giving

amongst adults, holiday gifts are truly- thank you gifts. it's a great time of year for friends and family to share time, make memories and acknowledge the support given over the year that is set to close.

so if you are feeling indebted, don't go into debt. i believe the best thing you can give or receive is something from the earth. maybe a great basket of organic winter squash for the your friend who loves to cook; or a gift form pots and plants!

on this note- pots and plants encourages YOU to GIVE THANKS this year with our simple, green, leafy gifts that say happy holidays in a fresh, affordable and modern way.

take a look at our simple offerings. taking pre-orders now, pricing based on pick up from our Design District space the post-Basel week of December 6th, 2010. please please email us with your orders and we will arrange payment with you. info@pots-plants.com.

a. Peace Lily Indoor Plant in our ecoLITE pot for the Office Dweller  $25
b. Succulent Glass Dish Garden for the modernist $60
c. Waterlogged Log Watering Can for the Plant Lover  $15
d. 'Stan' the ready-made cactus dish for the bachelor $ 40 *special price!

i'm grounded.

being constantly on-the-go is my way of life. can i multi-task like no one you've ever seen? you better believe it! it's in the Shim family genes (have you met my sister?!).

we are like oak trees- sturdy and resilient and dynamic- with many branches, constantly growing and free. happy to be blown by the wind, bud new leaves, change, face challenges and expand...and get rained on every now and then too.

for me personally, this means always juggling tasks, favors, chores, Facebook-time, texting, messaging, designing, shopping for plants, going to business meetings, forming new business opportunities, pitching new ideas, hosting dinner parties, and nurturing and growing our little family.

so when my dr tells me that i have to be on moderate 'bedrest' mode from hereon out (or until this baby pops out), this is something that i absolutely cannot comprehend. do nothing all day long? with my feet up, or laying down? with zero stress?

where most people would relish at the opportunity to be told to have to rest and not work- i am instead, panic-stricken and filled with more stress then i feel on a normal day-to-day basis! why-  i have things to do! i have to buy plants, plant plants, finish off projects, have people to see, meet with and plan with, i have to get up and go!

but i just can't.

so here i am- forcing myself to lounge, with my laptop, getting to the things i wouldn't normally be able to do- being my mobile self. like blogging! sourcing out great furniture and garden accessories, putting ninth grade keyboarding class skillz back to work by actually replying to emails on a normal size keyboard instead of a miniature Blackberry one- and learning to embrace this calm before the work and new baby storm starts again.

and in the meantime- succumbing to (temporarily) trading my crazy "oak tree identity" instead, for the like of the still towering redwood sequoias of Northern California...grounded- but at least happy and calm.

wish me luck!

growing a business and a baby down an alley

funny to think that in january of this year, we were ringing in the new year with close friends in our party-famous backyard- under towering fishtail palms, oversized monstera and alocasia- donning our best robot costumes and challenging friends to robot dance offs (don't ask).

to four months later in may, opening Pots and Plants down an alley in the miami design district- without pomp, or circumstance.

while happily stacking our inventory of ecoLITE pots, we continued to figure out how to attract people into an alley (which in many other 'urban' cities have fabulous appeal- think San Fran's Chinatown Alleys)- and really get this business 'out of the ground', 'growing' (excuse the puns) and exposed in our year-round, foliage-dense, yet urban garden-challenged Magic City of Miami.

despite a long hot steamy Miami summer (and being pregnant!)- we have successfully attracted the target market we hoped for- with the help of friends, social media, and a great little summer open house event we hosted in July.

now in most 'normal' peoples' eyes- starting a business and getting pregnant at the same time could be considered an oxymoron- but I have remained quite equally excited, not only about having baby #2- but also about my other baby, Pots and Plants.

though I have not been able to physically and mentally move at my normal impulsive, fiery, passionate break-neck speed- I am happy that we have finally managed to get the shop into a routine and in a little closer to order. our Woolly Pocket display is up;  our plants are growing happily; our pots are selling and more people are catching on...

so as this baby grows- Pots and Plants will do the same- getting modern Miami folks excited about urban gardening.  introducing them to the concept of expanding living areas into their too often-neglected outdoor spaces with simple elements we offer including, modern planters, easy-care plants and vertical gardens by our very favorite San Francisco treat/brand- Woolly Pocket...

