Mom Inspired by Ancient Japanese Planting Method Creates an Entire Garden Out of Upcycled Waste

According to Pine Lane Nursery, “Kokedama” is an ancient Japanese gardening method, deriving its name from the words “koke,” meaning moss, and “dama,” meaning ball. Gardeners use this method to craft bonsai-inspired designs by wrapping their plant roots in seed balls roughly the size of grapefruits. “I loved the Kokedama so much that I wanted to create my own,” Pavan told The Better India. 

Although she didn’t have any prior knowledge of the craft, she immersed herself in YouTube videos and pored over the internet. Eventually, her gardening spree gained momentum. Fast forward to the present moment, her house is an otherworldly jewel bathed in rejuvenating freshness, dreamlike magic, and earthy colors of nature. Yet, sitting in the dark roots of this sprightly lushness lies the bedrock of sustainable waste management, a habit she learned from her amma (mother).

While she was engrossed in peppering her yard with new trees, her mother guided her to adopt innovative ways she could upcycle old and waste materials to make the garden a little more eco-friendly. Beneath the Wordsworth-ian beauty of her green heaven sleeps a coterie of upcycled materials, from coconut shells to old TV antenna dishes, tires, saucers, nylon ropes, terracotta baskets, and even old, tattered clothes.

In another Instagram post, Pavan is seen pulling her kokedama plants from the soil and dipping them in water. “Soaking my thirsty kokedamas in water. While removing, squeeze the excess water and keep them back in their places. You can soak more kokedamas in the same water and finally pour the remaining water into your pots or outdoor plants. In this way, you can save water and also keep your kokedamas happy in this hot weather,” the gardener described in the caption.

You can follow Anjali Pavan (@riddhiplants.in) on Instagram for enchanting garden videos and gardening content.