting one of these chic plants for ages but heard they are notoriously finicky. Well, everything in my lanai grows like crazy and huge fiddle leaf figs are available here at Lowe's, so I am ready to pull the trigger. Here is an example of one in a lanai.

Fiddle leaf fig in lanai

I would love to find another Chinese fish bowl to pot it in and top it with moss like this palm below. My two Chinese fish bowls are currently in the lanai with Areca palms in them.

Ralph Lauren

Chinese fish bowl

Have any of you grown a fiddle leaf fig outdoors? So far in my lanai I am growing palms, bouganvellia, an herb garden, a collection of agave, and orchids. And I received my giant clam shell yesterday - I love it!

My bouganvellia