T3

My sister-in-law, Jojo sent me a link to this great blog “Inside the Loop” . She figured I would enjoy the Japanese Ikebana arrangements… and she was right. It made me think about some of the arrangements that I have done in the past, mostly with succulents. Succulents are SO easy, and the fact that most require very little water and can handle filtered sun makes them perfect for office windows, indoor table-tops, and really anywhere else. A great idea: keep one arrangement outdoors in elements, and the other in your favorite spot indoors.

Using simple pots in basic shapes ensures that the pot will compliment, not compete, with the plant scheme. Depending on the plant choice, I like to either plant en masse or take two or three varieties and place them according to growth pattern. This is where it helps to know how the plants will grow. If you are using succulents, check out this website (www.plugconnection.com) for comprehensive growth information on several different succulent varities. If grasses are more your style, stick with the festucas or mondo grasses (ophiopogon japonicus). If the container is large enough, Mexican Feather Grass (Stipa) or any of the pennisetum varieties make great specimens surrounded by creepers like trailing rosemary, Tradscantia, or Ipoemia.(Potatoe vine).

I like to dress the pots with decorative gravel, sand, or glass. Wood bark is too messy and degrades over time. I also prefer to use concrete, terrazzo, glazed ceramic, or fiber-cement containers. Terra Cotta pots are cheap and can be planted up and placed in a more-expensive container and top-dressed. This is especially useful if your using a container that doesn’t hold up to the elements, like Zinc or wood.

I especially love the tray planters that we manufacture and sell. They are created with either stainless steel or weathered and lacquered steel. I use bromeliads, succulents, Air plants, orchids, and whatever else is lying around that needs a home. They are called trayscapes and come in three sizes T1, T2, and T3

They are available for purchase at Mixture in Little Italy and Grounded in Encinitas. Custom arrangements and commissioned pieces available upon request.

T1 with bromeliad, and succulents

T2