A Dutchman takes his bonsai-like creations to new heights (literally).
Last summer in Amsterdam, I spotted Fedor van der Falk's hanging gardens in the window of Pompon, a flower shop on the Prinsengracht. Suspended from the ceiling, the hanging balls of flowers were both poetic and surprisingly practical (lending themselves nicely to a small space). The secret? Van der Falk's uses crocheted bags to house the plants' rootballs and clumped dirt; the bags are then suspended from the ceiling, or hung from branches; he often creates a crocheted web of string with metal hooks to attach several plants, creating an installation of sorts.
N.B.: Check out the charming Care Sheets by Elsa Dray Farges, with advice on looking after the plants.
Images courtesy of String Gardens and Pompon.
Above: Flowering quince in the store window of Vandaag Bedrukt. Van der Falk often grows grass in the soil around the rootball, which he trims with scissors.
Above: Van der Falk started as a set designer for an animation studio in Amsterdam; he began suspending small plants for set backdrops, taking the idea from miniature self-grow seedling pots, and his creations grew from there.
Above: Van der Falk likes to experiment with new forms of containers.
Above: Plants are suspended from small round hooks, which makes it easy to remove and water them.
Above: A more intricate string creation for hanging plants.
Above: Bulbs like hyacinth are easy to plant and maintain.
Above: A recent spring window at Pompon.
Above: Van der Falk 's work can be purchased at Pompon; to see more of his creations, go to String Gardens.