woolly pocket

Miguel Nelson of Woolly Pocket

written by:

Miyoko Ohtake

November 5, 2009

The path to a better world isn't through pavers but via plants, says artist and Woolly Pocket founder Miguel Nelson. "I love architecture but I think if everyone was gardening instead of building, things would be better. I think we were put on Earth to garden."

Brothers and Woolly Pocket co-founders Rodney and Miguel Nelson pose in front of their Woolly Wall Pockets on display at Flora Grubb Gardens in San Francisco.Photo by Lance Shows

Photo details

 A self-described "late bloomer" when it came to finding his green thumb, Nelson watched his wife learn to garden and when it came time to cover the walls of the event spaces he owns in Los Angeles with his brother, Rodney, they created pockets in which to grow plants and hang on the walls. "So many people came to the spaces and kept saying how much they liked them and would like to have some," he says. "One day, we realized that we had invented a product and should probably start selling it."
The brothers founded Woolly Pocket in January 2009 and launched the online store a few months later in May. Since then, Nelson has teamed up with School Nutrition Plus to install edible gardens in public schools throughout Los Angeles and is working with the city to create community gardens in blighted areas of L.A. and to green the downtown core. Dwell associate editor Miyoko Ohtake spoke with Nelson about the company's products and projects.

To see more Woolly Pockets and images from the School Nutrition Plus-Woolly Pocket edible gardens, view the slideshow.