BEGONIA TAKEAWAY
IS A CURATOR, RESEARCHER, AND PLANT GROWER WITH
A STRONG BACKGROUND IN FASHION AND ART DIRECTION.
Begonia Takeaway is a project launched by a fashion designer who fell in love with rare and niche plants during a Covid-related period. Their nurturing properties for mental health and well-being started the whole adventure. Begonia Takeaway is a creative venture into plant growing and showcasing.
THE AVANT-GARDE PLANT
Back when I started, I dived into deep research about begonias and soon realised that there it is: the avant-garde holy grail of plants! Begonia! Known for being bitchy and often difficult to keep alive, she offers over 2000 species across many ‘sections’. The shapes and patterns are the most extraordinary! Especially if you look up close. Details! I love details! No matter how many you’ve seen before, there will always be a new species or variety you’ve not known. That seemed very appropriate for my neurodivergent mind with a never-ending need for exploration! I soon built ‘The Lab’ taking a big chunk of my fashion studio space and became a begonia ‘scientist’.
growing & propagating
I GROW STARTING FROM SEED or CLONING DEPENDING ON SPECIE AVAILABILITY. I also create my own seeds. I try to be as organic and sustainable, as possibly I can, by reusing the mediums, using reusable containers and responsibly sourcing. I don’t use chemical pesticides so the plants can be introduced directly to enclosures with animals.
Current growing set-up and inside of one of the begonia boxes.
hybridising
THIS IS THE ‘DESIGNING’ PART OF THE GROWING THAT IS SO CAPTIVATING. THE IDEA THAT YOU CAN CREATE UNIQUE FEATURES OF A LIVING PLANT IS QUITE EXTRAORDINARY!
Please follow my Instagram for any updates regarding hybrids I’ve made.