The art of sending letters might seem nostalgic in the digital age, but beautifully made paper goods are like a solid black dress. They never go out of style. Whether you’re sending a handwritten birthday card or a heartfelt Thank You, nothing says sincerity quite like a beautiful card. Indeed, given the rising popularity of houseplants among millennials, botanical stationery is more trendy and appealing than ever before.
Below, we highlight some of our favorite botanical artists of the moment, with examples of the beautiful cards they make.
Image Courtesy of Janelle Sing
Janelle Sing (For Bespoke Monograms)
Janelle Sing’s materia medica of letters makes us wistful about the bygone era when monograms were de rigueur. We love the delicate line weight that Sing articulates on her bespoke cards, which are ideal for weddings and events. Moreover, we also think they’re wothy of framing in their own right (perhaps as a letter on the wall in a child’s bedroom). Increasingly in this era of tech, people want cards that feel unique and handmade, and the artist’s gentle hand and her relaxed sense of composition impart this exact feeling of sentimentality. Lovely.
The Mint Gardener (For Haute Watercoloring)
Sarah Simon, aka The Mint Gardener, favors dark, moody tones in her romantically saturated watercolor cards, which are among our favorites in the genre. Her eye for detail and precise renderings of some of our favorite flowers. The regal poppy, the humble artichoke, make her perfect for art lovers and plant lovers alike. We adore the density and drape of her bouquets and the rich hues she uses to shade her foliage. Each plant is like a baroque version of the real thing.
Image via Rifle Paper Co
Rifle Paper Co (For Affordability)
Rifle Paper Co. offers a variety of custom greeting cards, stationery, calendars, prints, wallpaper, and notepads. You name it. But their standard Botanical Stationary Set
Helen Kleores (For Hi-Res Australian Favorites)
Melbourne-based Botanical Designer Helen Kleores knows a thing or two about beautiful floral specimens that feel quintessentially Australian. Bright-orange banksia, bottle brush, red waratah, flowering gum, and ferns are just a few of the many plant subjects she photographs and transforms into chic, minimalist cards. Her White Nature collection includes flowers and flora of every season and color, always photographed on a smart, clean background. Great for greetings and decoration.
Vincent Jeannerot (For Old World Elegance)
Vincent Jeannerot is a famed peintre aquarelliste membre de la Société Française d’Illustration Botanique— one of the most prestigious botanical art societies in the world. Based in Lyon, France, his refined and realistic depictions of onions, peonies, ferns, and other garden staples reminisce of leather-bound textbooks and turn-of-the-century ethnobotanical drawings. Behold beautiful color grading and a keen eye for depth, texture, and light. As a true botanical artist, Jeannerot also teaches the craft of botanical illustration and painting at various workshops around the world.
Catherine Lewis (For Gorgeous Saturation and a Handmade Feel)
Catherine Lewis‘ “Houseplant Collection” and “Species Collection” cards prove that there’s always beauty in simplicity. We love her Monstera Heart ‘Love You’ and her house plant patterns. Her gentle depiction of light on every leaf in her designs makes each card feel special and handmade. The cards, in turn, make lovely gifts for housewarmings and heartfelt Thank You’s. Her intricate illustrations have been translated onto pillows, wrapping paper, iPhone cases, and the like. Get ’em while you can!
Hackney & Co (For The #PlantFolk in Your Life)
Katy Hackney’s penchant for simplicity and detail makes her hand-illustrated watercolors a joy to behold. Even more for those of us who love botanical illustrations and all of their styled minimalism. Hackney & Co‘s Orkney botanical cards are little recordings of the natural elements found around Hackney’s studio in the Orkney Isles, an archipelago off the northeastern coast of Scotland. Some specimens include Marsh Mallow (Althaea officinalis), White Nettle (Lamium album), Comfrey (Symphytum officinale), Eyebright (Euphrasia officinalis), and Wild Garlic (Allium ursinum). All of them are lovely keepsakes, especially for those who have traveled around Scotland.
On the back of each card in the botanical series, Hackney also includes detailed information about each plant, including where it grows, practical applications, and any folklore surrounding the plant. What’s not to love?
Sonia Cavallini (For Pretty Patterns)
Sonia Cavallini‘s patterns remind us of the whimsical wallpaper of our youth, or at least an imagined wallpaper from the 1950’s that wouldn’t feel out of place on a Prada scarf. We love the simple hues that the Lyon-based artist tends to favor, and the fact that her cards’ shiny surfaces bear the unmistakable stain of watercolor. Those looking for a more refined message will appreciate her “Je t’aime” postcards, while her “Girl Power!” cards are a nice way to say hello to someone in need of a pep talk.
Lou Baker Smith (For Wanderlust and Color Harmony)
Lou Baker Smith‘s images have an inimitable wistful quality that we can’t get enough of. The moments of what we’ll call “slow living” that she captures so eloquently in her scenery. A pot of geraniums, a vase of ranunculi, and a lemon on a cutting board remind us of the subtle moments in our own travels. Like smelling fresh produce at a local market, or treating oneself to a bouquet, ideally foraged from some sort of Edenic oasis in the Cyclades. We also love the delicate color palettes of Smith’s cards and the ways in which they are layered to create texture while maximizing emotional impact. So lovely!
