Tag Archives: Plants

The root of inspiration

Mushrooms seem so small and innocent when they pop up on the forest floor, but down in the soil, their mycelium roots make up a vast network that connects plants and fungus in ways that humans are just starting to understand. Builder Margit explores the secret life of mycelium in LEGO form with a dramatic interpretation of this subterranean world where a forest spirit sacrifices its body to connect mushrooms and tree roots. Margit’s staging is quite striking, using clear supports to suspend the model and let the roots and network shine. The mycelium spirit is beautifully shaped, especially its rounded belly and haunting face.

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Thriving LEGO plants and no water needed

LEGO builder Loïc Gilbert has created “Solarium,” where the plants take center stage in this creation. Hues of pink, purple, yellow, and bright green tell of a healthy greenhouse. Adding to the unique features of all this foliage, we see swords, hats, and even a hairpiece put to good use. Another highlight is the floor, which features a patterned carpet crafted from LEGO “cheese slopes”, adding further intricacy to the overall design. These plants would fit perfectly alongside LEGO Icons Botanical Collection 10329 Tiny Plants for sure!

LEGO mandrake root seeks sunlight and occasional watering

The recent LEGO Icons Botanical 10329 Tiny Plants set has inspired many builders to create their own plants to go along with the tiny pots. LEGO 7 has gone to the world of Harry Potter for inspiration, building an adorable mandrake root at the perfect scale to sit on the pot, dangling it’s tiny root legs over ths side. The long leafy sprouts on the head use the new frond element while the feet and hands are small branches arranged just right… and that poutty face…

Here’s another view of the little mandrake just waking up and stretching out to the sunlight.

Flora and fauna are fused into one Veggiesaurus Rex

So, the name “Veggiesaurus Rex” in the title might be my own doing, but the LEGO-built Cyatheales Carnivorous is most certainly the work of Bionicle builder Toni A. The lovely color scheme of black lizard parts meshed with dark green vegetation is adorned with plenty of white claws and teeth. Plus those six red eyes – at least, I’m guessing they’re eyes – have finally locked onto the beast’s next meal. It might be a good idea to get out of here now before this raptor of roughage strikes.

LEGO Icons Botanical Collection 10329 Tiny Plants – Lots of itty bitty pots [Review]

With the great success of the LEGO Botanicals Collection, it’s obvious the line is here to stay for good. It’s a smart move, seeing as there are a bazillion plants out there to act as inspiration. The latest kit in the series, LEGO Icons Botanical Collection 10329 Tiny Plants, is certainly keen on checking a handful off the list. In this installment, nine miniaturized plant favorites find themselves immortalized in brick. Join us as we determine if LEGO did them justice. The 758-piece set is currently available for pre-order and will be widely released December 1st, retailing for US $49.99 | CAN $69.99 | UK £44.99.

The LEGO Group sent The Brothers Brick an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

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The lifeblood of LEGO building

On the heels of his blue-based LEGO build, Casey McCoy goes from a creation lamenting death to one that surges forth with life. A brown figure, back overgrown with shrubbery, ponders a butterfly underneath a beautiful, verdant archway. The path before this figure drops off in a cascade of greenery, a wonderous building technique utilizing nets underneath the sea of studs. You can catch a better peek at the underling technique where it’s also used on top of the arch as well. This lattice of 1×1 plates is bounded by a verge of innovative flower designs, relying heavily on the five-pointed eggshell/crown piece. Even the gorgeous white railing falls away at the edge of the scene, the pattern decaying more and more as it approaches the void.

Let’s sweeten the pot a little

If you’re a fan of the LEGO Botanicals collections, you’ll love this creation by Ralf Langer. Seven spectacular plants spring forth from pots that are every bit as elegant. There are great techniques everywhere you look, from the robot-arm wicker casings to sides made from layers of 1×2 rounded plate. If you look closely you can spot tank treads, Technic flex hoses, and even a few standard sloped bricks. Also noteworthy are the muted earth tones and olive-green foliage. These choices make the reds, bright greens, blues, and lavenders really stand out. Altogether this is one of the most naturalistic-looking recreations I’ve seen in quite a while.

