Porch areas are arguably one of the most challenging areas to decorate due to their compact size, varying climates and transience. However, we are lucky. Martha Stewart just simplified the process, and her secret lies in one of the most versatile accessories available: easy-care houseplants. In true Martha style, however, her selection is anything but easy.
“When I'm home, I like to keep a collection of interesting specimens in my enclosed porch, around my living room, and in my serving room where I can see them every day,” says Martha.
“At one end I displayed several delicate dracaenas in pots. “There are more than 170 different species of dracaena, and all have grass-shaped leaves growing from one or more thick, cane-like stems,” says Martha in her blog.
Dracaena [also known as a dragon plant] is a low-maintenance, low-maintenance plant that thrives best in bright, indirect sunlight.”
Shop the look
Rosemead Home Anthracite Gray Pot
With their authentic natural concrete finish and visible pores, these elegant, modern flower pots add a sophisticated, organic touch to any porch and perfectly showcase succulents or seasonal greenery. Their smooth appearance is perfect for a dracaena like Martha's.
Live Dracaena Marginata Cane
The Dracaena impresses with long, narrow, spiky leaves in dark green with a reddish-purple edge, which form striking clusters on a woody cane. Hardy and easy to care for, it thrives in low light and water, making it a vibrant, effortless accent to any porch.
Made from lightweight yet extremely durable polyethylene, this pot is a good alternative to Martha's. Its sturdy construction can withstand the elements while remaining easy to move, making it perfect for your porch, patio or garden.
Like many of us, Martha enjoys decorating with plants in ways that bring her joy while working from home. Your dracaenas are the latest example of this and are the perfect blueprint for us to follow in our homes.
“I often display interesting and eye-catching potted plants on the porch of my winter home.” “The large floor-to-ceiling windows provide plenty of light and surround my desk, where I can enjoy them while writing or attending remote meetings,” she says.
“I love container plants, and whenever I'm home I always like to keep a collection of interesting specimens in my enclosed porch, around my living room, and in my waitress room where I can see them every day.” At her Bedford estate, Martha also decorates with potted rhipsalis, native to the rainforests of South America, the Caribbean and Central America.
“Rhipsalis is a genus of cacti with about 35 different species. Many types of rhipsalis grow in my greenhouse. Rhipsalis specimens have long, trailing stems, making them the perfect choice as houseplants on pedestals or high tables,” she adds. This is the houseplant inspiration we need for the coming winter, whether we place them on our porch or not.