The best in interiorscaping, biophilic design and installation and industry leadership were recognized at the annual International Plantscape Awards during the Tropical Plant International Expo (TPIE). I attended the ceremony last year and know that there are a lot of awards given out over the course of a wonderful meal and several hours. I will not list every single award (not possible!) but I will tell you about two that were decades in the making.

Congratulations go out to Larry Pliska, founder of Planterra, as the latest inductee into the International Plantscape Hall of Fame. Larry founded Planterra—one of the very first firms in North America to specialize in interior landscaping—in 1973. Under Larry’s leadership and vision, Planterra went from a Detriot-area greenhouse to one of the largest interior landscaping companies in the U.S. Being inducted into the Hall of Fame is really something! Only one interiorscaping professional receives this award each year for the impact that person had made on the industry over her or his lifetime.

“I’m truly grateful to be in the plant business and to contribute to making interior spaces more livable and vibrant through the beauty of plants and greenery,” said Larry Pliska in a press release concerning his achievement. Congratulations, Larry!

There’s a terrific video of Larry receiving the award which includes his background and company history. Well worth the click! Watch it HERE.

Also receiving one of the industry’s prestigious leadership awards was Joe Cialone, Sr. of Tropical Computers. Joe was given the 2025 Philanthropic Leadership Award for his outstanding service and contributions to the plantscaping industry. And if you want to know more about Joe, take a listen to his 2022 appearance on FNGLA’s Plant People Podcast.

You can view all the winning companies and the designs and installations that make them rock stars HERE.

We’ll stick with TPIE for a few more items. These particular items could be very useful for interiorscapers, and also for anyone who has a houseplant.

The folks at NewPro had several new lines of pots that would look and perform great in and outside corporate offices. These ProTone containers are made by hand from a “stucco-ish” material. Each one has been painted with primer and the stucco-like material is applied by hand. I’m told they hold up outside all winter in Indiana with no freezing and cracking. They come in a bunch of different tones. I particularly liked this concrete-like finish. It’s the look of concrete but without the weight.

Somehow, they’ve done the same thing to make these ProTone containers look like brick and wood but without being brick and wood. You would be hard pressed to know the difference, even from a few feet away.

I failed to take photos of NewPro’s Cosapots, but I really liked those resin and fiberglass containers, too. These are big statement pieces that look like they have the weight of concrete but are not heavy at all. Use them near an entry or an elevator bank—that sort of spot. Take a look at the Cosapot page to see what I am talking about.

Looking for something other than soil to use in your interior plantings? How about this Mineral Substrate from Vulkaponic USA. Apparently already in use in Europe for a few decades, Vulkaponics is a mined mineral substrate mixture of pumice and high-quality zeolite granules. It’s lightweight, has outstanding water and nutrient storage capacity and provides optimal pore volume—which means extended watering intervals and reduced root rot. And fewer pests, too, since this is a sterile medium without organic materials.

If I worked in an office, I’d definitely want to have some of the containers from D’Barro Pottery sitting out in the reception area, on my desk and generally all around. D’Barro’s Rafael Levy told me that “d’barro” means “from the clay.” And it is!

D’Barro, which is manufactured in Guadalajara, Mexico, has historically produced pottery in an array of traditional Mexican colors. Take these as an example:

Rafael tells us that D’Barro is now including more neutral colors such as those below. Why? So, they pair better with other pottery.

I do really love those larger containers, don’t you? And there’s something Delft-esque about the blues and whites of the others.

I’m also a big fan of the pottery from Big Grass Living. These glazed planters are new and are available in orange, green, blue and smoke (counterclockwise in this photo). Really love the green one.

And these beads are new, too. The Terra Accent Beads are individually hand crafted by Thai artisans so each one is different. The string includes the occasional face! So fun and unexpected. Love it when artists lead with whimsy.

These aren’t planters, per se, but I love the idea of using woven baskets as nursery pot cover-ups. The folks at Creation Jute offer such creative designs. These are all made in Bangladesh from reclaimed garment and denim waste, and many of them are made by hand if I am not mistaken. They were showing some recently added colors this year, including colors appropriate for the fall and winter holidays. Subtle, but that’s how I like my holiday décor.

Rooted is the name of a company that used to do retail plant sales and plant maintenance in Brooklyn, New York. That pesky pandemic changed their plans, so they pivoted into selling accessories (they apparently have some greenhouses in Apopka, too). Owner Ryan Lee said designing pots and etcetera was a great way for them to increasingly express themselves and the company’s aesthetic. They sell mostly online but were at TPIE to show their wares to retailers.

Rooted’s signature is a “fat lip” design around a container’s rim, and a generally fun and rounded look. You can see with the pot stand, and the three pots on that rectangular saucer.

By the way, those saucers are made out of silicone. I like that idea as they won’t scratch my heirloom furniture. How firm are they, you ask? Will it spill water if I try to pick it up after the plant’s been watered? Great question, and I don’t know the answer because I neglected to lift one.

These containers can easily turn into hanging containers with this separate rope hanger (which also comes with a device to hold it from a wall). It’s an homage to Rooted’s first home, which was in a former rock-climbing gym and hence the belaying rope. And it fits into their very thick and rounded motif!

Look at that—an entire issue of Tropical Topics without mention of one single tropical plant. I’ll make up for that next time—I already have a few planty items lined up!