I'm excited, because today my blogfriends Igor (Happy Interior Blog), Jocelyn (The Little Room of Style) and I are kicking off a new blog series, called Urban Jungle Bloggers. Earlier this year we met through our blogs, had coffee in Paris and exchanged a lot of "green" emails ever since. All in our own unique way, we love growing plants at home and decided to join forces in this blog series. Today we are presenting our respective urban jungles. So let me introduce you to our greenhouse:
Our greenhouse is actually an indoor garden and the entry to our home. In the 60s, when Studio Sapique was built, indoor gardens were hip&happening: ours even includes a small pond! When we moved in, the greenhouse was overgrown and looked like a true jungle (see here), but we've cleaned it and it now looks like the image above.
I'm a sucker for succulents: I simply love their graphic shapes and unusual colors. But I'm also growing agaves, cactus plants and palm trees in here.
It's a blessing to have a dedicated space to grow plants, because our 3 cats love eating palm trees and messing around with soil and pebbles. Most of the plants love the sunlight in the greenhouse, so it's a good match.
The biggest plant in the greenhouse is a paddle cactus plant. I brought home a few "leaves" from the South of France many years ago and it has been growing 15 to 25 new leaves every year, so it's actually quite big. I love how the leaves are so muscled and spotting new baby paddles make me very happy. In the winter i'm always a little worried if he'll survive the cold, as the greenhouse is unheated, but we've had -18°C and he's still going strong. A part from a few bigger (and boring) plants, the invasive bamboo and a fern I brought home from Corsica, all my green friends spend the winter in their winter storage.
A cutting from the above cactus plant, is residing in our kitchen. They both tend to grow ears in all directions to remain their balance :
In a cat-free corner of our cinema room, I'm cultivating these tiny succulents. The mini agaves were grown from seeds, the one in the middle is a cutting and the others were gifts from the Jardin Exotique in Monaco. A must-visit if you love succulents & cactus plants.
I hope you liked this little tour! Of course there is more to come… Oh and don't forget to check out Igor's and Jocelyn's blogs to see their urban jungles!
Urban Jungle Bloggers is a monthly series by 3 bloggers: Igor (Happy Interior Blog), Jocelyn (The Little Room of Style) and Judith (JOELIX.com). Every month we share ideas to create an urban jungle through styling ideas, DIYs and green tips & tricks. You can find additional inspiration on our Urban Jungle Bloggers Pinterest board. Want to join? Use #urbanjungle on twitter and instagram. Or let us know and we'll share the badge and upcoming topics with you. Let's bring some green into our homes and blogs!
I just love this new series … I should have been with you at that coffee in Paris but I wasn't around the day you met :-( And now that I see what was born from that meeting I regret it even more.
Love your jungle (and loved it even before you cleaned it up). I think I will enjoy this series A LOT and definitely want to join you in this new adventure! have a lovely green day xx
Merci Ilaria! The good thing is that you can be part of the Urban Jungle Bloggers adventure. We'll be sending out mini-kits with info soon! Looking forward to seeing your green styling ideas and of course your urban jungle in the South of France! bisous!
Great new series… and great blogger collaboration.
Let me see topics and maybe I'll join you guys from London. Would be fun x
Glad you're considering joining in on all the green fun, Tina! We'll be sending out mini-kits with info soon :)
Judith I am totally in love with your indoor garden. Just some time ago I fell in love with succulents and Cacti. Not only because the look fabulous but they do not need water that often. I even wrote a post about it and I hope it is ok if I link.
http://www.happyhomeblog.de/bei-uns-im-happy-home/sukkulenten-und-kakteen-halten-einzug-im-happy-home/
Lovely series. I can't wait to read more!
Greetings from Hamburg
Kathrin
Thanks Kathrin for your kind words. Cacti and succulents are so nice, I cannot get enough of them. As you say, they grow without too much care & water (very easy when you travel often) and looks amazing. I pinned your post to our Urban Jungle Bloggers board on Pinterest :) Maybe you'd like to join our monthly adventure?
Judith, we did it! How fab! Love your indoor jungle and here's to many more cool & green posts!
Yes Igor!!! We did it! I can't wait for all of our upcoming green adventures, it will be so much fun, especially as we get to share it with so many other bloggers! The more, the greener… eh merrier ;)
Prachtig! Wat een geweldige planten heb jij! Ik doe graag mee :) Zag al dat je een #urbanjungle geplaatst had bij mijn IG foto :)
Ja, ik vond je vetplantje zo schattig! Erg leuk dat je mee wilt doen! Binnenkort versturen we een mini-kit met info over the Urban Jungle Bloggers… tot gauw :)
Ben benieuwd! En dan is het de bedoeling dat ik #urbanjungle bij de foto's op IG en twitter zet, of meer?
Ik zet je op de mailing list met alle bloggers, dan krijg je binnenkort een mini-kit met alle informatie die je nodig hebt :)
Oke!
Dear Judith,
what a lovely idea, love your indoor urban jungle. Make some more atmosphere with plants and flowers is so important for the well-being.
Thanx for sharing and rock on urban jungle bloggers!
