Christmas Houseplants - Give a living gift this year!
The Poinsettia is the ultimate Christmas houseplant. it's bright red leaves simply sing 'Happy Christmas!' Poinsettias love the heat and hate the cold or draughts if any kind. Water moderately with tepid water and never leave standing in water. Red dos not suit everyone though, they are also available in cream and various shades of pink.
The scent of Hyacinths are most certainly associated with Christmas and for me nothing beats them! Coming in a variety of colours, the most popular being white. They make the ideal gift, as we can plant them in a variety of containers, depending on your loved ones tastes. Or you could create your own display with moss and twigs and a lovely container.
Christmas Cactus. Another favorite, this plant always reminds me of my grandparents who always had this as pride of place at Christmas. It adds wonderful cheer to any home at this time of year. This plant is a tropical cactus rather than a desert cactus, so it should not be allowed to dry out and should be watered moderately throughout the season.
Ivy. One of the easiest plants to look after and therefore a perfect gift for buying in advance. You may think ivy sounds boring but we have shaped them into hearts, trees and spheres at Powerscourt Garden Pavilion and added lights for extra effect.
This is just a sample selection of the houseplants suitable for Christmas gifting. Other choices include Cyclamen, Orchids, Bonsai, Lemon Trees and Azaleas. We have a beautiful display at Powerscourt which is sure to inspire!
Marianne Caplice
General Manager & Horticulturalist at Powerscourt Garden Pavilion, Powerscourt Estate Enniskerry, County Wicklow. Ph: (01) 204 6014. W: www.powerscourt.ie
The scent of Hyacinths are most certainly associated with Christmas and for me nothing beats them! Coming in a variety of colours, the most popular being white. They make the ideal gift, as we can plant them in a variety of containers, depending on your loved ones tastes. Or you could create your own display with moss and twigs and a lovely container.
Christmas Cactus. Another favorite, this plant always reminds me of my grandparents who always had this as pride of place at Christmas. It adds wonderful cheer to any home at this time of year. This plant is a tropical cactus rather than a desert cactus, so it should not be allowed to dry out and should be watered moderately throughout the season.
Ivy. One of the easiest plants to look after and therefore a perfect gift for buying in advance. You may think ivy sounds boring but we have shaped them into hearts, trees and spheres at Powerscourt Garden Pavilion and added lights for extra effect.
This is just a sample selection of the houseplants suitable for Christmas gifting. Other choices include Cyclamen, Orchids, Bonsai, Lemon Trees and Azaleas. We have a beautiful display at Powerscourt which is sure to inspire!
Marianne Caplice
General Manager & Horticulturalist at Powerscourt Garden Pavilion, Powerscourt Estate Enniskerry, County Wicklow. Ph: (01) 204 6014. W: www.powerscourt.ie 
