Vertical Gardening On A Folding Screen

Staying true to her love for botanicals inside the home, my mother-in-law transformed an Art Nouveau screen that she found many years ago into a vertical garden.  By using several Woollypocket's living wall planters she created a garden that's not only vertical but 3-dimensional and artsy.  Take a look:

This is the first stage of Natalia's vertical garden, and she would like to thank Alex for its installation.  As the plants thrive and grow, the planters will become invisible and a lush wall of shade loving plants will grace her bedroom.  This project inspired future ones, so stay posted for more of Cocoon Home's botanical designs.

Soon I will reveal more of Natalia's California home on The Way We Live.  Stay tuned for that as well.

Botanical Inspiration: Blooming Branches

California's mild climate landscape is overflowing with blooming trees and shrubbery.  As you may have predicted, I've been filling our home with different branches in full bloom.  It may seem overboard to some,  but I just can't resist these beauties.  Cherry, Quince and Acacia are perfect targets for my nature scavenging tendencies which clearly can't be tamed.  Take a look and learn how and where I found this botanical bounty.

I came across the cherry branches while walking Loki in our neighborhood.   A tree was being pruned and I couldn't resist asking for a few of them.  Now they sit beautifully on our hearth.

This quince acquisition wasn't so happenstance;  I cut them from [what could have been] somebody's driveway.  Shhh, please don't tell.

Mimosa happens to be my mother-in-law's favorite blossoming tree.   While driving back from Berkeley through Tilden Park with her,  we spotted a huge tree in full bloom.  I immediately stopped the car and broke off a few branches.  No harm done, I call it accidental pruning.

In colder climates, this is the time that most flowering branches can be forced to bloom indoors.   Bring a touch of Spring into your home, it will lift your spirits.  I guarantee it.

Botanical Inspiration: Max's Terrarium

During a recent family visit to Flora Grubb Gardens, not only did Alex and I get inspired (stay tuned for that), but so did our son Max.  While soaking in the array of plants and vessels so beautifully displayed, Max decided he wanted to put together a terrarium.  Knowing a thing or two about creating terrariums, I was thrilled about his excitement in making his very own.  Once we got back home, Max was anxious to get started.  Using nature scavenged branches, lichen, and some adornments I provided him with, Max created the most beautiful  terrarium all by himself.   After setting him up with the all materials we had at hand, I walked away.  This was a bit difficult since I can be somewhat of a control freak, but I did want Max's creative juices to be unencumbered by my presence.  To my utter delight, this is what he created:

Max is eager to create more hanging terrariums.  Thanks to his Babik, he now has a few more vessels to work on.  I asked him if he wanted to sell them, but he replied that they were too pretty to part with.  Below are few tips on helping your child build a kid-friendly terrarium:

1.  Collect branches, moss, pebbles, lichen, etc., while on walk/hike with your children.

2.  Provide your children with feathers, buttons, chandelier crystals or any other elements/miniatures they may want to decorate their terrariums with.

3.  Provide them with easy-care plants, i.e. Bromeliads (air plants), lichen or moss.

4.  Support the glass vessels your children use for their creations in a box with plenty of tissue paper or bubble wrap while they are working on them.

It's so heartwarming to watch one's child begin to channel his/her creativity through a medium one is so familiar with.  Cocoon Home Design lives on!

Apartment Therapy is holding its annual contest for the best design blogs and Cocoon Home has been nominated!  YAY!!  Being considered among so many other wonderful design and lifestyle blogs is an honor, but winning the contest would be SUPER cool.    If you have enjoyed my blog as much as I’ve enjoyed creating it, please cast your vote here TODAY!!!

Remember that you need to register with Apartment Therapy in order to vote.  If you’re not registered yet, click here to do so.  Thank you so very much!!!

Botanical Inspiration: The Home Garden

I can't help feeling inspired by our garden.  It is at times moody;  bright and mysterious at others.  As I explore it,  I realize just how much I yearn to again work with plants on a daily basis.   When I think back on studying horticulture, or working at nurseries, or creating botanical designs at Cocoon for clients, feelings of joy and contentment immediately come to mind.  Plants have that effect on me.  As we continue settling into our new home and garden,  my mind races with ideas for Cocoon Home: Botanicals!

All the above images were taken via Instagram.  Follow me there to see more of my botanical journeys.

Botanical Inspiration: Massive Manzanita Branch

On an exploratory family hike in Briones Regional Park, we came across a fallen manzanita branch.  Being a scavenger by nature,  I convinced  Alex to pull the massive branch out of the brush so we could break it into smaller limbs and bring it home.  With the kids' help, we carried enough manzanita bounty to fill the back of our van.  Having just taken down the big branch over our mantle,  this discovery was very timely indeed.  The smooth, mahogany colored bark looks great against our brick hearth.  Take a look at our latest find:

Do you enjoy scavenging in nature, too?  If so, tell me about your favorite souvenir from the great outdoors.