More and more people are growing orchids because they are more readily available and the price has come down. They’re actually a very good value if you’re looking for a splash of color in your home.
By combing orchids with other houseplants you can create a living flower arrangement that will actually last a month or more. The orchids will be center stage, but to pull this off, you will need a support cast of other houseplants. I like to use ivies and prayer plants because they’re as durable as the orchids themselves.
To create this arrangement, simply apply the same three-shape rule that I’ve shared with you for cut flower arrangements and outdoor containers: tall/spiky, round/full and cascading.
Place the orchids, your tall and spiky component, in the center of the container. Because orchids are fussy about their growing medium, it is easiest to keep them in the pots in which they were grown. Now, because these pots will take up the majority of the room in the container, I put the other plants in sandwich bags and arrange them around the orchids. This makes it easier to tuck them into the arrangement. Simply remove each plant, along with the soil, from its pot and drop it into a sandwich bag. Secure the top of the sandwich bag with a rubber band.
Now you are ready to put in the prayer plant, which will add the element of a round/full shape. Also, the purple veining of the prayer plant combines nicely with the color of the orchid blooms. To finish it off, slip in the ivies so they cascade gracefully over the edge of the container. Once the plants are in place, fill in the open spaces with sheet moss.
I’ve used orchids for their long bloom time, but just about any combination will work and just follow the same principles. It’s all a matter of using your imagination.
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