We have all done it. Hastily zipping into the local grocery store or nursery, quickly selecting the most attractive-looking pot plant to gift to a friend or family member.

These are usually accepted with glee, but within three weeks, the bloom seems to be giving up on life.
Despite the thoughtful effort, giving plants as gifts often leaves the recipient feeling guilty for ‘murdering’ their gift and the giver deflated for choosing a ‘substandard’ present.

On May 28, members and guests of the Garlands Ladies Luncheon Club watched in awe as Jana Fourie and Taché Goss of The Leaf Atelier at Bohemia in Rynfield unveiled their collection of hydroponic and semi-hydroponic indoor plants, a perfect gift for every occasion.

Working within the aviation and tourism industry, the dynamic duo found themselves standing in a nursery, looking for an extraordinary plant to bear the grief after the passing of a loved one.

“What started as a means of remembering our mother propelled us into becoming obsessed with plants, transforming us into crazy plant ladies,” said Jana with a laugh.

“But as so many, we started collecting plants, only to watch them wither, leaving us with nothing more than soil-filled pots.”

Driven by a desire to cultivate thriving indoor plants rather than watching them wither, the budding plant enthusiasts began experimenting with methods of adapting certain species to grow without soil, creating varieties that can thrive exclusively in water or porous stone.

“After countless trials and errors and more errors, we have finally seen our first little babies taking root, flourishing despite being plants out of the soil,” said Jana.

“It is not that you have been a vicious plant killer, but rather the fact that you received a plant that was cultivated in perfect conditions, for which your home or office is not best suited.

“In fact, you did not kill your plants; they merely went into shock due to being removed from ideal conditions.”

In closing, Jana said that each plant within their catalogue is tenderly grown with love and care, thus ensuring that it continues to bloom despite the change of environment.

“Giving a plant your wish is that it will continue to flourish year after year, reminding the recipient of the special occasion that brought it into their lives.

The Garlands meet again on June 25, at Ebotse and will feature a hilarious talk by Warwick Brown.
Guests are welcome, for more information, email the club president Margie Kostelac at margie.h@mweb.co.za

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