Join us for a virtual visit of London’s most wellknown plant shops: Conservatory Archives. For a minute you’ll feel like in a real tropical jungle, where you can actually buy all the plants to take home with you!
Conservatory Archives
493-495 Hackney Rd
London E2 9ED
Monday *CLOSED
Tuesday – Friday 12noon till 7pm
Saturday – Sunday 11.30am till 7pm
3-7 Lower Clapton Road
London E5 0NS
Monday – Sunday 11am till 7pm
(cafe closes at 6pm)
We believe giving your loved one (or bff/neighbor/best buddy/oncly/colleague/anyone really) a plant as a token of love and affection is always a good idea. Depending on the type of person you’re giving a plant to, go for an easy grower that thrives under many circumstances, or pick something a bit more special that they will treasure for years to come. For Valentine’s Day any plant could do the trick, even a prickly cactus, but just for the romantic souls amongst us: let’s focus on some particularly romantic plants. Plants that have heart shaped leaves that show off your ever growing love for your Valentine. Here are our top six heart shaped plants:
This delicate looking plant called Ceropegia woodii is also named “String of Hearts” and features dozens of small heart shaped leaves on long trailing vines. They do best in partial shade or full sun and hate being over watered. Leave the soil to dry out completely before watering. They also quite like humidity, which makes them perfect for bathrooms (with some bright indirect sunlight!).
Philodendron scandens’s heart power is truly underestimated. It is an easy growing plant that also grows quite fast and works really well as a hangin plant, like the one above. But you can also opt to guide its vines along a wall or your canopy bed for an instant “heart bunting” effect, like in this bathroom at Saana’s place in Turku, Finland:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BeyTcILFdhd/
If you visit your local plant shop this week, you have a big chance to find one of these cute Hoya kerri “Lucky Heart” plants. They are sometimes even sold as “heart cactus”, but they are actually not cacti: Hoya kerrii is actually a climbing plant that can grow up to 4 meters high! Usually when you buy them they have only one leaf and only start growing a new leaf a few months later, but once strong roots are established, it will grow new vines quite quickly.
To recognize the heart shapes of an Alocasia plant, you need a bit of imagination. Most Alocasia leaves have a slightly sharp <3 shape, but have a look around your local plant shop or garden center and try to find a plant that you love. One of the most decorative Alocasia species is the Alocasia zebrina, with its patterned stems, spotted here at the new Leaf boutique in Paris. It is the plant right in front of the red door. Like most Alocasia, they like humidity, both of the soil and the air, as well as bright indirect light.
This tropical beauty will charm anyone with a romantic personality. Its lush green heart–shaped leaves are a perfect match to the bright flowers – mostly in flashy reds or pinks. Even though we think of it as the flower, it is only a so called spathe as the actual flowers are small and sit on the elongated spike shaped spadix. This popular houseplant grows ideally with bright, indirect light and a good soil mix in pots with drainage holes. The plant doesn’t like to sit in continuously moist soil so water it whenever the soil has dried out. Other than that, just give it some extra love and you will be rewarded with bright and beautiful flowers (sort of as we learned)!
This beauty, called the Alluaudia ascendens, is one of the rarest heart shaped plants in this post: you will most probably see it first in a botanical garden, rather than in your local plant shop. So we suggest to offer your plant-loving friend or Valentine a visit to one of the beautiful botanical gardens in the world. Turn it into a romantic weekend getaway, or simply meet him or her in a botanical garden close by and search for Alluaudia ascendes together.
Happy green Valentine’s Day, plant friends!
‘Leaf’ it to us to bring you the hottest, prettiest, and newest plant shops from around the globe. Today we are taking you to one of our almost ‘native’ cities, to Paris. A few weeks ago Paris got a tad more green with a brand new plant concept store named ‘LEAF’. And we can tell you one thing: We love it!
