10 Green Questions for… Gnomo
We know that neighbourhoods wouldn’t be the same without trees or benches, without the greetings from those we cross paths with each day, and certainly not without their shops. There are special places that make you want to stay, and Álvaro and Esther, the founders behind GNOMO, realised that and made it a reality. Now, their shop in Russafa has a sibling in the El Carmen district, where you’ll find a host of beautiful things, while you’re served by lovely people who know that shopping isn’t something to do just for the sake of it – it’s a conscious experience which, when done right, brightens everyone’s day a little. And at the Jardí Botánic, we’ll never forget that, right in the middle of the pandemic, we asked them to seat plants on a sofa and take pictures. Without asking any questions, they gave us a beautiful image that perfectly captured the online cycle of talks, “Botany from the Sofa.” Here, they answer our test, and we hope they’ll join us in future ideas just as fun as their shops.
When you open your eyes in the morning, the first green thing you see is…
The swiss cheese plant (Monstera deliciosa Liebm.) hanging above our bed. And then, the tree beneath our window, which we learnt to observe during lockdown and which shows us the seasons through its colours.
A natural setting you visited as children
Esther grew up in the countryside, in the pasture of Extremadura, and Álvaro was often taken on outings through the interior of Castellón.
What’s the last plant you killed?
Oh dear! The other day we were propagating pothos. We cut several pieces to place in propagation stations, but two of them we left lying on the soil of another pot and forgot about. We found them around two weeks later, and by then it was too late. They need to be in water or at least have their stem in soil to begin rooting. And then there’s Esther, who is a serial killer of aloe vera.
Pick a plant for a selfie
Swiss cheese plants and the feats on our counter.
Can you climb a tree?
If it’s an easy one, maybe we’ll reach the first branch.
Choose your superpower to become an environmental superhero and heroine
Well, Poison Ivy’s powers: being able to talk to plants and have them to take notice of us because they love us a lot.
Summer is a time for…
Looking for shade, eating figs, and enjoying watching the plants we transplanted in spring grow. And not overwatering. Overwatering is more dangerous than it seems!
Do you think giving flowers or plants is outdated?
Never. How could it be outdated? There are so many ways to gift plants! You can give someone an easy-care plant in a lovely pot if they’re a beginner. If you prefer a bouquet, your local florist will help you compose something stylish. You can also give them a propagation station with a cutting from your own plant, a pothos or something easy to root – that way, your plants become family. Or, when we go on trips, something we do to gift plants is bring seeds. There are even seed postcards! So yes, gifting plants is always a wonderful idea.
How do you communicate with your plants? Speaking, singing, WhatsApp?
We’re very tactile: cleaning leaves, removing dry ones, pruning the common cow-wheat… Well, we must admit that sometimes we’ve found ourselves speaking to them without even realising. And of course, we play them the album “Plantasia”.
Mushroom picker, bonsai carer, florist, seed gatherer… what would you like to be when you grow up?
Hmm… As we said, we’re big fans of Poison Ivy, so perhaps eco-terrorists like her, although we’re not sure if the villain costume would suit us that good…
