Geraniums: Three Interesting Ivies

Long trailing stems

With lots of flowers and long trailing stems, ivy geraniums remain popular for baskets and containers of all kinds. Despite their trailing nature they have a lovely well-rounded shape that makes for an elegant presentation—we use them in window boxes, hanging baskets, and standing planters. 

Beautiful ‘Bronze Venus’ fern

Fine lacy ferns make graceful additions to indoor and outdoor displays. Beautiful ‘Bronze Venus’ is a unique maidenhair variety with new growth emerging rosy red-bronze. Fronds transition from bronze to light green and then darker green as they mature, so at any given moment we might see three colors on one plant.

Indoors this fern is evergreen; if planted outside it does best in a sheltered area with moist soil—either way it’s fairly easy to grow. ‘Bronze Venus’ can tolerate occasional dry soil, but be careful not to overwater. You’ll find that like most ferns it looks its best in above-average relative humidity.

Perfect for indoor containers

When we talk about plants that can be used indoors we often mention lobbies or entryways. Because of its fondness for moist air, ‘Bronze Venus’ is a suitable choice for an important spot we rarely mention, decor-wise: the restroom. Its coppery sheen fits right in with upscale faucets and handles that are so trendy in restaurants and hotels these days. 

This selection comes in the 4.5-inch pot. We also have the pretty green ‘Fluffy Ruffle’ fern in the 10-inch hanging basket.

Fiery blooms of Celosia ‘Fresh Look Mix’

Fern fronds bring to mind another feathery favorite: Fresh Look celosia. We’re bringing back ‘Fresh Look Mix’ for 2017—it’s a combination of red, orange, gold, and yellow varieties. While these flowers look like feathers, the color combo actually makes them resemble flames.

We’ve been noticing a lot of DIY projects online using old chandeliers as hanging baskets—do you see where I’m going with this? ‘Fresh Look Mix’ looks like candles, or those flame-shaped bulbs that light up the dining room. Forget about a dimmer switch: these plumes keep their brilliant color without fading, even in the brightest sun. 

Likewise, urns filled with ‘Fresh Look Mix’ make glowing bookends to flank an outdoor fireplace. Plants in this series are larger and louder than other celosias, producing lots of big, blazing blooms in bold, vivid colors. Quite appropriately they love the sun and heat. 

‘Fresh Look Mix’ is available in the 8-inch pot.