Fantasy plants

Fantasy Plants

Combining horticulture and florist techniques, James shows you how to create the illusion of species that don't exist in nature, creating incredible fantasy plants.

Lesson Summary

• Tease the individual plants apart, right at the crown.
• Make sure your fern has a rosette shape.
• I slice into tree fern panels, inserting a piece of bonsai wire in the centre, manipulating the shape and angle.
• Use the polyester thread to attach the fern to the tree fern, wrapping it around the surface.
• I recommend using hygrolon, synthetic fibre and wrapping it around the tree fern, adding an insulating layer.
• I add several layers of hygrolon around the tree fern.
• If you're making a large fantasy plant, I recommend wrapping the tree fern panel in cling film for two or three weeks. This acts as a water-retaining jacket, allowing the plants to root.
• Once the plants have rooted into the tree fern stake they look like miniature tree fern.
• Take off the largest leaves as it allows for a better sense of scale.
• Taking off the leaves triggers the plant to grow much smaller new leaves.
• Place the fantasy tree fern into the pot of moss. The spray it down to ensure all roots are well hydrated, before placing it inside a cloche.
• In the following weeks ignore the plant. The larger leaves will disappear leaving a new healthy smaller flush.
• Place on a north facing window or between one to two metres away from a window in a south-facing room.
• Place the fantasy plant in a space with bright and indirect light or under a grow lamp.
• Regularly give the trunk a couple of sprays.

Equipment Used

• Hygrolon
• Black polyester twine
• Large glass cloche
• Tree fern slabs

Plants Used

• Blechnum spicant
• Leucobryum glaucum