Located in a buzzing part of Paris’ 10th arrondissement, LEAF is the creative outpost of Axelle, a young and charming plant lady. All her passion, love, and devotion for plants and unique ceramics has been brought to a tangible life in her new concept store. It deserves the term concept store as Axelle is not only selling beautiful and lush plants, but outstanding ceramics from various artists and potters around the country.
As an Urban Jungle Blogger you enter this space and you know one thing: You will not leave the space empty-handed. Too many temptations lure in every corner: richly patterned Philodendrons, colourful Fittonias, bushy Fiddle Figs, elegant Strelitzia, juicy succulents, and prickly cacti are lined up from one end to the other. Additionally, the beautiful ceramics planters are a decorator’s dream. You can actually play mix & match and Axelle will happily pot your new plant in your chosen ceramics planter. Moreover, Axelle offers a selected range of further objects and accessories focused on plants and ceramics like illustrations, stationery and books. Don’t even ask, our Urban Jungle Book is available too bien sûr. So this shop is a must visit if you come to Paris. Because let’s be honest and put it this way: It is OUR kind of candy store!
Once you surpassed the first moment of awe while looking at all the plants, you might notice how bright and contemporary the space looks like. White and pastel hues, terracotta colored doors, wooden accents, pale pink walls – for those familiar with the French design scene the conclusion lies on the hand: The creative team of HEJU STUDIO worked their wonders into the wonderful LEAF concept store. And since this space is so inviting, do not wonder if Axelle simply invites you to enjoy a cup of tea while you are pondering about how many plants you can actually juggle through the streets of Paris (we managed 5 plants by the way).
We love all the wonderful plants and ceramics in shops like LEAF, but what we love even more is the green passion that brings all that to life. Meeting people like Axelle is a real delight. It confirms our firm belief that we are all riding a big green wave. One that embraces nature, plants, handmade pieces and presents them in an adequately beautiful way.
But enough talking. We will ‘leaf’ you with these beautiful shots of LEAF. And we can only reiterate our recommendation: Come to Paris and visit LEAF. You will enjoy it and feel invigorated, inspired, and – we do believe – you will bring a little new green friend back home. And you will make friends with another plant fan – with Axelle of LEAF.
Find LEAF shop végétal at 46 Rue Albert Thomas, 75010 Paris. They’re open from Tuesday to Saturday, 11am – 8pm.
Photography by Urban Jungle Bloggers
Every time we post a picture on Instagram of a beautiful bedroom filled with plants, we get some concerned comments from people that believe sleeping in a bedroom with plants is not healthy. We don’t agree with them and here is why: plants respire as humans do, emitting carbon dioxide at night as a reverse response to photosynthesis and converting carbon dioxide to oxygen during the day. Carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide are often confused. The names sound the same, they both are colorless and odorless gases, and at high concentrations, both can be deadly. In small amounts carbon dioxide is relatively harmless, while carbon monoxide is extremely dangerous. Maybe that’s where the confusion arises?
Good to know, is that the amount of CO2 most plants produce at night is far less than humans and pets do. You could even say that sleeping with someone, in the same room or bed is less healthy (oxygen-wise) than sleeping in a bedroom filled with plants.
The benefits of plants at home in general and in a bedroom in particular are countless. They make a room look more alive and your bedside table brighter. As you know if you read our #urbanjunglebook is that plants help to purify the air, by filtering indoor air pollutants like formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene, toluene, and benzene. There is an entire Clean Air Study by the NASA with proven facts – have a look here. Also, taking care of your plants can help you wind down after a busy day. There are even studies that proove that by simply touching a plant’s leaf for 2 minutes, you reduce your stress levels! For a healthy bedroom climate, don’t count on plants alone: regular ventilation, fresh bed linen, a comfortable mattress and good pillows and an extra blanket if needed, help to make you sleep better and improve your overall wellbeing.
Which plants are best for a bedroom?
