Grounding yourself and communicating with the natural world can mean different things to different people. To some, this connection to nature is paired with the petrichor of a monsoon day, the feeling of sand beneath you while the ocean bathes your skin as it wafts to shore, or even the earthy fragrance of a dewy forest on a morning hike. Either way, the one thing we know for certain is that we have an intrinsic need to be connected to our surroundings now more than ever. And a realistic way of doing so is to cultivate a home garden.
An indoor garden can take many lush forms, be it vases of beautiful bouquets, live plants in glazed pots, or mini succulents dotted around your home. However, there is one interior garden concept that, dare we say, is the most elegant of them all. We spoke to the creative mind behind this plant-scape and found out what goes into creating this natural work of art, that's bound to soon be a modern home must-have.
Interior Gardens For An Earthy Ambiance
One glance at the snapshot above and you can't help but agree that the pictured room looks like something out of a master minimalist designer's dream journal. However, lucky for us, it's not a dream and it isn't the crafty work of AI either. Luxury real estate developer Michael Shvo tells us that this modern home has been thoughtfully crafted as a sanctuary in the heart of Beverly Hills as a part of the Mandarin Oriental Residences. 'From the lush landscape that envelopes residents and guests as they enter the property, to the internal gardens featuring bonsai trees in select residences, we worked closely with Enzo Enea to bring a sense of California’s nature - and the serenity it offers - into the home. Combined with the legendary services and amenities of the property, this is a truly unique lifestyle that cannot be found anywhere else,' he says.
In conversation with landscape architect Enzo Enea, the brains behind the interior garden, he explains that the concept came from the desire to maximize natural light and bring garden spaces into the private homes of the residents. 'These indoor gardens were a collaboration between the developer, architect, interior designer, and landscape architect,' he says.
Enzo goes on to tell us that the philosophy behind his eponymous landscape architecture company Enea has always been to integrate a site by unifying the exterior garden elements with the building and interior spaces. 'Advocating for opportunities to bring the outside in ensures a holistic feeling between the natural beauty of the exterior with the architectural interior elements,' notes Enzo.
According to Enzo, the idea behind this indoor zen garden was to bring calmness and reflection into the green spaces which meant that it was vital to select plant species that would thrive in an interior garden setting. Alongside practical considerations, Enzo also prioritized plants that provided unique sculptural qualities to introduce visual interest from any vantage point of the home. From the orientation of the residence to sun and wind patterns, they left no stone unturned by weighing every aspect that would have an impact on the indoor garden. 'For the interior gardens with ample sunlight, we selected the Japanese Black Pine “Pinus thunbergia” as the focal tree as this species displays very interesting character and form. On the residences where sunlight was limited, the Jade plant “Crassula ovata”, was chosen for the heart of the garden space as it flourishes in low-light conditions,' says Enzo.
As expected of any live indoor garden, Enzo tells us that the minimum requirements for these installations are natural sunlight, planting soil, water, and proper drainage. Alongside this, there's some bonsai tree care essentials that inform how this garden is looked after. 'Beyond these necessities, periodic selective pruning maintains the plant’s character and scale, promotes new growth, and allows for natural air circulation, which minimizes the probability of pests,' he says.
And if the surface-level beauty of the bonsai trees isn't reason enough to admire this concept, Enzo points out that this integration with nature has been shown to improve mood and mental health, reduce anxiety, and promote happiness. 'Nature is vital for emotional and psychological health and well-being, and this is the value that interior garden spaces contribute to any project,' he notes. The scintillating blend of botany and architecture makes this project unforgettable. Even if only through the screen, you can clearly tell that each indoor patch of green has been meticulously crafted for longevity sans any compromise on aesthetic integrity. And aside from adding this to our personal home inspiration boards, we're certain that we'll be dreaming of this interior garden for a long time to come.