...and growing for Miami- an alley way worth discovering!

summer project: your own Woolly Pocket

in our home we very much enjoy cooking. whether it's for ourselves, our friends or for juju.

we have a small kitchen that surprisingly suits us perfectly- even without a microwave nor a dishwasher. as a result, we spend a lot of time standing at the kitchen sink- washing fresh fruit and veggies and...doing dishes! mike surprisingly loves dish washing- he says its therapeutic...whereas myself, well, i will do whatever needs to be done. on that note- while i am on 'sink duty' i stare out onto our side fence, which mind you, is not so bad with golden hawaiian bamboo dappling the sunlight from above, heliconia peeking from above the fence line and creeping fig...but i wanted to see more.
so flash back to over a year and a half ago...when flipping through a copy of one of the staple rags in our house, Dwell, i came across an eye catching ad. baked bohemian folks lounging about in a beautiful sunny garden with strategically placed botanical arrangements hiding private parts. an idyllic garden of eden with a twist? sign me up! low and behold the ad was from Woolly Pocket.

made from recycled plastic bottles, these 'pockets' hold an assortment of plants and can be hung indoors or out to create an instant 'living wall'. available in 4 colors- black, chocolate, peacock and camel- the pockets come in one, three and five pocket systems. the idea of vertical gardening stem from the works of French botanist/horticulturalist, Patrick Blanc- who's works have lushly wrapped building facades across Europe for years. and up until recently, vertical gardening has started to make an impact here in North America.

the idea of planting on a wall is not only hip and cool, but i like to think of it as a perfect union of design, architecture and horticulture- my three favorite things. so if you can imagine- Woolly Pockets plus me, equal true love. Woolly Pocket offers anybody, a simple and quick vertical garden solution with very little work and cash money. perfection in a pocket.

so- back to the view outside my kitchen window...guess what Mike got wrangled into doing the other day. that's right! creating my very own Woolly Pocket and hanging it smack dab directly across from the kitchen window. because the side of the house get indirect sunlight, i chose simple plants that would be lush, have contrast and drape. a kimberly queen fern, sedum and sweet potato vine.

installing the screws to hang the pre-grommeted pocket onto,  planting the smaller items first, then finishing it off with the large fern- and tucking in some good quality potting soil- was all it took. we planted the pocket on the ground- then hoisted it up onto the screws. you can also plant them, hung on the wall. finish off with 3 cups of water (recommended for a Woolly One) and voila! my very own instant vertical garden all in about 15 minutes.

pots and plants is proudly and happily the only south Florida retailer of Woolly Pockets- so come visit the shop or visit our website and pick one up. 39 smackers gets you a Wally One outdoor pocket. the cost of plants depends on what you select. think about where you plan to hang it up. a shady spot? a sunny spot? all day sun, or half day sun? all of these questions will help you to decide which plants to shop for. i recommend you stick to either a 3 gallon size (10" pot) with one 1 gallon (6" pot) or, three 1 gallon plants. think about contrast in color and size and long term results.

feel free to ask me for recommendations on plants and some great combinations. in the meantime, i think i'm going to find some dishes to do!

wanna see a woolly pocket?

earth day came and went this year here in miami, just as it always does. a noticeable lack of pomp and circumstance...as i have come to notice since living in miami. winter music conference takes more precedence over earth day- sadly enough...but in this case, i advise you all "to keep on keepin on" and look to other urban centers for inspiration and hope during earth week.

take for instance, let's look at the big apple.
this week Woolly Pockets (one of my fave companies) created a living wall in new york city's union square measuring 40'x 8' in conjunction with the New York Restoration Project at their annual New York Grows Festival. Wooly Pockets donated over 400 Wallys to bring this sweet idea to fruition which in turn also helped spread the word about their growing Woolly Pocket School Program (already 20 participating schools in Los Angeles alone).

so what's a girl to do but dream and hey, maybe try to blaze a new trail here in miami with the help of our friends at Woolly Pockets...stay tuned and by the way, happy belated earth week. i hope you all did your part at home or in your commuity- at least.

