Lately I've gone a little crazy for succulents - those plants which are native to arid deserts but are fleshy and plump from their aqueous content. Closely related to cactuses, they are often sold side by side.
I'm in love with their quirky shapes, tertiary colours and no fuss care. Pocketing these cute potted plants takes me back to the days of pick n mix.
There's definitely a trend for bringing the outside in and Hackney has definitely caught on. While available from most decent florists, I've found a select handful to be go-to sources for all things succulent.
Stroll down to The Schoolyard Market, alongside Broadway market and most Sundays you'll find Ro Co. Rosie and Caro are procurers of air plants, individually designed terrariums, hand-cast pots and delicate copper hanging planters.
Nature is celebrated at concept lifestyle store, Botany on Clapton's Chatsworth Road. Curated by owner Angela Maynard, succulents sit in complementary terracotta pots, vintage vessels house cut flowers and air plants settled here and there like sea urchins. The green theme continues through ceramic homewares, candles, books and stationary.
Botany, 5 Chatsworth Road, Clapton, London, E5 0LP, botanyshop.co.uk.
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Green up your gaff over at Grace & Thorn on Hackney Road. Light and luscious, Nik Southerns' artisanal flower shop, just a stones throw from Columbia Road flower market, is a veritable greenhouse.
There are so many pretty succulents to choose from here I'm literally like a kid in a candy store. Difficult choice made - step two is to select from the dizzying array of pots to house your specimen - minimalist white, brutalist concrete, mid-century ceramic or ornamental animal head?
As if the choice wasn't difficult enough, fresh flowers, macrame hangers, pot plants and terrariums provide further distraction.
Grace & Thorn, 338 Hackney Road, London, E2 7AX, graceandthorn.com.
On a recent visit to Rita's on Mare Street I noticed the restaurant has devoted a whole wall to these plump perennials. Peaches and green - perfect!
Rita's, 175 Mare Street, London, E8 3RH, ritasbaranddining.com.
All photos by Tori Mayo
