Episode 97: indoor jungles with designer Martha Krempel
Martha Krempel’s plant filled extension. Photograph: Jane Perrone
Martha Krempel with some of her (freshly washed) plants. Photograph: Jane Perrone.
Subscribe to On The Ledge via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Player FM, Stitcher, Overcast, RadioPublic and YouTube.
London-based garden designer Martha Krempel channelled her love of houseplants into turning her newly extended London home into an indoor plant haven featuring some seriously big plants, including a succulent Euphorbia planted into a floor-level bed right in the centre of her living space.
Safe to say, I was completely captivated.
Martha has been designing gardens since 2014, and a love of houseplants lead her to redesign her own home to accommodate lots of statuesque plants, including one very fine succulent Euphorbia ingens planted into a bed at ground level, so it looks as if it’s thrusting up from the floor.
Earlier this year, Martha won an award from the Society of Garden Designers in the category Big Ideas, Small Budget for her indoor/outdoor courtyard garden, which was described by the judges as “A clever blend of house and garden, through a courtyard whose planting lends a softness and tranquility to the space. On entering the garden one feels like one has stepped out of the world to a wonderful urban oasis of calm in the city."
I find out how she dreamed up the space, picked the plants and continues to play with different arrangements of pots and foliage.
You can follow Martha on Instagram and Twitter and view more garden design projects on her website.
Follow the notes below as you listen to get the most out of your listen!
Pablo and friends green up the living space. Photograph: David Heathcock.
The Strelitzia that Martha says hasn’t yet flowered is the white-flowered bird of paradise Strelitzia nicolai.
The impressively tall euphorbia is a Euphorbia ingens (aka candelabra plant) named Pablo. Strictly speaking it’s a tree succulent, as opposed to a cactus.
The tree Martha planted outside to shade the indoor area is a Betula nigra ‘Heritage’, a type of river birch.
The plants growing at the base of the pit containing Pablo the Euphorbia are Euphorbia characias ‘Tasmanian Tiger’, Festuca glauca ‘Intense Blue’ and Sesleria nitida.
The tropical gardens Martha mentions is Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens in Dorset, in the UK.
Martha likes to source her pots from many places, and many are upcycled finds from antique shops and the like, but some of them come from Atelier Vierkant.
Question of the week
I don’t know if you’ve ever explored the Twitter hashtag #planttwitter, but I saw this question on there, and it got me thinking about my plant care regimes and how I document (or rather don’t document) them. I’d love to know if any of you use apps, journals or any other method to keep track of watering and the like? Do let me know!
Want to ask me a question about your plant? Email ontheledgepodcast@gmail.com.
THIS WEEK’S SPONSORS
Iresine ‘Purple Lady’ makes an interesting plant - indoors or out!
True Leaf Market
Thanks so much to True Leaf Market for backing On The Ledge for three whole months. This Utah-based seed company has been helping gardeners grow since 1974, so what they don’t know about sowing and raising healthy plants - well, it’s probably not worth knowing!
Check out their extensive collections of culinary herbs, sprouting seeds and kits, and flowers for the garden now, including the gorgeous Iresine ‘Purple Lady’ (pictured).
Their products come with a 30-day satisfaction guarantee so I know you won’t be disappointed. So, why not support On The Ledge by giving True Leaf Market a try?
US listeners, get 10% off your first purchase at True Leaf market.com now using the code ONTHELEDGE.
Babbel
Today’s sponsor is Babbel, the language learning app that will get you speaking a new language with confidence. You can try Babbel for free by going Babbel.com or download the app and try it for free!
How to support On The Ledge
If you like the idea of supporting On The Ledge on a regular basis but don't know what Patreon's all about, check out the FAQ here: if you still have questions, leave a comment or email me - ontheledgepodcast@gmail.com. If you're already supporting others via Patreon, just click here to set up your rewards!
For those who prefer to make a one-off donation, you can still buy me a coffee! A donation of just £3 helps keep On The Ledge going: helping to pay for me to travel to interviews, and for expenses like website hosting and audio equipment. Don't forget to join the Facebook page for news of what's coming up on the show and bonus blogposts!
If you prefer to support the show in other ways, please do go and rate and review On The Ledge on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher or wherever you listen. It's lovely to read your kind comments, and it really helps new listeners to find the show.
CREDITS
This week's show featured Roll Jordan Roll by the Joy Drops and Overthrown by Josh Woodward. Ad music is by the Heftone Banjo Orchestra: Dill Pickles and Whistling Rufus. All tracks licensed under Creative Commons.
Logo design by Jacqueline Colley. Podcast editing by Joff Elphick.