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Introducing the ever popular...Ficus Lyrata!!

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Being in the plant industry you get to see a lot of different plants, but since the very beginning one of my absolute favorite plants has been the Ficus Lyrata (Ficus pandurata), commonly known as the Fiddle Leaf Fig! I just love how big the leaves are and how much of a statement the plant is!

It's becoming a very popular plant in homes and offices so I figured now would be a great time to provide some tips on how to care for them and keep them happy!! 

*These plants are considered poisonous and should be kept away from pets and children*

Light & Temperature: These beautiful specimens require bright, filtered light. Though they can tolerate some direct sun light (too much sun will cause their leaves to fade and lose their dark green color). When kept too dark the plant will rapidly begin to fail. Keep temperatures between 60 - 75°F. Avoid temperatures lower than 55°F

*Keep turning your Lyrata to keep it growing straight and evenly on all sides

Water: The right watering is key to this plant. Water when the top soil become slightly dry. I like to give my Lyrata about 1 to 1.5 cups of water each week. But make sure to test the soil fist with your fingers to makes sure that the top soil has dried. (keep in mind that the frequency of water and the amount of water changes through out the seasons and the levels of humidity)

*Make sure to never over water your Lyrata there is no going back one this plant is over watered. But on the other had allowing the soil to dry out too much will cause the plants leaves to turn brown. Cut down on watering during the Winter months. 

Soil: Make sure that your soil is a well draining soil, this type of soil could include part bark and perlite. Only re-pot your ficus when it is young and still growing. Once it reached maturity you only need to replace the top soil each year. 

Fertilizer: Unlike most Ficus trees this plant does not require much fertilizer. Only feed diluted liquid fertilizer to plant once a month only during the spring and summer months (their growing months). 

Pests & Cleaning: The Ficus Lyrata is susceptible to many pests: mealy bug, thrip, whitefly, spidermite, fungus gnats, and aphids. Spray your Lyrata bi-weekely with warm  soapy water to ward off any of these pests that live on the plants leaves. Keeping the leaves clean and dust free will also allow the leaves absorb more light. 

** A Ficus Lyrata has a level #1 toxicity**

For other great tips about the Ficus Lyrata visit: House Plant 411, Spruce, and House Plants Expert

Living Walls: Vertical Garden Design

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In honor of Earth Day today, I would like to chat quickly about LIVING WALLS!! These works of art are always so impressive to me! Their design, texture, color, but what gets me the most is their immense size! Doing a bunch of research on living walls has lead me to seeing all sorts of wonderful companies who specialize in vertical walls, among my favorite is Vertical Garden Design (they do some seriously AMAZING work)

Here's a little bit about them: "VERTICAL GARDEN DESIGN IS A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE PRACTICE SPECIALIZING IN VERTICAL GARDENS. WITH OVER 10 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, OUR VERTICAL GARDENS CAN BE FOUND ACROSS THE GLOBE, IN HOTELS, RESTAURANTS, OFFICES, FACADES AS FAR AFIELD AS BEIJING, BARCELONA, DUBAI, ABU DHABI, LISBON, STOCKHOLM, AND OSLO. THE COMPANY WAS FOUNDED BY SWEDISH LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT MICHAEL HELLGREN."

Here's just a small sample of the stunning work that they do! Make sure to check out their site for more of their projects!

What do you think?! How much do you love their work? We are hoping that the Boston and surrounding greater Boston area will start to transform into a much greener city with sustainable goals that include more green walls, roof gardens, urban farming, wild flower roof tops, etc..

Living Art Inspiration

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We think that green walls are a more recent innovation, but the first hint of green walls can be found in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, though they have have been more roof gardens than green walls. Our favorite designer of green walls, French botanist, Patrick Blanc, is credited for the 'modern' green walls as we know them. These walls have a full hydroponic system and a wide collection of exotic plants. 

Green walls are already very popular in Europe and Asia (especially Singapore), but they are starting to gain traction here in the USA! And we couldn't be more excited. We love everything about green walls; the beauty they add to the space, their air filtration, their patterns, and they fact that they are always growing and slightly changing. Here are a few living art/green walls that have really inspired us! Check out our Green Walls board for more inspiration.