10 of the Most Eye-Catching Gifts for Plant Enthusiasts
Sculptural planters, a brass watering can, and a book by garden guru Hilton Carter all make our list
Indoor gardening has proved a welcome respite in the age of COVID-19, as creating an atmosphere of serenity in your home has never been more important. Even if it’s just a solitary plant, cultivating a miniature oasis can provide any interior with a pop of color, improve air quality, and spark creativity. If placed in the right vessel, a gorgeous sprout can also make an artful statement. So this year, Galerie has rounded up ten of the most sculptural planters and other eco-chic gifts for anyone with a green thumb in your life. Check them out below.
1. Jule Paysage at Le Bon Marché
French garden designer Jule Paysage conjured this mini-series of chic sandstone planters, which are available in the Christmas section of Paris’s famed Le Bon Marché department store. The handmade creations sport a cheerful checkerboard pattern in four colorways: Amanda, Eve, John, and Ulysse. en.julepaysage.com
2. Snøhetta x Georg Jensen
Earlier this year legendary silverware purveyor Georg Jensen tapped boundary-pushing Norwegian architecture firm Snøhetta to create a sculptural line of plant accessories, representing a new category for the 116-year-old brand. The nine-piece collaboration—which includes a range of planters and a watering can—also marked the first time the brand incorporated terra-cotta into its collections. georgjensen.com
3. Ilex Studio
Growing an oak tree has never been easier to admire thanks to this sinuous glass vessel by London-based company Ilex Studio. Just fill the bulbous vase with water and place an acorn in the perfectly-sized nest—and voilà. The item also comes in a larger size ideal for avocado pits. ilexstudio.com
4. Peter Lane from Maison Gerard
Celebrated ceramic artist Peter Lane is known for his large-scale installations made of clay that add textural intrigue to any interior they grace. A distilled version of his craft can be had with this pair of sculptural Accordion planters in a bewitching blue and bronze glaze, available through Maison Gerard. maisongerard.com
5. Wild Interiors: Beautiful Plants in Beautiful Spaces by Hilton Carter (CICO Books)
Garden guru Hilton Carter—who turned his Baltimore apartment into a veritable jungle with some 300 plants—penned this lushly-illustrated tome, which guides readers through his personal plant journey before delving into his favorite specimens. The book also spotlights the inspiring homes of a dozen “plant parents” and doles out advice on how to pick the best species according to room type. simonandschuster.com
6. Light + Ladder
Founded by Calvin Klein Home alum Farrah Sit, buzzy Brooklyn studio Light + Ladder produces minimalist vases and planters that make a chic addition to any interior. The Sand Vayu floor planter, for instance, is a Brutalist sculpture in itself, but the addition of a fiddle-leaf fig or tree certainly doesn’t hurt. lightandladder.com
7. Fort Makers
In September, New York artist collective Fort Makers turned its gallery into a greenhouse with The Planter Show, which exhibited flower pots, abstract vessels, and ceramic planters made by 40 contemporary designers. The inventive works are now for sale on the Fort Makers website, including the cheeky Thumbs Up planter by Jesse Li and the Chulucanas planter by Diego Olivero—both of which come with their own potted plant. fortmakers.com
8. Ilse Crawford for Skltana
Legendary British designer Ilse Crawford designed this polished brass can for Skultuna, the venerable European brand and current purveyor of fine metal objects to the Royal Court of Sweden. Could there be a more beautiful and delicate reminder that your plants need watering? skultuna.com
9. Workaday Handmade
Crafted by New York ceramist Forrest Lewinger’s Workaday Handmade, these striped floor planters recall the shape of traditional milking stools with their trio of squat legs. Each vessel is one of a kind, made of hand-thrown ceramic, and sheathed in an unexpected glaze. workadayhandmade.com
10. Bloomist
Inspired by traditional North African ceramics, these goblet-shaped planters from Bloomist were conceived by Tunisian potter Monia Rassaa and her firm, Ekho Design. Providing a natural contrast with any shade of green, the vessels also include a drainage hole to ensure anything from kitchen herbs to sculptural succulents will thrive. bloomist.com