I’d been gardening away for a client up in the San Francisco Bay Area this past May planting posies and pruning like a maniac.
One of my usual stops on the way home to Santa Barbara is a destination spot just south of San Jose for those who crave pottery, fountains, statuary and the like. They have a markdown area on the way back where I always find a pot I must have.
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Instead, I found garden art which now is embellished with tillandsias.
This time I found something right outside the front of the store which was not marked down but that didn’t matter. I wanted it! I knew this terra cotta star ball (which is actually meant to have a light inside) would look great unadorned in the garden or all dressed up. I might eventually paint it but for now it remains as is.
You’ll find a video at the end which shows me at my work table creating this piece. If you wanted to make something similar but couldn’t find one of these balls, then a lantern with cutouts or a birdcage would be a fine alternative.
This project is really easy to do. I started by arranging the top, which is a melody of air plants, and worked my way down. It’s a matter of what looks pleasing and somewhat balanced to your eye. I attached the plants with wire or just worked them into the star with a little Spanish moss because this is not a permanent piece. You could secure the air plants on with a dab of E6000 waterproof adhesive.
As you can see, I’ve used Spanish moss in some of the stars. In places it helps to anchor in the tillandsias and in others I used it merely for aesthetics. If you want a jazzier look, then use the preserved moss which is available in a wide rainbow of colors. Purple of hot pink perhaps???
