Biophilia is big news in interior design right now but as any dedicated plant parent will attest, the practice is so much more than a fleeting fashion – trendy buzz word or no. Biophilic design provides invaluable relief from our growing concrete environment, promoting healthier living at home. Indeed, incorporating house plants into our décor offers a wealth of feel-good health benefits. The greenery acts as a natural humidifier, giving us cleaner air to breathe whilst providing a lush, laid-back aesthetic.
If you have an ever-growing house plant collection, you need to know about HydroPod. Inspired by the Japanese practice of ‘Shinrin-Yoku’ or forest bathing, this is a sustainably designed self-watering planter that aims to bring nature indoors while taking the hassle (and confusion) out of watering. With its minimal aesthetic and use of traditional craftsmanship, the planter celebrates both Scandinavian and Japanese design. It honours the roots of Japanese culture and wabi sabi – or finding beauty in imperfection within the natural world and everyday living.
Crafted from soda glass, each numbered HydroPod is unique, thanks to its traditional, mouth-blown process. In fact, each piece respects this age-old craftsmanship with a distinctive mark left behind by the maker’s glass blowing tools. Available in four colourways: clear, smoke blue, viridian green and marine blue, the planters prove a beautifully calming addition to any living space and collectively, represent the tonal palette of the ocean.
But this isn’t just any pretty planter. HydroPod uses a clever self-watering wick system, drawing the water up into the soil from below, which keeps our precious house plants healthy and thriving – even for long periods of time when we’re away from home. Furthermore, the transparent glass design allows us to see our plant’s visible root growth, creating a sensory experience. Essentially, we can see how our plant’s doing from beneath the fronds.
It comes as little surprise that a brand so invested in traditional craftsmanship and organic materials should put sustainability at the fore. Every step of the production process, from the materials used to the recycled and recyclable kraft packaging the product is housed in, is carefully considered. Not only that but HydroPod proudly supports Pollenize, an organisation whose focus is honeybee populations around the world and the conservation of our urban pollinators. In purchasing a HydroPod you’ll be helping our nectar-gathering fuzzy friends, too. Now that really is something to feel the buzz about.
From £150, thehydropod.com