Tag: Urban Jungle Bloggers

World of Plants for USM Haller – A Southern French hallway

Post author By Judith de Graaff
Post date 26 August 2021

We are firm believers in the positive power of plants – plants help us relax, but they also help us to focus, get more creative, and find inspiration. In our book PLANT TRIBE we have delved into the strong power of plants when it comes to being creative. We pledge that you surround yourself with nature in order to trigger your creativity and boost inspiration. Hence, plants in (home) offices are the way to go! And thanks to the new plant modules from Swiss design brand USM Haller you can now combine a piece of design furniture with your love for plants.

To celebrate the launch of the new USM Haller plant modules and their campaign ‘A World of Plants for USM Haller’ we have teamed up with USM to show you four home stories where plant enthusiasts live, create, work, meet and celebrate life surrounded by nature. These features will come over the course of this year to bring you more ideas on how to live happily ever after with plants.

The second home story takes us to the new home in the South of France of our co-founder Judith de Graaff. Judith is the co-author of both our books, Urban Jungle and Plant Tribe, and founded the Urban Jungle Bloggers community together with Igor Josifovic-Kemper in 2013. In Judith’s new home in the Ardèche, the spacious entry and hallway lacked structure and functionality. As a connecting space between entry, living room, kitchen, and all bedrooms of the home, the hallway was mostly used by her cats to play and run around. Lot of precious floor and storage space was left unused as well. Thus, a full shelving unit from USM Haller was the best option to combine design, space for storage as well as display, and a stylish solution for Judith’s houseplants.

The USM Haller shelving unit includes three new plant modules. Each plant module features three integrated plant pots with a watering set, consisting of a pot insert and water level indicator. There is no need for worries about dripping water or soggy plant roots – the simple yet smart watering insert and the indicators help you water your plants when needed without overwatering and without any spilling. Additionally, the plant pots come in two varieties: Basalt or Terracotta, as Judith has chosen for her white USM Haller shelving unit.

The entry and hallway of Judith’s home in the South of France has a bright and sunny vibe. Lots of natural light comes in through the big windows, filtered by striped blinds that add a touch of “holiday” to the space, a hint to the surroundings of the house: a popular holiday destination. Two oversized mirrors reflect the light throughout the hallway and complement the white facades and metal grid of the USM Haller shelves. On the rear end of the shelves, a USM Haller book display unit allows to show off the Plant Tribe and Urban Jungle books, and it also has a convenient storage behind to keep the international language editions of the books.

USM Haller shelves added multifunctionality to Judith’s hallway: there’s a coat rack as well as a wide bench to read or hang out with the cats (or spoil them with cat candy before bedtime). The plant modules are home to nine large plants that match the light situation of the hallway. The Alocasia sarawakensis, Philodendron birkin and Chamaedorea elegans soak up the largest amounts of light on the rear end closest to the windows, as where the Thaumatophyllum xanadu, Ficus robusta and Homalomena get only indirect light and the large Schefflera thrives in semi-shade near the bench. For everyone who lives with plants and pets: the USM plant modules are ideal too: with the big pots neatly stuck into the plant modules, there is no risk of cats or dogs tipping over the pots.

Check out the World of Plants for USM Haller here for further information, ideas, products and shopping opportunities.

Photography by Marta Puglia

Tags ardeche, Home story, judith de graaff, marta puglia, plant shelves, plantshelfie, saint-remèze, Surround yourself with nature, Urban Jungle Bloggers, USM, USM Haller, World of Plants

Planty Inspiration

Houseplant Travel to South Africa

Post author By Judith de Graaff
Post date 19 April 2021

While there is hope and optimism on the horizon as the easing of lockdown approaches, there’s still uncertainty about the possibility of travelling abroad this year. According to the Amex Trend report, people are missing travel so much that it’s taking an emotional toll and impacting their wellbeing, with nearly half (48%) of respondents citing that not being able to travel makes them feel anxious and stressed. We partnered with The Joy of Plants for our latest project to reveal how you can transform your home with houseplants to immerse yourself in another country, even if you’re planning a staycation at home.

