Homegrown botanical design studio This Humid House recently revealed that it has been growing the weird and unusual cultivars and heirloom plants that have become a hallmark of its sculptural/artistic arrangements right in its own backyard.
The move is partly born out of necessity when the supply chain got wrecked by the Covid-19 pandemic. To date, 20 per cent of the materials used in the company’s designs emerge from the garden. But more importantly, though, having its own garden also creates a more sustainable business model and allows the studio to experiment with more one-of-a-kind materials.
What do all that mean for us, the consumers? Expect more out-of-the-box arrangements using peculiar materials like miniature watermelons, glass gem corn, red passionfruit flowers and white sunflowers. These materials are now used more frequently in This Humid House’s designs which are now available via the newly-launched e-shop – which is not unlike shopping on a luxury e-tail site.
There is the ‘daily special’ arrangement dubbed the Harihari which features the best pickings snipped off fresh in the morning from the garden and will change each day depending on the seasonality and the designer’s preference. The Harihari comes in the form of a maquette ($125) – a.k.a sculptural arrangement in a glass vase – or as a bouquet ($180).
Check out the Meadow ($250) if you prefer a miniature version of the large-scale arrangements This Humid House adorns at venues such as The Straits Clan and Cicheti. The floral design is a dramatic centrepiece featuring curly foxtail lilies mixed with mistletoe fig that is grown in the garden and held together in a minimalist brass vessel.
Above, some of the designs from the online catalogue that have caught our eye.
