PLANT LIFE BALANCE. 2019.

WHEN THERE’S BEES ON THE BLOSSOMS

Artist, designer, curator and creative advisor Liane Rossler opens up her Bondi Junction garden and shows off the Birds & Bees look.

One from the archives: back when we released the first generation of looks – including Birds & Bees – we sat down with look contributor Liane Rosler to chat life-giving environments, bees, and friendly neighbours.

How would you describe your work when it comes to trees and plants?
It’s super important to surround myself with life, inside and out. As well as looking at something beautiful, to look at a garden, it’s like looking into the future. When you plant something you see how it grows and how it evolves over time, and to me, it’s the most enormous pleasure.

I like to create environments at home and at work that are really surrounded by nature. And inside the studio, we’ve created an environment that’s all about life. You come in and can feel everything growing.

Tell us about your setup, and what you’re doing with the studio.
It’s a creative and cultural place for things to happen in and I work on my ceramics here. From the inside, it’s about creating something that radiates outside. And creating something for the whole area that I get to enjoy – and so do many people as well. When I’m out watering, it’s non-stop wonderful interaction with the community and neighbours.

Why do you have all this green, what does it do for your life?
Visually, it’s really important to be in a harmonious environment. The health benefits are numerous, as well as the air quality being better, plants are really good for your mind. Every week there are always more news studies coming out about how important is to be with nature.

What’s the best thing about having your own green oasis?
When there’s bees on the blossoms and a neighbour stops by to start chatting about it, it’s a joy.

What’s your favourite plant in your garden/home?
Outside my place there is a wonderful harmony of native plants – they just feel like they’re settled. There’s a beautiful feeling of being in the bush when you’re with native plants.

How would you rate your plant life balance?
Obsessed!

And finally, for first time gardeners, what’s your hot tip for starting out?
I think it’s really important that you have really good soil. To build the soil up get a good potting mix. To have healthy soil is to have a healthy plant. Plant them in good quality soil and every week maintain them by giving them water, which at the beginning is a routine but soon becomes something you love.