Mona Dsilva has quite a green thumb. You can tell from her home garden, where she grows vegetables like tomato, brinjal, capsicum and celery. Her passion for greenery, is evident in the amount of time she spends surrounded by plants.
Mona meets me one afternoon, where she shares some gardening secrets, and introduces me to her recent venture Pretty Patio in Bangalore. Pretty Patio, as the name suggests is dedicated to creating green home spaces. Thus, Mona is focused on creating pottery and other decorative products that make a home green.
I fall in love with the terrarium she has put together. I love the way the succulents sit so prettily in a jar. Its looks like a piece of art! The best part about terrariums is that they do not require much care. Made with desert plants, they hardly need water and can survive in the toughest weather conditions. Perfect for those looking to add low maintenance green to their homes. To create them, she works with different succulents, of varying textures and colours, all of which are sourced locally.
Mona learnt the tricks of the trade from a renowned landscape artist in Bangalore, who she worked with for a few years. She started out as a trainee and then took up more challenging work where she was responsible for the upkeep of gardens, in upscale apartment complexes. This is where she developed her fondness for organic farming, a passion which will stay with her for life.
However, now her focus is more on creating pottery that will beautify homes. She shows me some lovely colourful terracotta pieces she has designed. Some of them are common ones, which can be made by most potters. Others she creates herself, drawing inspiration from shapes around her. The colours of her pottery are loud, yet lovely. And luckily they are all waterproof and sun proof, enough to survive the conditions of a home garden.
Mona still has lots of ground to cover. She is looking to get more creative with her terrariums, by hunting for funky glass shapes she can plant the succulents. Interesting shapes in terracotta, metal and bottle planters are other things on the agenda. We wish her success as her business blooms.
Get in touch with her via her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/PrettyPatio.GardenUp
Pretty Patio is sponsoring a free terrarium to one lucky reader. To win, please like our page and tell us what shape glass jars would you like to see a terrarium. Due to logistic constraints, this giveaway is only open to Bangalore residents.
{Photos by Pratap J, Styling: My Red Palette}
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