:)

embrace your outdoor space.

i know i have said this a million times.
but- hello? we DO live in Florida.
a place where summer is perpetual. where we never have to pack away 'summer wardrobes' to accommodate our 'winter wardrobes'.
a place were dining al fresco is something that can technically be done year round- but is actually preferred in the winter months!

for these reasons, and oh so many more, it baffles my mind when i see empty balconies, bare landscapes and no care or desire to take advantage of outdoor spaces.

here is a suggestion. a baby step, shall you...
acquire one, just one, simple easy care plant in a beautiful pot- and put it on your balcony or doorstep. i suggest a water wise, no care succulent plant- let's say, an Aloe plant- in one of our modern, simple pots.

put it in a sunny spot, add a chair or a floor cushion beside it and get outside! spend an afternoon, reading a book, your iPad or trashy magazine of choice- with your plant by your side and voila- your mini-shangri-la.

plants give life, they are  life and they actually can improve your mood.
try it and you will see for yourself. oh, and getting outside does a body good.

put some spring! into your outdoor spaces

the first day of spring is not only my birthday, but more importantly, it usually symbolizes the beginning of new growth, beginnings and new life.


if you haven't already heard the latest and greatest...pots and plants is currently breathing new life into the back space of the marimekko store on north miami avenue in the miami design district. our 1250 sf space is a simple warehouse space meant to keep our large inventory of ecoLITE fiberclay pots, display our ready made planters and to eventually act as a 'guerilla' style shop with a curated  menagerie of outdoor goodies including living wall systems, modern birdhouses and other cool outdoor accessories such as those often hard-to-find, outdoor rugs.


but as a start- we just would like to get our name out there and start encouraging green lovers in south florida to start thinking about their outdoor spaces and check out our wares for inspiration and easy weekend warrior projects that will guarantee to breathe new life into outdoor spaces with our modern, lightweight pots and affordable ready-made planters that are all divinely custom arranged by your truly. 


have you sprung on spring yet?


visit us at 3940 north miami avenue, down the side alley beside marimekko, miami, fl.  call me at 305-803-0533 to make an appointment.


our official opening date is april 12th. m-f, 11am to 7pm. saturdays, 12-5.
and our opening party is TBA, in may!!! stay tuned. visit our website and sign up for email updates. or join us on facebook and twitter!

happy green new year

new year.

new life.

new ideas.

new perspectives.

new wishes.

new horizons.

new prospects.

new outlook.

new beginnings.

new loves.

new meanings.

new projects.

new growth.

pots and plants miami opens february 2010.

new pots. new plants. new love.

send an email to info@potsplantsmiami.com to get updates and the 411 about the grand opening date.

getting ready for the holidaze

start making your lists and checking them twice.

it's that time of the year to say thank you, happy holidays, happy new year- with a token that is fresh, green, modern, unique and pocketbook friendly!

the $50 container garden by Pots and Plants Miami.

call to order. free delivery in south beach and the design district.

$2 from the sale of each pot will be donated to Roots In the City- a non-profit focused on community development, creating jobs and beautifying Miami's inner city. the organization has established several community gardens and tree nurseries in Overtown.

sign up for sale updates on the website: www.potsplantsmiami.com

yay for fiberclay!

fiberclay is an eco-friendly option for today's modern urban gardener. these lots are lightweight, frost and freeze resistant (not that we have that problem here in Miami, it's still 90 degrees and it's October!) and salt tolerant.

fiberclay, also known as fibercrete is made from recycled fibers (paper and nylon) mixed with low-ash concrete to create a strong and durable product that perfectly molds into modern profiles and shapes from squares to cones to low bowls.

these pots are perfect for condo dwellers for several reasons. 1. they are lightweight and easy to carry so you don't have to dread trudging a heavy pot across your marble foyer, 2. they are easy to move around, even when planted- so when the winter sun pattern sets in, you can nudge the planter over to get optimal winter daylight, 3. they are reasonably priced- between $25 and $150 without plants.

it's hard to find these pots around these days- so sign up for our mailing list on our website to be the first in line to buy ecoLITE pots from Pots and Plants Miami- this January!

float on

we spent last week up in o-town for the landscape show. i found some great new things that i will share in a series of blogs this week. first thing's first: Beemats.

