Plants that are displayed in a cold hallway or hallway are always perceived as a separate and special part of landscaping. In offices, in residential buildings, and in official institutions, these green guards are the first to meet visitors and are a kind of visiting card. They emphasize and reveal the style of the interior, talk about tastes and preferences, bring comfort and a sense of atmosphere. Bright and expressive cultures are always chosen to decorate the hall or foyer. But no matter how beautiful they are, the main thing is their ability to put up with low and unstable temperatures, endurance and unpretentiousness.
Ornamental plants in the lobby of the building. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com foliagedesign
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A lobby or foyer is not just a cold room
Spectacular giants, bright and expressive groups of plants that meet us from the very first step in modern offices, business centers, high-rise buildings or townhouses, always seem to us special. Plants that can settle in a cold hall or foyer, set the tone and mood literally from the doorway and emphasize the style and character of the design, architectural details and design ideas play a very important aesthetic and decorative role.
But their purely practical characteristics are still much more significant. The conditions of a hall or foyer, regardless of the building in which they are located, are always specific. And not all cultures are able to adapt to them.
The main problem of landscaping a hall or hallway is the temperature regime. If the hallway is almost always a room with lower temperatures, then for a hall, foyer or lobby this statement is not always so.
Lower temperatures compared to other rooms, especially in modern office buildings and business centers, are increasingly an exception to the rule thanks to smart heating and air conditioning systems. But even where the average temperature corresponds to the “residential” one, another important problem is far from being solved – the drops in its indicators, drafts, and cold air flows.
In any hallways, hallways and lobbies, temperature jumps are very sharp. The minimum indicators to which plants are exposed in the cold season should precisely determine the boundaries for the selection of plants for such premises. For all hallways, halls and lobbies associated with the exit from the building, even with the latest climate control systems, plants are chosen from among the most cold-resistant crops that can not only survive, but also maintain decorativeness at 7-10 degrees of heat in winter.
The conditions that houseplants encounter in the cool “foregrounds” that precede indoor spaces — lobbies, lobbies, hallways, or foyers — are often compared to ordinary cold rooms. This is the biggest mistake one can make when choosing a landscaping strategy and looking for candidates for the role of the green guardian who first greets guests at the entrance to the house.
The range of indoor plants that are suitable for cold living rooms is much larger than the list of those crops that will do well in the lobby or foyer. In fact, the cold-hall plants are a list of “select” Spartans, singled out especially from cold-hardy plants.
If the temperature standards in hallways and halls establish a universal selection rule, then with lighting everything is much more complicated. The presence or absence of windows, their size, and the characteristics of artificial lighting determine the selection of plants. Still, it is better to limit the “lower threshold” of illumination for cold halls. The selection rates are slightly shifted, the minimum illumination is equal to semi-shaded locations and 1000 Lx.
At the same time, shade-tolerant plants that prefer northern rooms are placed in cold hallways or in the hall only in partial shade, and plants that tolerate partial shade are placed in a diffused light place, light-loving plants are placed in the brightest lighting with protection from the slightest shade.
Showcase and panoramic windows allow even sun-loving crops to be displayed in a cold hall or hallway. For most halls, lobbies or foyers with large windows or a large area, choosing plants that can grow both in bright light and in partial shade is considered optimal.
Intense artificial lighting, depending on the indicators of the light meter, can even accommodate crops that prefer southern window sills, but in the matter of artificial light, it all depends on whether the plant can grow not in natural light or not.
Ornamental plants in the foyer of the building
The third rule of choosing plants for the “front”, regardless of the size of the rooms themselves, and concerns their size. Small plants in the lobby, lobby, hallway or foyer cannot be used, with the exception of planting large compositions in flower boxes, display cases and imitations of winter gardens. For such premises, only large herbaceous plants, shrubs and woody ones are used. But only the size of the selection rate is not limited to:
- indoor plants should have expressive silhouettes or beautiful strict lines;
- the color of plants should be rich, bright or light: too dark tones, with the exception of rooms with white walls or panoramic windows, can make the atmosphere very gloomy;
- variegation or original colors can be chosen only when the plant fits into the style of the interior, does not seem too variegated and retains its expressiveness;
- small leaves and lace textures are best left for other rooms: the cleaner and more elegant the crown looks, the better;
- if the room is spacious, then there is no better place for massive trees – plants that suppress free space in ordinary rooms and seem too bulky;
- the layering of plants, the nature of the silhouette, and the massiveness or visual lightness make it possible to “play” on optical illusions.