The solution? Armchair travelling. The concept of armchair travel involves experiencing faraway places from the comfort of your own home – whether that’s reading a book, watching a documentary, or listening to the music from a particular country to immerse yourself in the sights and sounds without stepping a single foot outside your front door.

With many restrictions still in place and no sign of them easing soon, we want to showcase the power of Houseplant Travel. Houseplant Travel involves embracing native houseplants from countries across the world and pairing them with signature interior design trends to transform a space in your home and transport you to the shores of a faraway destination. Creating two distinct and beautiful looks, Igor took inspiration from Brazil while Judith chose South Africa. We both authentically capture the flora and style of each country, with houseplants firmly in the spotlight. Let’s kick off with our second destination: South Africa!

Can you tell us more about the look you have created?

JUDITH: For this look inspired by South Africa, I turned our guestroom into a cozy lush jungle. A place where you can sit down, chat, read a book and enjoy being surrounded by all the different plants from South Africa. A comfortable place with beautiful textiles and natural materials like linen, jute and cotton and a lovely plant shelfie with some smaller plants and handmade terracotta items.

What inspired you to choose South Africa?

JUDITH: When I think of travel, I instantly think of lush plants like palms, banana trees and plants with big leaves like Strelitzia. Strelitzia is a genus of five species of perennial plants that are native to South Africa, so that was my starting part. Being born and raised in the Netherlands, hearing South African slang in Afrikaans always makes me smile. And then there is contemporary South African design: it’s such an interesting mix of graphic shapes and craftsmanship. Styling this cozy jungle made me want to travel to South Africa even more!

What are your favourite houseplants to feature in the look and why?

JUDITH: My absolute favorites in this look are all the Strelitzia plants, the augusta, nicolai and reginae. I love their elegant leaf shapes and hard to miss: their cool tropical Bird of Paradise flowers! Another favorite is the Protea, the national flower of South Africa, that grows on small bush-size plants that thrive on sunny balconies or in the garden. And once the flowers are wilting, Protea also look really nice in dried bouquets.

How are elements of South Africa reflected in the design and styling?

JUDITH: South Africa is represented in almost all the items in the final styling! The large wall panel is the centerpiece of the room: it’s a beautiful linen piece designed by South African designer Amanda du Plessis for Evolution Product. It features an image from a rare book of historic pressed Sea Algae from the South African oceans by William Tyson, from 1908. The handwoven baskets for the Strelitzia, ZZ plant and Aloe aculeata were also created in South Africa: for the ZZ plant I picked a basket with a black & white zig-zag pattern and I love how the porcupine structure of one of the other baskets, made of palm leaves, matches the spikes of the Aloe aculeata. Contemporary textiles from South African brand Skinny LaMinx complete the look.

What is a unique feature or quality of houseplants native to South Africa?

JUDITH: When working on this project I realized there is such a big variety of plants that are native to South Africa: who would have thought that a String of Pearls originates from the same country as an Euphorbia ingens? I think their best quality is that South African plants are a good mix of very common and very exclusive plants: for example plants like a Kalanchoe rotundifolia or Zamioculcas zamiifolia are easy to find in most garden centers here in Europe, but then you have more special species like the ZZ black raven or the soft velvet-y Kalanchoe tomentosa. There is something for any plant lover!

What is your top styling tip houseplants native to South Africa?

JUDITH: Pair your plants with graphic and outspoken shapes, both in patterns on textiles and woven baskets, as well as in small furniture like stools and plant stands. Keep your colour palette limited to black and white/beige neutrals. Then let the orange hues of the handmade terracotta pots, and the bright orange Strelitzia and Aloe blooms add a vibrant pop of colour to your South African urban jungle.

