Thank you to all our contest participants.
The Winner
The winner is Botanical Symphony : A Living Grid with Herbs & Blooms by Renu D. This fantastic piece got the most votes both from popular voting and the expert panel.
Botanical Symphony : A Living Grid with Herbs & Blooms
My composition reinterprets the traditional bento box as a living garden, where structure & seasonality exist in harmony. Distinct sections form a precise grid, each compartment hosting a curated blend of spring blooms with aromatic herbs. My layout creates contrast—soft petals against textured foliage, vibrant color against calming greens—while maintaining balance through repetition & rhythm.
Like a symphony, each plant plays its part: herbs contribute fragrance and texture, while spring flowers provide movement & visual crescendo. The grid imposes order, yet the natural growth of each element introduces subtle unpredictability, reflecting the tension between control & nature.
My design invites the viewer to experience spring not as a wild expanse, but as a composed, intimate landscape—where beauty is both cultivated & alive.
I also wanted it to catch the eye, with its natural beauty of popular plants that anyone can grow & have fun with making it both practical & beautiful.
Creator: Renu D.
Other Challengers
Steeping Time: A Moment to Bloom
This modular tea garden transforms container planting into a daily ritual. Each section represents a distinct herbal infusion: calming, refreshing, and floral. These sections are designed to be harvested individually or blended intuitively. The composition balances sensory experience, practicality, and ecological awareness, with pollinator-friendly blooms supporting urban biodiversity. “Steeping Time” invites moments of pause, connection, and renewal within a compact space.
Creator: Sarah V. and Christopher G.
Pinwheel Herbs and Edible Flowers
Inspired by the pinwheel quilting pattern, this cedar bento box planter with four rectangular compartments surrounding a central square (made of scrap cedar) contains herbs and flowers for the kitchen. There are also early blooms to provide support to early pollinators and other beneficial insects. I particularly like the mixing of flowers and herbs in a single compartment in the planter and the contrast of colours and textures between the plants in each of the segments.
Creator: Marion J.
The Pearl Garden
The Pearl Garden is a homage to Johannes Vermeer’s (1632–1675) “Girl with a Pearl Earring.”
The garden includes seasonal interest plant materials.
Creator: Sam G.
Prairie inspired Bibimbap Bowl
This container embraces abundance, inspired by the layered composition of a traditional bibimbap bowl and the biodiversity of prairie ecosystems. Rather than strict divisions, the planting intentionally overflows, reflecting how species coexist and intermingle in nature. Blue grama grass and chives represent native prairie grasses and wild onions. Calendula represents both coreopsis and carrots, bridging prairie wildflowers with cultivated food elements. Gaillardia connects cultural and ecological themes, representing both kimchi and native prairie blooms. Native yarrow adds texture and reflects prairie wildflowers, while egg-coloured snapdragons, inspired by penstemon, are paired with white prairie clover to create a central “egg.” A curry plant evokes the silvery tones of prairie shrubs such as wolf willow and buffalo berry. Prairie smoke is tucked along the edge, symbolizing both the fire used in cooking and the natural fires that renew prairie landscapes. The design celebrates resilience, diversity, and connection.
Creator: Jade P. and Blooming Bee Gardening
One Pot Pasta
One Pot Pasta brings the simplicity of a single‑dish meal from garden to table. Barley anchors the container as the pasta itself, while tomatoes and fresh basil, parsley, marjoram, and thyme come together to create a classic, garden‑grown sauce. This edible container celebrates intentional growing and the pleasure of harvesting a complete meal from one pot.
Creator: Margaret V.
Thank you for helping us selecting the winners.