these interlocking 'mats' are designed to hold aquatic plants in perforated pots- and float at the surface of a body of water. aquatic plants produce oxygen, absorb pesticides from the water, and hinder the growth of harmful algae. these patented floating plant mats are puzzle cut mats held together by nylon connectors that can be assembled in any size or shape. i personally love the concept of creating interesting geometrical designs...intersecting lines and isles across a natural or man-made pond.

beemats are minimalist floating islands of lush and lovely greens that provide habitats for wildlife. what could be better than that?

i am going to contact FDOT to see if i can turn them onto these. they are too good to not be used!

www.beemats.com

hip hooray hammocks!

in the spirit of sprucing up our backyard- i have been thinking a lot about how we actually use our outdoor space, our backyard. granted- i am never out there from may to august (too many mosquitos!)- but for the impending winter months i definitely plan to cozy up, outdoors.

what better way to cozy up than in a hammock. lazily swinging my sundays away in an oversized hammock, under the shade of our fishtail palms, on a sunny winter day- with the boys and the pups- is my ultimate idea of heaven.

fatboy- the company that gave us the modern take on the beanbag chair also has a fabulous headdemock hammock that comes with its own stand. available in a myriad of bright colors, this super hip hammock is quite large, weather and stain resistant. $399 includes the hammock and the stand. i'll take one in turquoise blue, please!!

joe walters' flora and fauna

this month, bernice steinbaum gallery in miami opened the season with one of my favorite artists, joe walters.

his show, 'tableaux' runs now until october 3, 2009. walters' works are realistic recreations of flora and fauna that are so lifelike you swear you hear birds chirping, leaves rustling and crickets chirping.

flawless craft and organic beauty all rolled into one delicious sculptural existence. yum.

if you're in miami head to the gallery to say hello to bernice and to joe walters birds and bees.

bernice steinbaum gallery

3550 north miami avenue

(across the street from Target)

305-573-2700

tell bernice i sent ya!

it's shangri-la season!

now that the weather is starting to "cool off"- my mind has been a buzz with winter plans. or shall i say, winter plants.

thoughts of plants, accent walls, a mid-century inspired playhouse, raised vegetable garden beds, have already been put to paper. i want to improve my outdoor space for the winter. the time when our backyard will be used for 5 straight winter/spring months. when snowbirds begin to replace summer mosquitos. my oasis.

with outdoor restoration in mind, on a recent family bike ride around our hood- i made a point to scope out as many balconies as i could (without crashing into cars in the process). a self-assigned social studies of sorts, to check out how many different ways outdoor spaces are being used. report found unkempt plants in often-broken pots with a sprinkling of lame plastic stacking chairs, a bicycle or two, prayer flags and the odd quintessential wind chime- seemed to be the latest trends. conclusion: fail.

i am baffled. not because i'm woven from strong aesthetic opinions and rules- but because we live in a summer-7-24-365 kinda place. it's not about making your outdoor space look pretty- it's about making your outdoor space first and foremost.

your outdoor space, be it a stoop, balcony, sprawling terrace should be prized. coveted. desired. imagine your very own personal shangri-la. a cozy cove to spend chill-tinged winter nights, reading, swooning and suddenly remembering why you loved life in south florida in the first place.

start here and join our rooted. miami facebook page to start your own modern plant journey. in the meantime...i present to you a cornucopia of images to get your creative outdoor juices flowing.

1. a great outdoor space may have comfy seating, planter boxes, a rustic but modern feel

2. classic modern succulents

3. outdoor rugs made of plastic (some recycled plastic) from home infatuation. you won't be able to buy just one. they're all so pretty!

4. tall rectangular planters with bunches of kale/something colorful and seasonal

5. low slung old boat wood sofa made from the wood of retired fishing boats from the south pacific by cabela (yes, the hunting people!) (top with vibrant fabrics and pillows from marimekko!)

6. the award-winning 'green pockets' by maruja fuentes.

7. a great outdoor lounge table from ikea, lillberg

start now.

marimekko plants

pssssst...did you know that you CAN have plants in your home even if you don't have a green thumb? well, now you can, thanks to marimekko. mari-who? marimekko.