What is your top care tip for houseplants native to South Africa?

JUDITH: Most South African plants love sunshine. Keep your plants close to a sunny window, or place them in the window sill. Once the temperatures go up, take your plants outside if you can, and let them soak up some well-deserved sunshine! Just make sure they don’t get a sunburn, move them gradually towards more light. Also, try to propagate your ZZ plant: simply cut off a branch at the base of your plant (with a clean knife) and place the cut stem in a small vase with water. Change the water every few weeks, and make sure there is no mold growing. Place the cutting near a window for bright indirect light. When your cutting has grown a rhizome and at least 4 cm of new roots, it’s time to repot!

In your opinion, how do houseplants help us ‘travel’ and achieve that holiday feeling from home?

JUDITH: Especially right now, when traveling is nearly impossible, bringing in one or more extra large plants that add an instant jungle vibe to your home, is a game changer. Also, spending time taking care of your plants, truly helps to unwind and relax, whether it’s from a busy day on Zoom, or a hectic day at the office. A mini break that helps to nurture your well-being as well as your creativity. Almost like a little holiday.

What would be your main advice for those wanting to recreate this look at home?

JUDITH: Start big! Maybe don’t go all out with dozen of plants like in my South African nook, but go for one (or two) big mature Strelitzia plants. Find them a beautiful plant pot or a handwoven basket that hides the saucer, add a stool with a cool zig zag shape and place it next to your favorite lounge chair or sofa. Offer yourself one Protea flower, or a bouquet, just for the sake of its beauty, pour yourself a drink, grab your favorite book, feet up and enjoy! Or even better: veel plesier!

If you could choose another country to (houseplant) travel to, what one would it be and why?

JUDIT: If I could hop on a plane right now I’d go to Arizona or Mexico to admire all cacti in their natural habitat. The variety of cactus plants growing there in the wild is mindblowing and I would love to see it with my own eyes one day. Cacti are probably my favorite plants and are such cool creatures that survive in such hostile environments by minimizing any waterloss. They store water inside their body and their skin’s waxy coating helps retain water. Most cactus spines function as condensation collectors, not just to keep nozy human fingers from touching them 😉

Blogpost created in collaboration with The Joy of Plants.

Photography by Pomelo Studio

Tags armchair traveling, houseplant travel, Houseplants, houseplants from south africa, jungle plants, native south african plants, south africa, south african botanicals, south african plants, Urban Jungle Bloggers

Planty Inspiration

Houseplant Travel to Brazil

Post author By Judith de Graaff
Post date 19 April 2021

Urban Jungle Bloggers - Houseplant Travel to Brazil #urbanjunglebloggers

Can you tell us more about the look you have created?

IGOR: I wanted to create a Brazilian jungle inspired by the lush foliage of the Amazonian jungle paired with carefully selected accessories that represent traditional Brazilian craftsmanship and contemporary Brazilian design alike. My colour scheme was simple: I wanted the various green hues to dominated in combination with earthy nuances and color pops here and there.

What inspired you to choose Brazil?

IGOR: I chose Brazil because I fell in love with the country after my first visit while working on our PLANT TRIBE book. I was fascinated by the lush native flora and I realized that many favorite houseplants in our part of the world actually originate from Brazil. I was also intrigued by Brazilian design, craftsmanship and the indigenous artisans. And last but not least, I am married to a Brazilian. Need I say more? 🙂

What are your favourite houseplants to feature in the look and why?

IGOR: I will admit, I have a soft spot for the gigantic Philodendron Selloum. Its huge leaves on long, thick stems really transport me directly to the Amazonian jungle. Sitting under its green canopy I feel like I am waiting any minute to hear the raindrops fall on its umbrella sized leaves. I also love the beautiful bromeliads with their pink colour and tiny purple blooms. I remember those growing everywhere in Brazil, typically as epiphytes on big trees. Also the Philodendron Tortum is a favorite for its very unusual foliage in the Philodendron family. And the Calathea Burle Marxii is dear to my heart as it’s named after one of my favorite Brazilian artists and landscape designers, Roberto Burle Marx.

