Terrain

Intrigued by the e-mails from Terrain, we convinced my husband to visit one of it's locations in Westport while visiting Connecticut, with the promise of a coffee bar at the site. (Their other location is in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania).

Founded in 2008, Terrain attempts to transform the local garden center into a celebration of nature. Inspired by the idea of merging house and garden to create an experience for the senses, garden centers offer a curated assortment of plants for all seasons, as well as inspired items for the home and garden. With indoor-outdoor environments, nurseries include a cafe and garden terrace where events and workshops are conducted.

Carved teak bowl planter filled with succulents

Plant pockets on an interior wall

Plant pockets filled with cheerful, yellow daffodils

In Terrain’s recent Bulletin, Creative Director Greg Lehmkuhl and Lead Floral Designer Matt Muscarella share trends that have caught their attention this summer. They attempt to get past the “thrillers, spillers, and chillers formula” for this year's planters. He advises, “It’s more how you plant than what you plant. Striking combinations, such as very tall plants mixed with low growing varieties, create a contrast that draws the eye." 

• Avoid containers that are too small when creating an assortment of plants, unless you cluster many small planters together to create a coordinated ensemble.
• Striking combinations, such as very tall plants mixed with low growing varieties, create a contrast that draws the eye.
• Icy Pastels including off-white
• The colors, shapes, and sizes of succulents are amazing as the centerpieces for plantings of annuals.  (Remember, they’re not cacti-- they can thrive with the same watering and fertilizing schedule as annuals.) 
• Plant the same combination in repetition. Simplicity really helps to organize a chaotic space and makes it look intentional.
• Shady sites can become exotic with a larger-than-life, giant-leaf tropical. 
• Incorporating the most commonplace options into wild plantings can breathe new life into Grandma’s houseplants (such as pothos, philodendron, or epiphyllum).
• Find your brightest neon blooming plant and underplant it with a muted background palette. 
• Breaking the rules is something gardeners do all the time.