Please help us choose some plants for this outdoor dining structure.

April 15, 2021 7:03 PM

Helping a friend figure out plants for their outdoor dining structure in New York City. What would thrive outside in bright-ish light from spring to fall without being too cumbersome/bushy/expensive? Said outdoor dining structure pictured here

Snake plant? Coleus? Dracena?

posted by wowenthusiast to Home & Garden (4 answers total)

Coleus would be nice, so many varieties and sizes, and it tolerates many light conditions, very hardy. Large Boston ferns might work too. A lot depends on your budget and where you're sourcing plants from.
posted by j810c at 7:26 PM on April 15, 2021 [2 favorites]

What kind of sun does the structure get during the summer? It looks from the picture that it is in direct sunlight. About how long is the structure in the sun for each day, roughly?

I would be concerned that the corrugated plastic will trap the heat like a greenhouse if it's in full sun for hours every day. If it does get a fair amount of sun (4-ish hours) per day, you could grow herbs in it, like oregano, thyme, or rosemary. I've seen restaurants growing decorative herbs in planters that are used in their cuisine. Herb starts in 4" pots or smaller are readily available and not too expensive. Basil and cilantro will bolt, especially if they are stressed with heat and dry soil.

If it does get more than about an hour a day of full sun, I would not grow indoor plants like dracena or snake plant, since they do well with lots of sun.
posted by Lycaste at 10:48 PM on April 15, 2021 [3 favorites]

Hot peppers!
posted by inexorably_forward at 11:16 PM on April 15, 2021

I would agree with snake plant, and I'm thinking of plants that are ok if you bump into them, things that won't break, or shrivel like a palm. Ferns are good, maybe some succulents are easy and good, begonias and geraniums would work as well.
posted by kellyblah at 4:44 AM on April 16, 2021