THE marimekko miami concept store is located in the design district on north miami avenue, next to pizza volante- this store is the grand mammacita of hip vintage modern boho design and style.

the designs of marimekko energetically emerged out of finland in the late fifties- and really made waves in north america when jackie o. wore marimekko frocks during her husband's presidential campaign. since then, marimekko has become synonymous with high style and iconic design. the brand continues to pump out new designs each season (fabrics and fashions) keeping me falling in love every season...

i suppose you're thinking- what does marimekko have to do with pots or plants? read one and see for yourself.

many of their fabrics are organically inspired. which is beneficial to the non-green thumbers out there. with marimekko you can have ferns in your home without fear of sunburn! enjoy your very own cacao nut forest year round! and have everlasting brightly blooming plate-sized poppy flowers now in a myriad of colors!

all jokes aside- i encourage you to dust off the sewing machine, a good book on sewing for home decor (BUY Lotta Jansdotter's sweet and chic book "Simple Sewing") and head to marimekko to start planting...picking fabrics for your pillows, duvet covers, chair covers, roman shades...

here are just a few of my favorite marimekko patterns to inspire you to head to the marimekko miami concept store today, tomorrow and again and again...

kaakaopuu, $42 per yard, 100% cotton

this cacao seed pod pattern is graphic, bold but beautifully organic and chic. reminds me of Paul Gaugain's delightful (and personal favorite) Tahiti series. (see my pillow photo above)

gingko, $42 per yard, 100% cotton

what is cooler than having the pattern of the pre-historic gingko tree's leaves on a custom duvet for your bed or a wall hanging, hung low- above your sofa? ya, i thought so...

guada, $42 per yard, 100% cotton

another nod to the prehistoric foliage of the beautiful fern. wispy leaves and delicate branches flutter across this fabric. imagine what it will do in your decor.

ho hoi, $42 per yard, 100% cotton

can't help but say how much i love this pattern. best suited as a stand alone wall hanging, it reminds me of a modern day japanese painting of a bonsai tree.

unikko, $42 per yard, 100% cotton

if you haven't- seen- this pattern at least once in your young and vibrant lifetime- then you must be from mars. this marimekko classic- poppy pattern- has become their signature brand image and best selling pattern. it's available in red, blue, black, green and every season- in special edition colors such as grey, white on black and more! the poppy comes alive.

garden organically

everyone learns in different ways. personally i always excel in hands on learning through charettes, workshops, anything applied- but when it comes to learning theory or history or anything that involves things that i can't see clear relevance to my greater purpose or passions in life- i'm so gone. this is why school (and all of its conventions) was not something that i loved.

so at the ripe age of 34- i, by total fluke, am going back to school. okay, maybe not school- but i am taking a course. a course that is useful and exciting and that interests me wholeheartedly...organic gardening!

hosted by Slow Food Miami, it is being taught by south florida's organic farming-guru, Andres Mejides. he owns Elfin Farms in Redland, FL and he grows over 30 types of tropical and temperate fruit, row-crops, herbs, microgreens and ornamentals. his farm is certified organic and being in florida- he is blessed (and always busy) tending to crops all year round.

aside from his farmer-hat, he also teaches organic horticulture and organic gardening at Miami-Dade community college and has an innate passion and enthusiasm for his profession. i always love to meet people who are doing what they love...these people are always usually positive, happy-go-lucky people that are honest, good-natured people. these are the people i like to surround myself with.

today we learned about composting. how coincidental that i am in the middle of shopping for one! i decided on a small drum barrel to put in our yard. the barrel composter is great because it's mobile, and you can turn your compost- which increases aeration and overall compost production/cooking time. in 4 weeks or so, you will have fabulous useable compost fertilizer. as opposed to the traditional standing composters which can take months to produce useable compost.

imagine how fun you can have- spinning the composter, pretending you're the bingo caller! get the kids involved! pets will love it too! okay, i digress.

in all seriousness- it just makes sense because we eat a lot of fruit and veggies on a daily basis. it makes sense because we live in a sub-tropical climate where weather is favorable for 'cooking' compost- so it's ridiculous to NOT compost.

i hate miami for being so behind in so many things...don't get me started- but how come the county hasn't figured out a household composting program to coincide with the recycling program is beyond me. in toronto they have implemented a fabulous recycling program which includes a composting program. i think miami is sadly light years away from such enviro-sophistication and lack an understanding of eco-nomics- so in the meantime, it's up to the people- YOU- to take action.