How are elements of Brazil reflected in the design and styling?

IGOR: Brazil is literally everywhere in the final styling! All the plants are native to Brazil and most of the accessories actually come from Brazil – I brought them myself from my five Brazilian trips so far such as various baskets made by indigenous people, the wooden armadillo made of Brasil wood, the soapstone vase from the state of Minas Gerais and more . Even the vintage olive green leather sofa is a piece by Brazilian designer Percival Lafer from the 1970s.

What is a unique feature or quality of houseplants native to Brazil?

IGOR: Houseplants native to Brazil are mostly used to filtered, indirect light and higher humidity as most of them grow in the native jungles (Amazonian, Atlantic Forest etc.) and are covered by taller trees. Thus this plants are quite ideal for most homes with good indirect light – no need for full south side sunshine!

What is your top styling tip houseplants native to Brazil?

IGOR: Pair the plants with earthy accessories made of natural materials such as plant fibers, stones, clay. Keep the colour scheme to the earthy side and add pops of colours here and there, either with accessories or blooming plants native to Brazil such as orchids or Heliconias or colourful bromeliads.

What is your top care tip for houseplants native to Brazil?

IGOR: Make sure to keep the humidity high for your tropical plants. I tend to mist them every other day just to give them the good feeling of being almost like at home in Brazil!

In your opinion, how do houseplants help us ‘travel’ and achieve that holiday feeling from home?

IGOR: In these challenging times where traveling is almost impossible, plants helped me bringing a holiday feeling to my apartment. I truly believe that plants in general help us unwind and relax, find our inner balance after a hectic day and nurture our well-being as well as our creativity. All those aspects I aim for in good holidays too. So they do the trick for me!

What would be your main advice for those wanting to recreate this look at home?

IGOR: Mind my crazy Brazilian jungle, you don’t have to go over the top for the same feeling at home! Pick just a few plants, if your space allows, go for bigger and more mature plants. Place them in an ideal corner and add a few natural accessories like clay planters or woven baskets, make sure you have a cosy place to sit and grab your favorite book, a drink in your hand, and travel away! Bon voyage or better yet: boa viagem!

If you could choose another country to (houseplant) travel to, what one would it be and why?

IGOR: I think I would go to Indonesia for its lush tropical jungles, volcanoes, all the palm trees and its rich culture!

Blogpost created in collaboration with The Joy of Plants.

Photography by Jules Villbrandt

Tags brazil, brazilian houseplants, houseplant travel, interior styling with plants, native brazilian plants, Urban Jungle Bloggers

Plant Shop

Plant Shopping at Jane Jardinerie

Post author By Judith de Graaff
Post date 10 December 2020

Weekends are for plant shopping, and in 2020: well every day is for plant shopping. On our end, we’ve been trying our best to support our local plant shops by buying plants, gifts and giftscards for family and friends for the holidays. Of course there may have slipped a little plant for ourselves into our shopping basket too. And when we couldn’t find what we were looking for, we shopped online. It’s been a challenging year for all brick & mortar shops, but so far we’ve been impressed by their agility to adjust and open “click & collect” or call & collect” or “pavement pick-up” or “drive-through” shopping options. Not only have we been highlighting the best plant shops around the world on our Instagram account @urbanjungleblog every weekend, we also included a helpful list of plant shops in the Plant Tribe book. So that, once we get to travel again, you can check if there’s a note-worthy plant shop in the place that you’re visiting. There you have it: one of our wishes for 2021.

