The Nutrient

Your Source For New York Plant Rentals

2009-10-27T05:53:00.000-07:00

Bar Mitzvah Celebration, New York, NY

Plant Rentals are so in this season.

For every occasion and project, people have turned to Interior Foliage as their choice for plant rentals.
Just this month, Interior Foliage has provided plant rentals for birthday parties, print ads, commercials and weddings.

Reasons the professionals choose Interior Foliage:

A) We stock our material: We have the plants you need in stock, over 500 different species. It's apart of our quality assurance policy. Silk and artificial plants, flowers, and orchids are also available.

B) Value for your dollar: No other company works within your budget like Interior Foliage. We'll add the magic to your event at a price point you can smile about.

C) Same day delivery, Next day pickup: Our trucks run daily throughout NYC and the metro area. We're the only company who can do same-day plant rentals, with next-day pickup.

Areas we service for plant rentals:

Manhattan
Brooklyn
Queens
Staten Island
Bronx

Nassau County
Suffolk County
Westchester County
Jersey City
Hoboken

Professional plant rentals:

Print Ads
Commercials
Conventions
Conferences
Meetings
Trade Shows
Fashion Shows

Occasions:
Birthdays
Bar/Bat Mitzvahs
Receptions
Banquets

Call the most trusted name in plant rentals. Call Interior Foliage today.

(718) 784 4527.

www.interiorfoliage.com

Breaking Ground

2009-06-19T11:04:00.001-07:00

IFD Builds NYC'S First Green & Solar Roof!

Welcome to the future of a sustainable NYC.

Interior Foliage has just completed a very exciting project: The first green AND solar hot water roof in New York City, on our very own roof!

We wanted to show our clients how using a green roof/solar hot water system could be both aesthetically pleasing, while saving tons of money, every year.

We figured the best way to show people was to do it ourselves, first.

Let's do a tour of our new neighbors upstairs...

The Cacti

Don't steal their Daily News!

The Cacti are the best neighbors a tenant could have: quiet, and no maintenance required.

Question: Cacti? In New York? I thought they were only in deserts!

Answer: While Cacti are prominently found in arid desert regions, the cacti featured on our roof are native to the New Jersey, Long Island Area.

Tough Guys.

How a green roof can help a landlord:

The plants on a green roof absorb heat, keeping the building cooler and reducing the need for air conditioning.

Our green roof is projected to save up to 30 percent of our summer cooling costs.

Our green roof will also absorb up to 85 percent of storm water runoff, releasing water slowly into the drainage system. Storm water runoff can overwhelm the City’s sewer system, and potentially cause untreated sewage to overflow into local waterways.

If every city had a green roof, you'd never hear about city beaches closing due to storm water runoff. Cleaner air, cleaner water, cleaner NYC.

The Quiet Heroes.

Each 10,000 square foot green roof can capture between 8,000 and 12,000 gallons of water in each storm, the evaporation of which will produce the equivalent of between a thousand and two thousand tons of air conditioning — enough heat removal to noticeably cool 10 acres of the city.

City Assistance:

Building owners in New York City who install green rooftops on at least 50 percent of available rooftop space can apply for a one-year property tax credit of up to $100,000, or $4.50 a square foot.

Part Two on Monday: The Solar Hot Water System.

Study: Women Who Recieve Flowers are Happy 3 Days After

2009-03-19T12:37:00.001-07:00

Looking to give your loved one the best week ever?

Women who were given flowers, as part of a recent study by researchers at Rutgers University, reported elevated moods for up to three days after receiving the bouquets.

Those given fruit and candles reported no such change.

Found at marthastewart.com. Thanks Martha, we love Flowers too!

The Green Wall Revolution

2009-03-11T08:32:00.000-07:00

Edificio Consorcio, Santiago, Chile (images via: Plataforma Arquitectura)

WebEcoist reports on 15 different green walls, from office towers to shopping centers (below).

Siam Paragon Shopping Center, Bangkok Thailand

The green wall aesthetic reduces pollution, increases happiness and productivity, and is visually stunning to look at.

(images via: Land 8 Lounge) Zurich Airport, Switzerland

Did you know?

New York City has a $4.50/sq.ft. tax credit for installing green roofs on your property?

The Ann Demeulemeester Shop: Seoul, South Korea (images via: Design Boom)

Interior Foliage Design is helping customers all over the city get started on their green roof projects.

What are you interested in doing? Email us or call, 718-784-4527.

It's one of the coolest projects around. And with the energy savings from a green roof, we mean that literally and figuratively!

Report: Plants Speed Surgical Recovery

2009-01-14T06:41:00.000-08:00

We wanted to start the new year on a constructive note. Here goes!

Having a potted plant or flower in your hospital room, according two researchers from Kansas State University, speeds up the rate of recovery from abdominal surgery.

The study... found patients with plants in their rooms had significantly fewer intakes of pain medication; more positive physiological responses -- lower blood pressure and heart rate; less pain, anxiety and fatigue; and higher satisfaction with their recovery rooms compared to the control group" when given a potten plant.

Nursing staff reported that as patients recovered, they began to show interaction with the plants, including watering, pruning, and moving them for a better view or light.
Indoor plants make air healthier and provide an optimum indoor environment by increasing humidity and reducing the quantity of mold spores and airborne germs, the researchers added.

If you wanted to do more for a loved one currently recovering from surgery, it's good to know that you can do something that offers real help.

