PROFILE | BOTANICA STUDIO| BATH LIFE | ISSUE 548 | WORDS BY NICK WOODHOUSE | READ HERE
It was day one of RHS Chelsea Flower Show when I met Alice Dobie, founder of Bath’s very own Botanica Studio. The show’s judges had visited The Hanging Gardens of Botanica – her first exhibit at Chelsea – the day before, and she was in a relaxed, excited mood. After almost three weeks of install, and months of preparation, her vision was complete, and she could finally enjoy the experience.
When, in autumn of last year, Alice was initially contacted by The Royal Horticultural Society about exhibiting at the show, the response wasn’t an immediate and definite yes – she wanted to consult her team first. Was it possible? Were they up for the challenge? The answers to both questions were resoundingly positive. And so, the process started as it would continue – a collaborative effort between Alice and the Botanica team – Alexanda Goodman, Eden Leo, Nadia Saddiq, Rosie Varley and Tom Varley.
Customers at the studio often ask for tips on watering their houseplants. Given Bath’s notoriously hard water, the team’s top recommendation would be to use rainwater, rather than that from the tap. Not only is it cleaner and chemical free, but it also offers higher levels of oxygen, promoting larger root mass, and thereby faster nutrient intake and plant growth. As the world stumbles into water bankruptcy, the studio took this opportunity to demonstrate the process of evapotranspiration, showcasing how houseplants and harvested rainwater can work together to emulate the water cycle in our very own homes.
The aesthetic for the space would take its cue from The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The tiered gardens were allegedly built around 600 BC on the orders of King Nebuchadnezzar II, keen to impress his wife Queen Amytis, who was yearning for the green hills and valleys of her homeland of Media, now in modern-day Iran Inspired by this ancient wonder, the Hanging Gardens of Botanica saw twelve vertical gardens suspended in terracotta pots both inside and out of one of six houseplant studios at the show.
This is the sixth year that Malvern Garden Buildings has brought the Houseplant Studios to Chelsea, with the company offering each designer to pick their own garden studio, configuration and colour. The team at Botanica Studio opted for a blush pink for their ode to rainwater, one which set off the lush, verdant foliage of the different plant genus celebrated on each indoor sculpture – from Philodendron and Monstera, to Anthirium, Epiprenium and Alocasia. The installation was a family affair, with Alice’s brother, Pete, helping in the intricate construction of each hanging garden – a feat of engineering that saw rainwater being pumped up a series of terracotta puts made by Copenhagen-based Bergs Potter. With a prototype successfully tested out in the Bath studio, the hanging gardens were transported to their temporary home at Chelsea – a sensory space inviting visitors to enjoy the calm trickle of water, the gentle aroma of moss as it wicks away, and a cooling mist from evaporation.
The much-coveted awards are handed out on the Tuesday morning of the show, with the team at Botanica Studio thrilled to be presented with a Silver Gilt – an incredible achievement for any exhibitor – but especially for a first timer at the show. The award will return to Botanica Studio, situated on Bath’s Union Street, and home to a striking collection of indoor plants and accessories.
The studio is the first bricks and mortar retail premises for Botanica, having initially started out in 2017 selling from the back of Alice’s van at The Frome Independent, Bath Farmer’s Market and Bath Vintage and Antiques Market. Having taken on the city-centre premises during lockdown, the studio has since become a go-to destination for plant lovers, with long-term collectors coming from far and wide to this beautifully curated space. It’s a welcoming space too, with the team keen to make everyone feel inspired when they leave – whether one choosing their very first plant, or a seasoned collector of rare alocasias.
The space is also home to regular workshops, on subjects ranging from terrarium planting to kokedama, a centuries-old Japanese artform of displaying plants within a moss-covered ball. The sold-out events are testament to our need for a greater connection to nature in our own homes – and I for one can’t wait to see what Alice and her team have got planned next.
