Crazy for Kokedama!
You may have seen curious-looking moss balls floating around the Palace gardens in recent weeks. They first appeared hanging in the walled garden trees at our recent ‘From bud to blossom’ family event in March. These delicate natural gems are known as kokedama.
Kokedama is a Japanese term and can be translated as ‘ball of moss’. They became popular in Japan in the 1990s and are linked to the centuries-old practise of bonsai.
Bonsai trees are traditionally displayed on a flat plate in order to show off the intricate root systems. In a similar way, Kokedama plant roots are tightly wrapped in moss and secured with string rather than in a traditional pot. This creates a rounded natural sculpture, echoing Japanese wabi-sabi aesthetic which centres on the beauty of nature, its transience and imperfection.