The maximum number of plants that can be displayed in a lobby or hallway depends on the functional purpose of the rooms following them and the building itself. If we are talking about offices or public institutions, then the number of plants is not limited. In the lobby or hallway of the house, with optimal landscaping, 2 to 5 plants are placed, always correlating their size with the size of the room itself.
Let’s take a closer look at the best candidates for decorating a cold lobby, hall, foyer or hallway, which will easily fit into interiors of different styles and cope well with different lighting conditions.
5 sun-loving indoor plants for brightly lit places in the hallway or hallway
Sun-loving crops are plants from among the exceptional flowering beauties and the best indoor woody plants of southern origin. Bright and spectacular, such cultures place color spots in the hallways and set the mood.
When it comes to plants that need the brightest lighting and can show off even with panoramic windows facing south, palm trees are always the first to come to mind. And among them it is better with the task of decorating a foyer or hall than hamerops squat (Chamaerops humilis), no other plant can cope.
Covered with beautiful red fibers, the trunks, pubescent leaf petioles with thorns perfectly emphasize the beauty of the impressive fan-shaped leaves, dissected up to a third into thin pointed lobes. The beauty is only enhanced by the folding at the base of the lobes and the almost perfectly rounded shape of the wai themselves.
This is a unique palm tree that is content with moderate watering even in summer, tolerates a strong drop in temperatures, and is undemanding to soils. If you rotate the crown in relation to the light, the chamerops will form a stunningly effective massive accent.
Chameerops humilis. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com bentleys
A new career in sunny areas of hallways and lobbies can start and common oleander (Nerium oleander). Ornamental flowering shrub is appropriate even in a completely formal setting. Thin shoots, narrow long leaves, so similar to willow greens, dull surface, grayish or dark, decorated with specks or borders, unusual arrangement of leaves – three in whorls – oleanders highlight on any background.
But the plant is appreciated primarily for its spectacular flowering. The twisted buds transform into funnel-shaped flowers in unique shades of pink. Oleander will have to provide high humidity and abundant watering in the summer, but he is not afraid of temperature drops, he feels good in cold rooms and loves airing.
Common oleander (Nerium oleander). Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Tangopaso
A rarity in interiors – nandina home (Nandina domestica). This ornamental deciduous shrub is traditionally recommended to grow in winter gardens or greenhouses. But nandina may well get comfortable conditions in the lobby or hallway. This is a unique plant with a beautiful change in leaf colors.
Slender shoots are combined with triple- or double-dissected leaves, flaunting rhombic segments. The reddish color of young leaves changes unevenly to dark green, watercolor spots seem to blur on the plant, and during the dormant period, the leaves again change color to a red-brown-purple show.
The panicles of the inflorescences look airy and graceful, and you just want to admire the details of the structure of flowers. Nandina is easy to grow if she enjoys the coolness in winter. Moderate watering even in summer, standard dressing and pruning for formation – that’s all that is needed to reveal the beauty of this plant.
Nandina domestica. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com newplantsandflowers
A representative of indoor citrus can easily cope with temperature drops even to zero marks and temperature fluctuations in winter – lemon (Citrus limon). The decorative foliage and fruiting ability of this delightful looking tree is mesmerizing, even if you see lemons for the hundredth time.
The contrast of leathery, opposite, dark green, shiny leaves in an elegant dense crown with dazzling yellow fruits or fragrant graceful flowers never goes out of style. And although the plant needs artificial pollination for fruiting, it is the most unpretentious representative of citrus fruits. All he needs is bright lighting and standard care. Frequent watering in summer, standard feeding and shaping ensure the attractiveness of these plants.
Лимон (Citrus limon). Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Williams Sonoma
Moving from the garden to the rooms, viburnum wrinkled (Viburnum rhytidophyllum) has expanded the range of crops that can be used for landscaping not quite ordinary premises. In the lobby or hallway, provided proper lighting, it can become one of the brightest flowering shrubs.
