The rise of the Kokedama

Hanging or standing, a kokedama is a must-have item for your home, veranda or office.

The art of the potless garden originated in Japan and the name literally describes what it is – a moss ball.

Walking into Love Laugh at The Litchi Orchard, you will find shop owner Cindy Rynhoud making these interesting little plant balls.

According to Rynhoud, adding a lot of fresh, green stuff to your home is a massive trend at the moment and kokedamas are perfect for this look.

“It is fairly easy to make them yourself, but be prepared for a messy job,” said Rynhoud.

All you need is some clay soil, peat, a plant, moss and some hessian twine.

First step is to choose your plant.

“I love aloes or rock roses, as they are low maintenance and very trendy plants.”

You can also use ferns or even brumeliads.

Now for the messy part.

“Clean off the extra sand around the roots carefully and then get to work on your moss ball. Mix some of the clay soil with a handful of peat, which is a type of fertiliser, and add some water to it so that it becomes like a paste. Form a ball with the mixture and make a hole in the top. It is a bit like pottery really.”

Next, place the plant into the hole and make sure it fits snuggly.

“While the ball is still wet, pack the moss around the ball.”

The last step is the trickiest part – the hessian twine.

“Tie the hessian twine around the ball carefully. Keep going around and around. If you want a hanging Kokedama, create a loop, so that you can hang it on a hook.”

There you have it, your very own kokedama.

“Caring for it is easy. Just water the ball about once a week and hang it outside to let the excess water drip out. Depending on the plant, you will either place your kokedama in the sun or in the shade.”

Rynhoud’s display tip is to hang a group of three kokedamas together at different heights for a green eye catcher.