One of the plant shops that’s in the book and that we warmly recommend is Jane Jardinerie. Actually it’s two shops, as Jane has boutiques in both Nantes and Angers. Anne and Sophie opened their urban garden centers more than four years ago and focus on the vegetable garden, the balcony and the indoor garden. But they don’t only propose a large selection of plants, tools, pots, soil, fertilizer and accessories, but also organize all kinds of workshop around urban gardening. We can’t wait to see what they cook up for 2021 when we can hopefully meet and participate in workshops and events again. For now, have a virtual look around both Jane boutiques and make sure to visit Jane Jardinerie in Nantes or Angers when you’re in the neighborhood.

Why Jane?
JANE is a tribute to Jeanne Barret, the first female botanist to tour the world. Widely unknown in France, its history has not left us indifferent… We are in the Age of Enlightenment, in 1766. Jeanne Barret embarks on the first French expedition around the world led by Bougainville to accompany the famous naturalist and botanist, Philibert Commerson, her companion. To go “unnoticed” on board, she decides to disguise herself as a man and take on the identity of Jean Baré, Philibert Commerson’s valet. The trick was discovered in Tahiti and Bougainville soon brought them to Ile de France, known today as Mauritius. Jeanne Barret assists Philibert Commerson in his discovery of new botanical species. He died in Mauritius in 1773, leaving Jane behind. She leads a new life in Saint-Louis and meets Jean Dubernat whom she marries. The couple return to France. Jeanne brings back the botanical harvests of Philibert Commerson intended for the “King’s Garden”, ie 30 cases containing some 5,000 species, of which 3,000 are described as new. King Louis XVI recognized her merits as an assistant botanist and commended her for her good behavior, he designated her as an “extraordinary woman” and paid her a pension. Of her adventure, there will remain traces recorded in the logbook of Bougainville, in the writings of Diderot and her important contribution to the knowledge of botany.

Also available at Jane Jardinerie: both our books Urban Jungle and Plant Lovers (Plant Tribe in French):

Jane Jardinerie NANTES
10 rue Mercœur
02 40 77 82 56

Jane Jardinerie ANGERS
21, rue Toussaint
02 41 96 58 36

Or follow Jane Jardinerie on Instagram

Photography by photographers tagged in all photos

Tags angers, boutique, france, french, jane jardinerie, nantes, plant shop, plant shopping, Urban Jungle Bloggers, urban plant shop

Botanical Art Plant Trends Planty Inspiration

Plant Fever exhibition by studio d-o-t-s

Post author By Judith de Graaff
Post date 6 November 2020

With limited travel opportunities this year and stuck at home we all suffer from some kind of (healthy!) fever: PLANT FEVER! More than ever, we adopt plants and learn how to care for them while we work, eat, live, socialize virtually, all from the comfort of our homes. Plant Fever is also the title of this interesting exhibition at the CID Grand Hornu in Belgium, that focuses on the hidden potential of plants. The exhibition “Plant Fever Towards a Phyto-centred Design” curated by studio d-o-t-s, explores how designers, artists and engineers incorporate plants and plant derived materials in their work and how plants function as resources, pets and allies.

PLANTS AS RESOURCES
Plants are essential to our survival on Earth. Not only do we need them to breathe and eat, but we also depend on them to dress, shelter, and heal ourselves. Their features constitute the basis for practical ancestral know-how, and the materials they provide us with are at the core of our economies. Yet, despite this, we often disrespect and overexploit them to the detriment of both human and non-human communities. Lately, however, the consequences of our behaviours have prompted several designers to reconsider their role in the wasteful consumerist society we live in. Alarmed by the growing Climate Emergency, many of them are now exploring more holistic approaches to the material resources we make use of. Compostable vegetal matters are slowly replacing plastics, projects seeking symbiotic relationships with plants are on the rise and objects repurposing by-products of non-virtuous monoculture models are blooming.

