This Artist Turns Clay into Realistic Flowers | Discovery | Gardening Australia

Jane meets a talented artist and gardener who creates breathtaking flowers from clay.

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This is a segment from Season 36 Episode 27 of Gardening Australia.
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ARTIST: Every time I have
new flowers, I just copy them. That’s my achievement, to make
new ones, new orchid, new colour. I love to do it. I can’t stop doing. JANE: Patty Li is a master in the ancient art
of clay flower making, taking her inspiration
from her own small, colourful garden in Braybrook
in Melbourne’s inner-west. I love garden because it bring me like I am holiday all the time, especially when
there’s flowers blooming. I feel like peaceful and joy and connect to my hometown. My mum
lived next to the orchid farm… Oh!
..so, when we small we always go there and have a look all around the farm. Yes.
So, that’s make me love orchid more. And when I come to Australia
I try to collect them. My favourite is Cymbidium orchid. So, you grow mainly
Cymbidium orchids? Yes. I have collection of them. Different colour.
Beautiful. Yeah.
And then you have also the moth orchid? Yes.
Phalaenopsis? Yes.
Yeah. And they’re beautiful ’cause…
I just love the shape of those flowers. They’re lovely. Yes. They looks cute. And the Dendrobium also is very easy to grow. Mm.
Yeah. We love Dendrobium. And they’re very variety
of the colour and the shape. What sort of things
do you do with your orchids to keep them looking well? I have my secret ingredient
to spray them. What’s your secret ingredient?
You’re going to tell us? I have baking soda, I use vinegar, detergent and cooking oil. Yes. Mix them in the water and spray them
to keep away the insects. Ah! You spray over the foliage?
Yes. Over the leaves?
Yes. But Patty has taken her love of
orchids to a whole different level, and I can’t wait
to see her creations. Oh! Wow! This is really amazing. It’s just like a conservatory
filled with flowers. Yes. These are all
my handmade clay flowers. Oh. They’re beautiful! And what is this one?
This large one here? This one Vanda orchid. Oh, the Vanda orchid. Yes, yes! Oh, it just looks so lifelike. It’s the leaves
that give it away too. It’s wonderful.
Everything make out of the clay. Every single thing?
Yes. Even the little bulbs?
The stem and, yes, the leaves.
Oh! How long did this one… It’s quite a big one,
so, how long did that take? This one take about one month
to make. And this art form has got a name? They call ‘dok mai jark dinh’. ‘Dok mai duck jinh’? Nearly. (LAUGHS)
‘Dok mai jark dinh’. What does that mean? That mean
the flower make out of the clay. This was the art form
that your mother taught you? Yes, my mum teach me like… You do knitting…
Yeah. Australia people teach knitting…
Yes. ..but in Thailand my mum teach me
how to do clay flowers. When I moved into Australia,
I get homesick, then I start to making them again. Oh, that’s good, isn’t it? And you’re passing on your knowledge
to your young people too? Yes. My daughter
is learning how to make. They’re amazing! But there is such
a lot to see in this little room. Yes.
It’s beautiful. What else have you got to show me? I’d like to show you
this Australian native orchid. Oh, the little ones
that grow on the ground in the bush. Yes!
Oh! And this is…you know what orchid? I think it looks to me like a rabbit
orchid because of the rabbit ears. Yes! That’s right.
Oh! Lovely. And this is donkey orchid. And because of the different ears. Yes.
Yes. Oh, that’s lovely. And sun orchid here. That is intricate, isn’t it? Yes.
Oh, my goodness. That’s just beautiful. Do people ever think
that these plants are so real that they really are real,
the real things? Yes, a lot of people say
they look so real, they don’t believe
that this is handmade. And sometimes they ask me how I got the orchid
and what kind of food I feed them. (LAUGHS) What kind of fertiliser
you put in there? Yes.
(LAUGHS) So, that’s….
That’s pretty weird. And what about the watering?
Do you have to water them? Yes, with my flower
you don’t need water anymore. No. That’s right.
Oh, that’s funny, isn’t it? Orchid enthusiasts
would be amazed to see that one. It’s a Cattleya, and the size of it
is just extraordinary. Yes, I used hand-paint this colour. I paint, like, three times to get all this effect
to make them look real. And also I paint all the detail on
the stem and the leaf and the plant. And you leave
that little bit of brown… Yes.
..so to make it look more natural? And also I add some root so they can look more natural.
Ah! Because that’s what Cattleyas
and often orchids do, they have the roots coming up, don’t they?
Yes. Yes. What does it take
to be a good craftsperson or artist to make these flowers? Mm… You have to practise. Yes. You learn, and then go home,
do practice, practice. Not just one time and then
you get perfect like my work. Because before I can sell them
I do practise a lot. I throw away a lot
the flower I make because I feel
like this is not right. So that’s… Practice will help you
to achieve what you like. Yes.
Yes. It’s a lot of work involved,
isn’t there? Yes.
And you have to be… Do you have to concentrate a lot? Yes, I do, but I enjoy. I just feel like this is my enjoy, connect to my mum, my family… Yes.
..when I’m young. (INDISTINCT CHATTER) It’s clear that Patty’s
love of flowers is everywhere, here in her garden
and in her own home. But one thing’s certain – the trends might change, but the love of flowers
is always in style.