composting is easy if you take the time to read about the basics and how to's. check out www.composting101.com to start learning. and then do the earth and your children a favor. buy a composter today and start learning about this very simple and natural act.

back to class...so after learning about the perfect nitrogen to carbon ratios and different ways to lay down compost in your garden- we finished off the class with a fabulous organic meal of freshly made baba ganoush, hommus, wheat berry salad, quinoa with lemon olive oil, roasted carrots and delicious apple oat bran muffins made by my friend ginny of mindful organics. yum.

five more classes to go. can't wait.

ps. if you live in florida- go buy your composter NOW.
it's the best money you will ever spend...and the earth will love you forever. http://www.gardeningwithkids.org/17-1501.html

plants in space

take plants out and off the ground and onto your walls. indoor or outdoor. check out my personal picks and get inspired.

these 'pockets' are made from recycled plastic bottles, are waterproof and breathable. their ad campaign is pretty neat too. check it out. www.woolypockets.com

i am going to order the Wally 3 for our back fence and give it a whirl and i will post photos of the progress of that little project...soon!

next- check out the work of french botanist, Patrick Blanc.
he has designed award winning vertical gardens for public spaces around the world. i love his aesthetic vision and simplistic but modern approach to a such a sensible concept.
www.verticalgardenpatrickblanc.com

and finally- i have to give a shout out to the good old fashioned macrame plant hanger. this website needs a little sprucing up, but c'mon, where else can you find such a great little cornucopia of old skool lookin' macrame plant hangers? i love the vintage seventies bohemian look of these and am also thinking about getting a few to hang plants outside...why knot? www.knotzmade.com

start looking around your spaces and walls and see how you can elevate your plantings. transform a sunroom, a foyer or even a bathroom! get creative and send me some other suggestions or questions! click 'comment' below...

i heart manscapers....a personal anecdote

no no no! i'm not referring to male grooming. what i'm referring to are the amazing men who have an interest in nature, trees, gardens, plants and flowers. and especially, my horticulturalist husband and my super green-thumbed-dad.

it's not until you reach a 'mature' age (yes, maturity is relative) that you start realizing how life experiences have shaped your own passions and interests and even brought you to where you are now in your life. these reminders seem to creep up more and more as i grow older.

in the past few years, i realize how much my dad influenced my own interest in plants and gardening. growing up, our garden was beautiful and lush. my dad always spent hours trimming, planting, and tending to our bountiful hostas, gardenias, succulents, roses, forsythia trees, strawberry patch and vegetable garden.

stereotypical gender roles lead us to believe that women garden and cook, and men hang out in their man caves, drinking beer or barbecuing out back...or at least in my world growing up the 80's they still did. but in my home, my dad did everything. he cooked, drank beer, smoked cigarettes in his man cave, mastered the BBQ and gardened!! my dad is totally awesome. not a bad bone in his body...he's thoughtful, caring and supportive.

so in my books there is something to be said about men who take a true interest in plants and gardening...not only that they aren't afraid of their sexuality- but that they are genuinely good people.

when i first started dating M way back when, a friend who was anxious to meet him (no doubt to give his male judgement/approval)- finally did and told me this: "a man who has chosen a career that grows life/plants and trees- is a keeper..."

i also started to think about the saying, "girls always marry men who are very much like their fathers". and here was M, a horticulturalist of all things...and whether the green thumb is a result of being a great man, or if being a great man gives you a green thumb- is another discussion- but for my purpose of this discussion, green thumbs give me the green light!

so in that instant i decided that i would marry M and make lots of babies with him (just kidding, more like 2 years later i did). and though its only been six years with M- he inspires my love of plants everyday (with my very opinionated design aesthetics sprinkled in). i reminisce about being 10 in the garden with my dad planting snapdragons and hostas- and it's these memories and thoughts that inspire my entrepreneurial endeavor of 'pots and plants'.

the moral of my drawn out sap story is that manscapers are good, upstanding peeps. these men are a rare find so if you are single and you meet one- marry him! your love will 'bloom' and 'grow' day by day. tee hee...