Like with plants in any other room at home: have a look at the light and temperature conditions of your bedroom before picking a new plant. Is your bedroom fresh and rather dark, don’t pick a plant that requires lots of bright light and warm temperatures. These are some of our favorite plants for a bedroom:
The Sansevieria plant, also known as snake plant, is a bedroom star: it tolerates low (bedroom) light and thrives off some (reasonable) neglect. Did you know that snake plants even convert carbon dioxide to oxygen during the night? This is proven by several studies and thus makes this plant the green star in your bedroom!
Aloe Vera is a multi-talent in the home. Not only it looks sculptural and is boosted with beneficial effects, it is also a great choice for the bedroom. It removes benzene and formaldehyde from the air and its gel helps to sooth your skin – in case you have no cream or lotion at your bedside. Just sayin’.
Another plant all-rounder is the Spider Plant or Chlorophytum comosum. It removes toxins from the air, is very very easy to care for, and it is non-toxic for your pets. So all you pet owners out there, get some Spider Plants for the bedroom asap! Plus they look so cool and almost out-of-space when they grow their own little plant babies hanging from long runners. So funky!
Let a Philodendron grow along your bed canopy or a wall for instant style. Also, their leaves are heart-shaped which adds a subtle romantic touch to a bedroom! It also has air-purifying capacities and grows decoratively as a vine above your bed maybe? Why not!
Areca palms are yet another great option for the bedroom. Why? Again they purify the air in your bedroom and are non-toxic for your pets. Additionally, they create an instant tropical vibe to your bedroom transporting you to lush jungles while you dream away. Waking up is like greeting a new day in a thriving jungle! You will sleep like a baby!
This bedroom was styled with a Plants! throw blanket by Calhoun & Co from NYC, the Tiptoe x Bergamotte plant bench and the eve sleep x folk bedding set. Join us in London on January 31st for The Sleep Suite by eve sleep to learn how to dress your bedroom to sleep well! More info here! And now ‘greenify’ your bedroom and enjoy a good and healthy sleep! Good night, bonne nuit & gute Nacht!
Photography by Urban Jungle Bloggers
English text below! For our French readers, pour nos lecteurs français :
Ce mois de janvier on a l’honneur d’imaginer pour la deuxième fois une collection capsule avec Bergamotte, connu par ses bouquets splendides livrés à Paris sous 2h et dans les 24 heures en métropole. Après le “Mini Jungle” de l’année dernière, on a opté pour une collection plus luxuriante pour cette collection capsule. Elle consiste de quatre plantes faciles à faire grandir chez soi et s’appelle Yunnan.
Pour recevoir votre collection Yunnan chez vous, rien de plus simple, sous condition que vous habitez en France, rendez-vous sur le site de Bergamotte pour passer commande. Dans 2 heures (sur Paris) ou 24 heures, vous recevrez un très joli colis avec ces quatre beautés d’une diamètre de 12 cm, livré dans leurs pots en terracotta et une carte postale d’Urban Jungle Bloggers. Et avec une surprise pour certains d’entre vous : l’équipe de Bergamotte a glissé notre livre “Urban Jungle, décorer avec les plantes” dans 5 colis de notre collection ! Si vous aimez autant votre mini jungle que nous, n’hésitez pas à partager une petite photo sur Instagram avec le hashtag #urbanjunglebloggers car deux fois par jour on y partage les photos les plus inspirantes… peut-être la vôtre ?
For the second time in a row, we had the immense honor to work on a capsule collection with our friends at Bergamotte. Last year we opted for a “mini jungle” called Oaxaca (read all about it here) and this year we decided to select some leafy tropical plants with an unexpected twist of color. The collection is called Yunnan and is exclusively available for plant lovers in France via Bergamotte. As an extra surprise, the Bergamotte team put the French Urban Jungle books in five packages with our collection. So if you are lucky (and living in France) you may not only receive a beautiful collection of four plants in terracotta pots, but also our book! Enjoy your little urban jungle!
Photography by Urban Jungle Bloggers