EXPLORE YOUR BORO
PLANT WORLD BY DANIELLE BRODY
I walked into a terrarium class at Luludi Living Art in Astoria thinking I’d make a glass vase with dirt and a succulent, and walked out with a mini mystical world featuring a fairy.
Luludi Living Art is a retail plant shop that provides design services for events and businesses. It also offers classes that give people the opportunity to create a variety of terrariums and put their own spin on them. These traditionally include plants in a glass globe, but when you make your own, it becomes something personal. “Terrariums are like looking at your own piece of artwork in a mini living world,” said owner and Astoria resident Liza Fiorentinos. She added that plants are proven to boost your mood — and there’s an extra benefit when you’re involved in building their home. “It’s a wonderful feeling, especially in New York.” I was one of 10 women participating in the workshop. Most participants seemed to come with a friend or family. We all sat around a table and passed colored moss, pebbles, rocks, plants, tools and, the biggest conversation starter — buckets of toys — back and forth. Fiorentinos and another instructor circulated, offering tips and answering questions. “People are usually nervous about working with plants, so when you add a creative
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FEBRUARY 2020