Erect shoots and ovoid leaves up to 20 cm long with a dark upper and yellowish-light underside surprise not only with a sense of massiveness, but also with their unique wrinkled surface with a velvety edge. The panicles of yellowish flowers also look fluffy, further highlighting how different this viburnum is from other species.
Caring for this viburnum is simple: standard feeding and watering (taking into account its cold resistance), the possibility of pruning and shaping – that’s all that a wrinkled beauty will need.
Viburnum rhytidophyllum
5 indoor plants for diffused lighting
Gorgeous vines, flowering shrubs or decorative leafy stars of ambient lighting can cope with the task of landscaping a cold hall or lobby. A wide range of plant growth patterns and massiveness allows you to find a suitable candidate for any task.
Fatshedera Lizei. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com willowhillnurseries
One of the best vines that can cope with the task of landscaping a cold hallway is fatshedera Litce (Fatshedera lizei). It is a hybrid plant that inherits its characteristics from ivy and fatsia. Large rounded leaves up to 20 cm in diameter adorn with a palmate-lobed structure and sit on long petioles. The leathery shiny surface and rich dark color look spectacular and elegant, seem fresh and surprisingly bright in large rooms.
Small nondescript flowers do not distract from the beauty of the greenery. Fatshedera looks great on vertical supports, creates visual dividers and background, but won’t get lost as a foreground soloist. Liana care is simple: moderate watering with protection against waterlogging, a universal substrate, standard fertilizing is also within the power of beginners. And the simplicity of lighting allows the liana to adapt well to the conditions of the “hallways” of the premises.
Pittosporum tobira
A plant that is not very popular with us yet, which prefers to grow in cool rooms – pittosporum Tobira (Pittosporum tobira), or resin seed. This is a magnificent shrub, rightfully related to both decorative deciduous and flowering species. Reaching a height of 1,5 m, the plant surprises with leathery, obovate, up to 10 cm long with glossy leaves, in which a lighter central vein always appears against the background of bright green leaf plates.
By creating a flat crown, this indoor shrub pleasantly stands out from its competitors with its unusual foliage arrangement, which gives the twigs a special elegance, and the star-shaped fragrant flowers that adorn the second half of spring. All that pittosporum will need is moderate watering, protection from direct sun, light soil mixtures with an optimal response.
The plant loves airing, and feels great in the hallway or hallway. Despite the fact that by nature the crown of the bush is beautiful, it can be formed at will.
Laurel noble (Laurus nobilis). Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com treeseedonline
Many growers who are faced with problems when growing indoor laurels are surprised to find that it is in the hallway or a light hallway that the plant feels much better than in living quarters. Lavr the Noble (Laurus nobilis) Is an indoor classic, the appearance of plants is familiar to everyone.
Smooth brown bark, perfectly shaped fragrant whole leaves with a grayish-green color and umbrella-shaped inflorescences with whitish flowers … Laurels are beautiful when formed into slender trees, and without it. Growing this plant is not difficult at all. Abundant summer and moderate winter watering, winter coolness, love of airing, universal substrates and top dressing, ease of pruning – these are the main “moments” of caring for indoor laurels.
Ophiopogon planiscapus
Among cereals and their competitors with linear leaves collected in lush clumps, ophiopogon is certainly the favorite for decorating a hall or hallway, and almost all of its species that have proven themselves in pot culture will equally successfully cope with this task. An absolute favorite for modern interiors ofiopogon flat rifle (Ophiopogon planiscapus) and other ophiopogons.
These are herbaceous perennials, forming a very dense sod of linear leaves, magnificent, large, from 30 to 70 cm in length, dark green to purple-black colors. The clumps of the plant look luxurious, and racemose or spike-shaped inflorescences with tubular flowers only emphasize the beauty of the greenery.
This is the most amazing of plants that feels great in any diffused lighting. Moderate watering, standard fertilizing, slightly alkaline soil mixture and timely transplantation are all that are necessary for success in growing ophiopogons.
Chinese hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis). Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com T.Voekler
Returned to the lists of trendy plants and hibiscus chinese (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) with its many varieties and hybrids. This plant was once almost mandatory in the design of the hall or lobby of any official institution, and so fed up that it was almost forgotten at the beginning of the new millennium. But the development of new varieties, exquisite, graceful and bright, forever replaced the memories of boring Chinese roses.
