Make a kokedama

A kokedama, or a Japanese moss ball, is a lovely way to display an ornamental plant like a living work of art in your home. We show you how to make your own.

The art of kokedama has spread - you see them everywhere these days, suspended from a string or displayed on a decorative plate, bowl, stand or rock. A kokedama - directly translated as "moss ball" is basically a ball of soil covered in moss from which a decorative plant grows. On the internet, one naysayer describes it as "stilettos for plants": it looks amazing but is uncomfortable and unhealthy for the plant in the long term!

The interesting thing is that, unlike bonsai, kokedama is not an ancient art form but a fairly recent practice that took off among bonsai artists and gardeners in Japan in the late 1990s.

Last year, when we heard that Toshiki Tanisaki, a landscape designer from Osaka, Japan, would be presenting a kokedama workshop at Botha and Hilda Kruger's wonderful shop Waza Japan in Cape Town, we booked our spot immediately, learnt a lot, and then kept experimenting at home. (Keep an eye on Waza Japan's website or subscribe to their newsletter for updates on workshops and new products.)

This is how

1 Allow the block of compressed coco peat to expand in warm water until it forms a loose, damp mass. Mix together equal amounts of coco peat and potting soil, and use your hands to press the mixture into a ball. Should it fall apart immediately, add more water.

2 Take the plant from its container and brush off most of the soil without exposing the root ball entirely. Pack some of the new soil-and-peat mixture around the roots and shape it into a ball; using a length of clingwrap makes this easier to do.

3 Dampen the sphagnum moss enough that it sticks together. Lay out the length of clingwrap on your work surface and spread damp sphagnum moss on it to form a thick, dense layer to cover the ball and keep the soil mixture contained.