April 2016

I’m not usually one for posting ‘before’ and ‘after’ home reno photos…but my recent experience working with a local Vancouver floral and plant design business ‘Forage & BLOOM’  http://www.forageandbloom.ca, proved to be quite transformative…not only for our drab concrete balcony – but also in terms of providing me with some sorely lacking gardening skills.

Initially, the prospect of spending hard-earned cash on new plants and herbs, given my previously abysmal track record of keeping anything alive for more than a few weeks, didn’t fill me with joy – but I also wasn’t prepared to spend another summer on a barren balcony.  For this reason, I reached out to the F&B team (Natalie Sumiyoshi and Amanda Langerak) for their expert advice on how to best maximize the use of this small space.

A visually successful project is the result….and what a treat it is to step outside to hand-pick a few fresh herbs for my culinary capers!

The Master Plan

The large faux tree is the only item not designed and delivered by Forage & BLOOM

I was more than happy to participate under the watchful eye of the real gardener, and the most significant thing I learned along the way is the importance of “tickling” the roots of a plant when transferring to its permanent home.  Who would have thought?!

Really looking forward to seeing the deep violet Clematis flowers wind their way up this custom made trellis 🙂