Plants, flowers speed surgical recovery (UPI)

Potted Plants (Interior Foliage Design)

IFD in NYC : The Holiday Train Show

2008-12-18T10:35:00.000-08:00

(Welcome to "IFD in NYC." This post will focus on the best in "green events" going on in the five boroughs. Events, Exhibits, even Benefits. If you happen to be in the know, please forward accordingly.)

What: Holiday Train Show

Where: The Bronx Botanical Garden

When: Until January 11th

Get Tickets!: www.nybg.org.

(Left: Yankee Stadium Replica - Photo by John Peden)

(Below: The Rose Center for Earth and Space - Photo by Konrad Fiedler)

The Holiday Train Show is one of the most anticipated events for everyone in the tri-state area, and especially for those seeking an easy, authentic New York experience for all ages.

Here you will find replicas of New York's most memorable landmarks. The Brooklyn Bridge, Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Radio City Music Hall, and more!

This year, the collection is introducing brand new sites, including the Rose Center for Earth and Space and Yankee Stadium amongst other landmarks, now immortalized in leaves, berries, twigs, and other plant parts.

That's all well and good, but what about the trains? This is the train show, after all. Well, they're all here: everything from late 1800's steam engines and circus cars to high speed passenger trains. It's great watching them go by old New York townhouses, under waterfalls, over bridges, and chugging through tunnels.

This is the stuff dreams are made of. It's a great show, and we at IFD hope you make it out. It works for families events, dating, friends and more.

The Bronx Botanical Garden - Holiday Train Show

P.S. This is our last post before the New Year, so we wanted to say thank you for your business in an incredible year, rife with tough challenges and groundbreaking events.

We at IFD wish you peace, prosperity, and good will for the upcoming year. Thank you for over 30 great years of business in the New York Metropolitan area. Here's to 2009!!!

The Plants that Keep You Healthy in the Office

2008-12-04T12:49:00.000-08:00

Benzene, Formaldehyde, and Trichloroethylene. Everyday toxins from paper products, carpeting and plastics that infect offices and homes, often causing side affects like drowsiness, respiratory infection, and in extreme cases, contributing to liver cancer!

Living plants and flowers can actually filter-out these pollutants and make the air you breath safer and healthier. Here are some examples of toxins and the plants that can save your office:

The Peace Lilly:

The Peace Lilly is native to the tropics of Latin America and Southeast Asia. and known as a great deterrent in combating Benezene, a carcinogen often found in office areas. The side-effects can range from drowsiness and headaches, to nervousness and loss of appetite.

Many other plants combat this toxin, including the Warneckei and English Ivy.

The Golden Pothos:

The Golden Pothos, or Epipremnum Aureum, is another plant native to Southeast Asia.

The Pothos is best known to combat the toxin formaldehyde, which is can be found in floor coverings & carpet backing, with side effects like eye, nose and throat irritation, upper respiratory tract irritation and headaches.

Golden Pothos isn't the only option. Formaldehyde in the air can become dramatically reduced by introducing plants like the Corn Plant and the Philodendron.

The Dracaena Marginata:

This tropical plant is native to Madagascar, an island off the southeast coast of Africa, and is otherwise known as the "Madagascar Dragon Tree."

The Marginata is extremely helpful against Trichlororoethylene, a colorless, odorless, volatile liquid frequently used in chemical manufacturing and dry cleaning. It has also been directly linked to liver cancer by the National Cancer Institute.

Fighting this bad guy isn't as difficult as one might think. Introducing a plant like the Marginata into your office environment will add the defense you need against this harmful agent.

Other plants that combat Trichlororoethylene include the Chrysanthemum, Gerbera Daisy and the Peace Lilly.

These plants have a two step solution. Introduce the plant in the office to reduce stress, and allow the plant to take in the atmosphere, absorbing the bad toxins while releasing the good karma.

Make Your Arrangements Last Longer

2008-12-02T07:26:00.000-08:00

Let's say you just received a beautiful new floral arrangement. It's just the right colors, you love the design, and want it to stay stunning as long as possible.

There are four easy steps to keep your arrangement looking fresh and vibrant. Consider:

Clean Water

-Change the water every other day. Flowers absorb fresh water faster than stagnant water. It's easy to remember: fresh water means fresh flowers!

Cutting the Stem

Make sure the end of the flower stems are cut on a wide angle. An increase in the stem's surface area will allow the flower to absorb as much water as it needs.

Keep it Cool

Most people already know this, but it never hurts to add: keep your flowers in a cool, dry place. Flowers love a room temperature of 68 Degrees Fahrenheit or cooler. Anything more will speed up the wilting process.

No Sunlight, No Cry

While most plants love the vitamin D goodness from the sun, a floral arrangement can die quickly from too much sunlight. Office and home lights are fine, and don't worry if you have a room with some sun. Just make sure your arrangement avoids any direct exposure.

If you follow the above advice, you can increase the life expectancy of your beautiful floral arrangement, by up to 2 weeks!

(*Thanks to reader Joni for the question)

Planting the Seed of Blogging Greatness

2008-12-01T09:52:00.000-08:00

Welcome to The Nutrient, the official blog of Interior Foliage Design!

Our mission is to provide you with cool, informative stories about everything green. We will also post regularly on answers to your most frequently asked questions.

We want this to be a site for and about you, our customers. This means covering topics on everything green, from outdoor to office care, types of flowers and orchids, IFD specials, climate news and more. If you have ideas for our blog, don't be shy! Shoot me an email or post a comment below. We want to know your ideas to make this site your own.

So sit back, relax, and enjoy the site.

Sincerely,

Matthew Schechter

Matthew@interiorfoliage.com