Nan’s Report: Heather Anderson’s smile is widest when her hands are dirty. And boy, did her hands get dirty when she and Marion Happ showed me how they make Kokedama, Japanese string balls, also called Japanese moss balls. I’d seen done before but their demonstration at Saint Madeleine Sophie’s Center in El Cajon, California was one of the most creative and enthusiastic versions ever.
Kokedama is an old Japanese art form that’s a take-off of Bonsai. It’s essentially a small plant, set in a ball of clayey soil, all wrapped up in sphagnum moss. Hang them from a trellis or set them in a dish. Water by soaking or spritzing on occasion and you are set.
Kokedama make great gifts and are surprisingly easy to assemble. Heather and Marion made two Kokedama for me – one using a small palm and the other using an African violet. Here are the basic steps, using an African violet.