Lockdown Treasure Hunt Plant Display

Hi Everyone!

What an EXCITING Challenge!! A Lockdown project the family could indulge in together.

My project is a fun upcycle, recycle, reuse, reimagine treasure hunt. Depending on the severity of your lockdown, you may or may not be able to source one or two items not lying around the house. The very first step is to scrounge for any 3D picture frames, wooden boxes that the special bottle of wine came in or indeed any 3D box object, an old DRAWER even. (If this is not feasible is there an old frame you could imagine upcycling? If you are handy you could make four sides and a backing to create the box frame)

Depending on the size of your box select favourite succulent type plants, pretty pots and bowls around the house, memorabilia, shells, semi precious rocks, tiny statues, to enhance your display. Remember scale is important to the overall look of your diorama. I found a little string of LED lights with a battery pack to light up the box. I have also used a crystal suspended on thin wire as a 'chandelier'. you will see my box depicts a bedroom scene. It attracted me because of the masses of plants displayed in the picture, a picture in picture, if you will

My plant selection: an airplant, Tillandsia; Haworthia succulent; Hoya; Aescanthynus. These may be lying around your house, all are low water, fairly low light succulent type plants that can be misted every other day or taken out once a week for a soak and drain (well) before returning. This also allows you to make your display dynamic in that plants can be moved outside to get some light and other plants placed in your display.

Assemble your box frame, sanding paper if required, paint, sealer, soft cloths and paint brushes. Pictures and glue for the back wall. A drill to drill 5mm holes in the ceiling for the LED's if you are using them. I drilled 3, one for the crystal 'chandelier' and main string of LED's and two for 'downlighters'. Picture hooks and wire for hanging. Remember to protect your work surfaces!

Depending on its condition you may want to sand your box down and then paint it in a favourite colour, acrylic paint or CHALK Paint and any technique like antique crackle. Seal the box with a good sealer. Drill the holes for the lights if you are using them.

Picture one shows the old frame used for this challenge with vintage crackle and the Gilders paste (2) used to effect (3).The last pictures are examples of other UFO's I found to work with, just by way of example.

Push the LED's through the drilled holes to your taste and hang the crystal if you are using one. Tape the wires and battery box neatly and inconspicuously on the outside of the box frame.

Attach the picture hangers and wire if required, to hang the frame on the wall as a picture.

The next step I took was to source pictures from interior design magazines, garden mags or even favourite photographs. These are glued into the back wall of the inside of the box frame with modge podge, gel medium or diluted craft glue. Allow to dry, then varnish this too. You have now essentially created a diorama with a shelf on which to display your plants. I love this bedroom picture because of the shelves of plants above the bed and the homeliness of the dog on the bed. The greenery is a great backdrop to the plants I'll be displaying.

Collect your shells, driftwood, crystals and little pots and bowls for your project. In the second picture I have also shown the little plants I have collected together. There are succulents that prefer to grow in shade, and succulent type plants such as Hoya and Aescanthynus which can take low light quite well and a large airplant (Tillandsia). I have a tiny Sanseveria in the pal

It is more artistic to have your plants foliage 'breaking' the straight lines of the frame, in other words not fully contained within the frame but peeping out over the edges as shown in picture three with the airplant and picture four with the Aescanthynus as examples hereof. If the plants are in ugly plastic pots you can paint the pots or repot them into your pretty pots and bowls.

It is now time for the real fun part of displaying your plants and memorabilia. Remember you can change this display up every week! Try out different placements and combinations.