Botanica Variegata, by Sjoerd ter Borg – Aesthetics of Exclusion

PLANTS AS ALLIES
The recent findings that suggest that plants are sentient beings; the ongoing climate crisis linked to the Anthropocene; the ethical debate around artificial intelligence, plant engineering and synthetic biology: all these new perspectives are shaking up the Western world’s vision of human supremacy over everything else, including the vegetal realm. Informed by novel scientific discoveries and stimulated by growing moral concerns regarding non-human beings, designers, artists and engineers have started to look into the uncovered capabilities of plants to imagine a future in which thinking like them and collaborating with them could become the new norm. While in most cases their goals remain closely human-centred, these explorations are leading the way towards a more vegetal-conscious approach to design which goes beyond plant’s instrumentalisation and mechanisation.

Botanical Manufacture, by Carole Collet

Eloj Kreyol, by Dach Zephir

GeoMerce, by Gionata Gatto + Giovanni Innella photo by Olly Cruise

Monstera Fugiens collection, by Tim van de Weerd

PLANTS AS PETS
Helped by the advent of modern architecture – which provided suitably open, bright and warm interiors – in the course of the 20th century plants have become ubiquitous in our domestic and office environments where they have been assigned a mainly decorative role. Since the early 2010s, though, the motivations driving us towards the vegetal kingdom seem to have shifted away from the merely ornamental. Plants have become therapeutic feel-good companions that help us escape the alienating condition of urban life. Described by some as symptomatic of the millennials’ generation and its widespread use of social media, the current trend of lushlyvegetated interiors mixes the desire for highly Instagrammable settings with a sincere thirst for botanical knowledge and a need to embrace otherness. Sensitive to this change, designers have started to invent DIY devices meant to reconnect us with plants and to create pots and containers intended for precise specimens.

Albero, by Achille Castiglioni x Zanotta

Olive Urchin, by Henriette Waal, Mevce Ciraci, Luma Arles

Rocaille n3, by Patrick Nadeau

It’s possible that you recognize the Phytophiler by Studio Dossofiorito below (we wrote about it here). Admiring your plants from the magnifying glasses is truly magical… as long you don’t spot thrips, mealy bugs or other pests!

The Phytophiler by Dossofiorito – photo Olly Cruise

The Phytophiler by Dossofiorito:

Team studio d-o-t-s: Olivier Lacrouts et Laura Drouet:

photo by Olly Cruise

Curatorship: Laura Drouet (studio d-o-t-s) (pictured above!)
Scenography: Benoît Deneufbourg
Graphic identity: Matthieu Visentin
Coordination: Olivier Lacrouts (studio d-o-t-s)
Direction: Marie pok
CID team: Martine Acar, Shahrazad Ameur-Merabet, Marine Babic, Dominique Blondiau, Sophia Bouarfa, Aubane Brebant, Christopher Broyart, Jeoffrey Bultez, David Buyle, Giuseppe Cannella, Laetitia Centritto, Maryvonne Colle, Matteo De Felice, Brigitte Delattre, Gaëtan Delehouzée, Véronique Demebski, Filip Depuydt, Massimo Di Emidio,Françoise Foulon, Sophie Gallez, Céline Ganty, Loïc Goemaes, Marianne Jayé, Laurence Lelong, Hervé Liénard, Maxime Mairesse, David Marchal, Vincenzo Mauro, Justine Mertens, Jean-François Paternoster, Thierry Pochet, Marie Pok, Carine Saber, Matteo Sciullo, Graziano Trovato, David Vilain, Maryse Willems, Cataldo Zitolo

Plant Fever catalogue – photo by Olly Cruise

Visit the exhibition until February 14 2021, at:

CID – CENTRE FOR INNOVATION AND DESIGN at Grand-Hornu
Site du Grand-Hornu
Rue Sainte-Louise 82
B-7301 Hornu
Belgium

For updated visitor information, please check Plant Fever and CID Grand Hornu on Instagram.

Photography by Tim van de Velde, unless stated otherwise.

Tags Houseplants, plant fever, planty exhibition, Urban Jungle Bloggers, urbanjungleblog; grand hornu