Finally, take a look at that great wood-slat furniture. It makes me want to take a trip through our archives for more home furnishings. You might even spot some other builds from Ralf in there!

An botanical from eastern Asia that can’t be beat!

As someone who is constantly striving for natural shapes in my LEGO constructions, I’ve definitely taken notice of the techniques employed by James Zhan in their beautiful orchid plant. The simple yet elegant yellow and brown stripes on the flower’s petals are perfect here. And I’m in love with the use of this constraction armor part for the interior of the bloom. Following the lime stems down, we see some delicate leaf construction thanks to clips, bars, and curved slopes in green. Even further down, the cleisostoma paniculatum is held in a gorgeous black planter adorned with six large LEGO studs. I especially like the natural effect of the olive green roots partially covered by the “potting soil” made of 1×1 round plates.

And if you want to see more builders we’ve featured showing off their green thumbs, you can find them here.

As a fellow plant hoarder Poison Ivy will always be my favourite Batman villain

People who collect LEGO tend to collect other things. My boyfriend calls this hoarding. For me it is plants, mid century furniture, vases and pots. It is nice to see Abe Fortier manage to put all these elements into one amazing LEGO creation. We have a green house inspired by the Batman franchise. We get tall glass windows in a white building covered with lush foliage. Propagation stations on teak mid century design furniture and lots of pots and vases housing various plants and flowers. If you look closely enough you might even spot a sprouting Groot somewhere in this creation.

Check Abe’s photostream for more LEGO Batman creations.

Who needs Romeo when your balcony looks out at an amazing propagation station

Big LEGO castles are the bomb, but small really detailed medieval scenes also tickle our fancy. This scene by Eli Willsea is a great example of a small castle setting packed with little details. We are treated to a lovely balcony scene featuring a young woman looking out over a room filled with greenery. There is a trellis for a climbing plant which happens to be two green snakes. The integration of the bar with 3 leaves into the wall to turn it into a climbing plant is lovely. The brown flex tubing intertwining between the leaves works amazingly well as a plant stem. I love how this continues over the wooden beams hanging over the balcony, giving it a patio feel.

There are a lot of trans-clear tiles used to represent a propagation station. I absolutely adore the use of the Captain Marvel mohawk used to represent a box of presumably hay. The use of the Minions hair as table legs is stunning in its simplicity. The best feature of this creation has to be the use of the minifigure action pose bar with stud to make the railing of the balcony. So clever and visually appealing!

A Kylothian in the garden

Those with a green thumb are often on the lookout for new intruders in our garden beds, ready to weed deep to keep our leafy babies safe. LEGO builder Galerie d’Antha recently discovered this peculiar perennial popping up amongst the spring blooms. Its sweet smell seems to be attracting a crowd but that alien eye-stalk makes me think those spiders are marching to their doom. The builder filled this model with gold, creating a filigree-like plant that I imagine would wiggle and writhe in Lovecraftian ways. You might recognize the large, golden leaves in the center as the wings from the Snitch in the Hogwarts Icons set. The tentacle portions come from the Gargantos Showdown set but, combined with the gold eggshells and leaves, the whole thing kind of feels like a Kylothian from Men in Black 2. You know, that little alien from that little ship that turns into Serleena? Hopefully, this one isn’t as malicious though.

A dangerous addition to the LEGO Botanical Collection

It’s a cold winter here in the US, and as I look out the window I can only wish that the snows would be replaced with the warmth and sun suggested by this lovely botanical creation from Andreas Lenander. Oh, sure, this Piranha Plant from the words of Super Mario may be classified as an invasive species, but look at the great detailing and construction here! From the fun flower pot/pipe, to the organic-yet-spiky stem, to the “V for victory” mouth, there’s just a lot to love. Its enough to make you forget that this plant wants you, and everyone who looks like you, dead.

Built as part of the Iron Forge completion, Andreas has gone one step beyond by also sharing a great video that shows just how this chompy friend was constructed!

You know, Andreas wasn’t the first LEGO builder to take inspiration from the worlds of Mario. Check out some other super Mario-related sets and creations in our archives!