Whether you saw them on Instagram when you scrolled through five minutes ago or on the counter of a quaint local coffee shop, you’ve caught a glimpse of the “artsy” little plants known as succulents.
These fun little greens are popping up everywhere and Gainesville is no exception.
But what happens when you combine succulents and dinosaurs?
A WHIMSICAL WONDER.
While taking a stroll through the Gainesville Arts Market, I spotted these dinosaur planters. I basically sprinted to the table to get a closer look at these funky colorful creations.
Ericka Winterrowd created her store, Whimsey Wonders, in November and has been expanding her selection of what she calls “Whimsey Creatures” ever since.
Winterrowd, who is a University of Florida graduate, said that she has always loved gardening and the outdoors in general.
“My grandfather was actually a farmer, so I think nature is definitely in my roots, no pun intended,” she said.
Winterrowd keeps her eye out when she visits thrift stores and antique shops to see if she finds something that she can upcycle. For those of you unfamiliar with the wild world of upcycling, it’s the process of transforming waste materials, useless and/or unwanted products into new materials or products of better quality or for better environmental value.
The planters, which are $15, come in different colors and dinosaur types like Tyrannosaurus Rex, Triceratops, Stegosaurus, Brontosaurus and Parasaurolophus. If dinosaurs aren’t your thing, you can purchase an elephant, lion or a tiger, which can be filled with a succulent, like aloe, or a cactus.
Most of the plants are grown by Winterrowd herself and are extremely easy to care for.
“Wait for them to look like they need a good drink and they should be fine,” she said.
A lazy college kid’s dream come true.
Make sure your succulent gets about 6 hours of sunlight a day, so keep them as close to your window as you can.
To adopt your very own Whimsey Creature, check out her Etsy page here.
