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Sustainability Statement

‘My design created a mini garden in a basket with living plants and plant cuttings. Using grape vines,tree barks, magnolia branches, lichen sticks, some grasses and dried leaves, I hand crafted an open weave basket. It was almost 100% organic except the paper coated binding wires used to secure the raw materials. It served as a large container for housing the plants and cuttings which filled the inside and covered parts of the outside.

Mostly compatible plant materials which were epiphytic and succulents were grouped together. Their close proximity to each other enabled them to live in a humid microclimate. Consequently all these organic components formed a sustainable system where they became reusable. Thus the need to use more materials could be reduced. Actually the phalaenopsis plants and several stems of kalanchoe, rhipsalis and bromeliad were reused from another design which I submitted for this challenge previously. The basket had been reused and repurposed many times. It kept its sturdy condition and rustic appeal.

While we,the florists/designers, working organically and sustainably, the recipients/customers of our products, will invariably become the integral parts of the chain reaction in maintaining the momentum of sustainability. We need to foster the customer's awareness, understanding and appreciation of the WHY and HOW for a "living plant design" to be sustainable. Imparting information/knowledge and demonstrating how to care for the design must be prioritized.

In the circumstance that the design was purpose made for hire to decorate an event, a celebratory reception or corporate interior, the task of reuse and reduce became the responsibility of the designer upon the return of the work to the studio.

If the design was to be custom made for gifting or the customer's own use, the process of treating the product sustainably would rely on how well informed the customer was on what the design was about and how to care for it. I would encourage a constructive follow up service, such as a refund for the return of the basket and/or a free planting service for the cuttings on behalf of the customer. In fact, this kind of after sale service will nurture good will and increase the public's awareness of sustainable designs.’

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Planting system / methods used in your Design

There were three whole plants of phalaenopsis amongst all the other plant materials installed in this design. Their roots were kept in moistened spaghnum moss and wrapped in palm fibre. The moisture content should be sufficient to sustain their growth for a couple of weeks.

The other living components were the pieces of cuttings from various epiphytic and succulent plants which were bromeliads, rhipsalis, kalanchoe, euphorbia, aeonium, senecio serpens and ceropagia woodii. The stems had their end/base covered in spaghnum moss and then wrapped in palm fibre. They would require regular misting and spraying. They have similar characteristic of water storage in their stems, leaves and urns. They can sustain growth without substrate for a short duration. Some cuttings could develop roots while slightly dehydrated. But their long term growth will require planting in substrate eventually.

All the plant materials of the design would benefit greatly from receiving some filtered sunlight. Positioning the design near a window with the gentle light of winter sun would be ideal.