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Flowers and plants have long been used to decorate the home—both inside and out. Nothing can warm up the interior of a house quite like flowers, and landscaping can add quite a bit of curb-appeal. Two things that have become important to people in this regard are saving time and being kind to the environment. Busy schedules have increased the popularity of low-maintenance planting, and people are looking for green options to include as well.

Joel Barczak and his wife have owned Blumen Gardens in Sycamore for over 20 years. The company is on top of the latest in green thinking—and is just finishing up a rooftop garden featuring native plants at their place on Edward Street. “Natives” are plants that typically grow in the geographical area. Barczak underscores the importance of using these plants and says, “They are drought-resistant, hardy and used to our climate. Since we can have 100 degree days in the summer and dip below zero in winter—that is pretty important.”

Those who are looking for low-maintenance native plants to include in an outdoor arrangement can find them at Blumen Gardens. Here, Barczak gives four recommendations that are both inexpensive and attractive for use in exterior landscaping.

Praire Smoke (Geum triflorum)
This plant has a smoky rose color and blooms in the spring from mid-May to mid-June.

Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
As its name suggests, this native plant attracts Monarch butterflies. It blooms in the summertime and features attractive orange flowers. The height ranges from 24 to 30 inches.

Prairie Dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis)
This native grass flowers from late summer to early fall. It grows 3 to 3.5 feet tall and looks pretty all year, even through the winter season. There is also a shorter version called “Tara,” which only grows to a maximum height of 24 inches.

Purple Dome (Aster novae-angliae)
Brilliant purple flowers crown this native plant, which blooms from September to November.

Of course, decorating with plants is not confined to the outdoors. Flowers and plants can lend a nice touch to interior spaces as well. Michelle Schulz, one of the owners of Kar-Fre Flowers in Sycamore, says, “If you read articles about making your home more welcoming or saleable, they almost always include having green plants or floral arrangements in various rooms—it makes a home feel more lived-in and warm.”

Schulz often recommends low-maintenance silk floral arrangements and silk plants for use with any decorating scheme inside the home. She says, “Silk arrangements can accent a wall, brighten a dark corner or soften a rustic area.”

Although fresh flowers don’t last as long as silk, they remain very popular. “In the home, popular flowers follow whatever the hot color and decorating schemes are,” says Schulz. She mentions that vivid green is extremely “in” right now, a fact that is reflected in the demand for flowers such as bells of Ireland, roses, gladiolas and carnations.

According to Schulz, more and more people are putting flowers in the rooms they spend the most time in, such as a home office or a bedroom. She points out that, as our lives and schedules change, different rooms become popular. “With the focus more and more on the importance of the family table, we see a big return to flowers for the dining table—sometimes a more formal centerpiece, others just a few flowers in a vase,” says Schulz.

In terms of being environmentally conscious, Schulz says, “Fresh flowers are a great green choice since they are biodegradable.” She also mentions the fact that the floral industry is very attentive to issues such as crop sustainability, fair wages, and environmentally safe insecticides and fungicides.

There are many low-maintenance choices available for those looking to decorate the interior or exterior of their homes with flowers or plants. Selecting options that are more environmentally conscious has also become easier—especially with the use of native plants. Taking the time to look at the variety of green choices available can make a difference, as can asking at your local florist or garden store.