JAPAN COLLECTION
Cement Aqualla Gardenia
The Aqualla gardenia that is cement and is the Japan Collection's most material-specific neutral.
Description
Japandi wall art in the Japan Collection's most material-specific neutral reaches its most architectural expression with cement — the grey-white of poured concrete, of Japanese architectural cement work, of the specific neutral that reads as both industrial and natural simultaneously, connected to the Japanese love of raw materials and the contemporary design tradition that has elevated concrete and cement to aesthetic material status. The Cement Aqualla Gardenia is a handmade ceramic wall flower from the Japan Collection, kiln-fired in Toronto in a cement glaze, shaped in the Aqualla gardenia form — a compact, fully double gardenia cultivar with tight, layered petals that create a form with significant surface depth.
The raw material neutral of a collection built on Japanese material honesty
Chive designed the Japan Collection in 2020 with the Japanese aesthetic tradition's relationship to raw materials as one of its guiding principles — the wabi-sabi appreciation of natural and industrial materials in their honest, unadorned state. Cement as a glaze color references the exposed concrete and cement finishes that contemporary Japanese architecture and interior design has been using since the 1960s, from Tadao Ando's raw concrete temples to the contemporary minimalist concrete interiors that Japandi design has adopted. The Aqualla gardenia form holds the cement glaze in its tight layered petals with precision. The Berkshire Botanical Garden carries the Japan Collection.
The Berkshire Botanical Garden carries the Japan Collection. The Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens stocks it. The Norfolk Botanical Garden carries it. The RHS Chelsea Flower Show awarded Chive the 5-star booth award — the highest rating given — for 13 consecutive years. Botanical gardens from New England to the Mid-Atlantic have independently decided this collection belongs in their shops. Chive has been designing and making ceramic flowers in Toronto since 1999.
A gift for the person whose room includes raw concrete or cement surfaces
The Cement Aqualla Gardenia ships in a Chive gift box. It hangs with one screw in 90 seconds. The Berkshire Botanical Garden carries it. The person with raw concrete surfaces in their home receives the Japan Collection's most material-specific neutral botanical from the same collection a botanical institution chose.
Product Detail:
- Material: Ceramic
- Glaze finish: Glazed
- Mounting: Keyhole for Wall Hanging
- Packaging: Individually packaged in gift ready box
- Color: Cement
- Glaze Variation: Natural variation between pieces
- Year Designed: 2020
Wall hanging
- Choose your spot — works on drywall, plaster, or wood panelling.
- Hammer a small nail at a slight upward angle (about 30°).
- Slide the keyhole slot on the reverse onto the nail head.
- Adjust to level. Rests flat with no visible hardware.
Table & shelf display: Equally beautiful propped on a shelf, mantle, or side table. Pair with books, candles, or a small pot.
- Dust with a soft dry cloth or soft-bristled brush. Do not use wet cloths or liquid cleaners.
- Keep away from direct moisture, steam, and outdoor conditions. Indoor display only.
- Handle by the base or stem — avoid pressure on individual petals.
- If storing, return to original gift box with foam insert for protection.
Shipping
- Free shipping: Orders $200+ within the US
- Standard: 5–8 business days, Express 2–3 business days (at checkout)
- International Ships: to 40 countries — rates at checkout
- Packaging Ships: in outer box to protect gift box
Returns
We accept returns within 30 days of delivery on unused items in original packaging. If your piece arrives damaged, contact us within 7 days with a photo and we will replace it at no charge.
Have a cool shop? Know someone that does?
Three ways to display it
Stunning table accent
Prop on a table, shelf, or beside books.
A gift that arrives beautifully
Beautiful Signature box. No wrapping needed.
Ready to hang wall art
One screw. No Frame. Solo or gallery wall
Original designs since 1999
Every Chive piece starts in our design studio — with a flower sketch, a glaze palette, and a standard we've been refining for 25 years. Original designs, never mass-market. As seen in Oprah's O List.
How to Hang Ceramic Flowers?
One discovers these flowers, each bearing a secret: a tiny keyhole nestled in the back, waiting for its destiny. The ritual feels almost predetermined - reaching into that dusty jar of orphaned screws, the ones squirreled away over countless home projects. Those odd bits of metal, collected like precious coins, finally finding their purpose. A quick twist of the drill, and there hangs beauty, supported by hardware whose previous life remains a mystery.