Oval or ovoid leaves, bushy or tree-like forms, the choice of greenery colors is just a “preview” (preview) of a real hibiscus show: large single gramophone flowers of the most unimaginable shades of acrylic and watercolor colors are capable of blooming in new varieties throughout of the year.
And at the same time, the newfangled modern hibiscus have not lost their simplicity at all. They require standard watering, easily tolerate sudden temperature fluctuations even in winter, adapt to different lighting conditions, and otherwise they are undemanding. And the possibility of crown formation and a wide color palette allow hibiscus to fit into even the most modern environment.
5 shade-tolerant indoor plants for the lobby or lobby
Among the crops that can be content with minimal illumination in combination with drafts, the most hardy shrubs dominate. Beautiful, but somewhat austere, they look like interior classics and bring elegance not only to the office environment, but also to the hallways of private houses.
Cephalotaxus. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com J & Em
Indoor yew is rarely decided to grow in living quarters because of its toxicity and love of coolness in winter. But in the hallway or lobby, he is one of the favorites. And not only because it provides a wide range of original colors. True, they are grown as a pot yew yew (Taxus baccata), and the magnificent glavchatotis – Cephalotaxus.
This is a magnificent coniferous shrub. Peeling gray bark, branches with dense whorls, tight spiral or semi-raised rows of linear leaves with a very sharp tip and a rich green color – advantages are no less than a naturally beautiful silhouette. Yews require moderate watering, are amazingly shade-tolerant, grow only in special soil mixtures and allow you to form a beautiful crown.
Common myrtle (Myrtus communis)
Strict silhouettes are the dignity of another shade-tolerant plant that likes to winter not even in the cool, but in the cold and is not afraid of constant air currents – common myrtle (myrtle common). Perfectly transferring the formation and being considered one of the best boles for decorating the hall, myrtle conquers with the beauty of lanceolate-ovate leathery leaves, muted color, glossy shine and the ability to choose between dark green and variegated forms and varieties. Fragrant myrtle greens and fragrant whitish flowers are a nice bonus, as are its phytoncidal properties. Myrtles require abundant watering only in summer, grow well in the shade and in bright light, and like pruning.
Ruscus
Butcher (Ruscus) – a plant that is not very popular with us, but deserves universal admiration. This is an ornamental-deciduous culture of a rather modest size – from half a meter to a meter in height, with rigid branches, leaf-like lateral shoots with a pointed tip, nondescript flowering and very bright berries. Butchery looks like an elegant relative of boxwood, although the plant is completely different in character.
Austere, classic and strikingly ornate, butchery surprises with its ability to grow even in extreme conditions. And caring for her is very simple. Minimal watering, rare top dressing, universal soil – that’s all this culture will need. In addition, the possibility of shaping and good tolerance of the cut allow to adapt the appearance of the broomstick to any interior style.
Japanese Aucuba (Aucuba japonica). Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com teannurseries
A favorite among plants with a variegated color – aucuba japanese (Aucuba japonica). This plant, despite the small spot on the leaves, looks great even in the smallest interiors of the hallway or hall. Ornamental-deciduous shrubs, capable of growing to more than 2 m in height without pruning, flaunt with large oval leaves with a pointed tip, against a dark green background of which light cream and golden spots and specks flaunt.
For the speckled pattern, we like to call aucuba a sausage tree. This plant requires careful watering, is moisture-loving and drought-resistant at the same time, tolerates coolness all year round, is not afraid of temperature changes and endures strong shading. The main thing is to plant the aucuba in a light substrate and protect the roots from damage. This plant, like other shade-tolerant favorites, tolerates formation well.
Araucaria (Araucaria)
Suddenly, it has become fashionable today and araucaria (Araucaria), whose coniferous appearance is able to outshine even the true evergreen decoration stars. The secret of its popularity is its graphic quality and visual transparency, which surprisingly beautifully emphasizes free space and the play of light and shadow.
Externally similar to a graceful herringbone, the araucaria with its branches collected in horizontal whorls-tiers, alternately located drooping shoots of the second order and needle-shaped needles up to 2 cm in length seems fresh and radiant due to its light color. The plant does not like waterlogging, needs special soil mixtures, but it tolerates fluctuations in conditions well and, when placed in free space, surprises with its symmetrical pattern.