Hugs from Berlin,
Nina
Thanks for the support, Nina! I agree, plants and flowers help to feel well, there's nothing more relaxing than weeding, watering and caring for some green plants ;) Bises from France!
What a lovely idea! I especially love the idea of an “urban jungle” — I just posted this morning about the garden we have on our balcony, although to be fair, we have lots of plants in the apartment too. I wish I could take credit for all the wonderful plants, but my boyfriend is really the one with the green thumb in our household. :) I look forward to see more of your urban jungle posts!
Thanks for your kind words, Mandi! You should keep that boyfriend of yours: green thumbs are the best and it makes your balcony look so happy! Enjoy your week :)
Ziet er uit als een onwijs leuk project! Ben heel benieuwd en ga jullie Urban Jungle zeker volgen :)
Dankjewel Milou! We zijn zelf ook enthousiast :) Tot volgende maand alvast!
Leuk!!
Spannend idee, ben benieuwd naar de artikelen.
Dankjewel! Wij ook :) Tot volgende maand alvast! xx
Judith, we can now celebrate BIG! Your green space is so nice and bright. I really love the glass containers where the little plants live. You have such a good eye for photography as well as styling. I am elated we are collaborating! Wish you a wonderful day, Jocelyn xx
Thanks Jocelyn, you're so sweet! I'm glad we did it and that so many fellow bloggers want to join us on this little green adventure! Talk to you soon :)
Judith, you know the movie Green Card with Andy McDowell and Gerard Depardieu (probably beginning of the 90ies) Total greenhouse envy there. Used to be on of my fave movies just for the greenhouse.
Now after looking at your pinterest board I need to go out and buy even more :-)
Looking forward to next month!
Kathrin
Hahaha that movie can indeed cause greenhouse fever ;) Very glad we inspired you to add even more green to you home! Would you like to be part of the Urban Jungle Bloggers challenge next month? I can put you on our mailing list when we'll send out the mini-kits with info. Just let me know :)
looks great. I can't wait to get back to growing my own plants again. and did I mention that I'm insanely jealous of your living space :)
xxx
looks great. I can't wait to get back to growing my own plants again. and did I mention that I'm insanely jealous of your living space :)
xxx
Thanks Petra for your kind words! When are you coming back to Europe? I hope you won't miss taking care of your plants too much. If so, you can always pass by any of the community gardens in Malaysia, I bet there must be A LOT of green out there! Take care! xx
Chère Judith,
j'adore ton jardin d'hiver! J'espère pouvoir le voir en vrai bientot.
Félicitations pour ce nouveau projet. J'adore que vous collaboriez tous les trois. Bises de Hambourg
Elodie
Merci Elodie de tes mots gentils! Ca me fait trop plaisir de collaborer avec Igor et Jocelyn! J'espère que bébé LOVE ne te fera plus trop patienter: à chaque fois que je vois un de tes messages sur Fb/ig/twitter je me dis: mince toujours pas de bébé ;) Ca sera chouette la rencontrer ici en France. J'ai hâte! gros bisous!
Oh yes, please do send me a mini kit. I'd love that!
Keep on the good work :-)
Thanks Kathrin! We will :)
Lovely Judith – what a fab collaboration – and you know I adore your studio Sapique – this rocks!!! Much love Axx
Merci Anya! Thanks for the support and kind words :) bisous!
Oh my! What a gorgeous garden you have, Judith – I'm totally in awe!!! :D
I'm not at all green-fingered but I think succulents would be a great place to start as their so hardy.
Looking forward to future Urban Jungle posts! :D x
Merci Chi! You're right, succulents are the perfect plants to start with: you can travel and forget them for a while without them suffering too much. Enjoy! Have a lovely weekend :)
Such a wonderful series Judith. Despite Autumn approaching, you are all really inspiring me to get green now. Have a wonderful weekend lovely. x
Merci Geraldine! So happy to inspire you to get some greens for your home! Especially when it gets colder outside, it's nice to have some living plants at home. Have a great weekend! xx
Supernice! En moet je eens zien wat een hoeveelheid reacties dit oproept! :o
Ja, gaaf he!! Wat zou het leuk zijn als er een illustrator mee zou doen… *hint hint*
Oeh, dat klinkt leu-euk! Stuur maar door, die info! :)
Joehoe! Dat doe ik!
omg! Lady! Your interior garden is amazing! I'm in awe!
Fab new series, congrats!
Xx.
Awww, thanks Holly! It has been so much fun so far! xx
Wow, LOVE your space! Seeing green with envy here ;P
No, but seriously, and I love the idea of Urban Jungle too.
Thanks Yvonne! Hope you'll join us next month (or in November, or whenever you want), I'm very curious about what you'll show us. :)
Wat fantastisch Judith, deze indoor kas! Echt prachtig!!
Ja, alleen zo jammer dat het er binnenkort al te koud wordt… dan verhuizen alle cactussen en vetplanten naar een warmere plek tot volgend voorjaar :)
Dear Judith,
I ♥ your home and I ♥ your green project!!!
xo, Inga
Very happy you like it Inga! Now I have to find some dahlias for the upcoming #2flowergirls! Hope they have some around here… xx