LEGO Botanical Collection – Review the New Possi-Build-ities

Let’s review the LEGO Botanical Collection, and imagine some new Possibilities once again! This product lineup is aimed at the adult crowd, and includes sets such as 40460 Roses, 10289 Bird of Paradise, 40461 Tulips, 10281 Bonsai Tree, and 10280 Flower Bouquet, as of this writing. So let’s take a look.

With the appeal to a specific crowd of plant-loving adults, not to mention collectors of LEGO pieces, going forward I expect the Botanical range to grow to include more varieties.

With the new part recolors and hues ranging from bright and saturated to mild and pastel, simply looking at the models is definitely an experience (not much to play with here obviously!).

For me personally, it is at least good fun trying to decipher how all the pieces were used to create the illusion of plant life.

Why Not? Instead of Growing Flowers… Build Them?

I’m not a florist or botanist, so I don’t connect with these sets on a visceral level. However, they do grow on me the more I see them around. The individual blooms are bursting forth with innovative uses for existing pieces – a blend of Technic, CCBS (character & creature building), and LEGO System.

I will say though that there is no way I cannot *not* see the Pteranodon wing as a wing! For a set meant to so closely mimic real life organics, even a single questionable use of a very visible part could easily break the illusory experience. …Well, at least for folks accustomed to seeing certain specialized LEGO pieces only within certain contexts.

Nonetheless, it seems that one of the design motives behind these sets was to branch out from the LEGO orthodoxy of having a complete set right out the box.

To varying extents, the LEGO flowers require the combination of the LEGO set with a non-LEGO medium, as will be discussed below. Overall, as a curiosity piece and conversation-starter, I think LEGO was successful here.

 

Blooming LEGO flowers are not entirely new, however.

Builders have been dabbling and experimenting for years, to some truly spectacular results. With a wider variety of pieces at their disposal – from both past and present – builders (“MOC”ists) have been able to easily rival what LEGO has thus far produced.

I look forward to seeing different versions and new takes on the official collection.

LEGO Botanical Collection Vs. Traditional Artificial Flowers: Are They Worth it?

I imagine the nature of being made of plastic will contribute to a longer lasting vibrancy when compared to traditional artificial flowers. Additionally, these sets are not terribly more expensive than individual artificial flowers or arrangements.

And coupled with the multi-purpose reusability and long-lasting value of LEGO pieces – color me tempted!

If I did pick one of these up, It would have to be the Bird of Paradise – the color, shaping and texture looks sublime.

The Botanical sets are extremely collectible and giftable.

But you really have to know if you’re intended recipient would find them tacky or not. Consider where they would be displayed and how important it would be to your recipient to create a stylish or sophisticated experience. That brings me to the potential drawback – acquiring additional materials to go with your chosen flowers.

One downside however: these sets (with the exception of the Bird of Paradise) require you to bring your own materials in order to “complete” the set.

In most cases, right our of the box, you simply cannot simply recreate the pictured arrangement without devising a way to hold the flowers at the desired angles. Whether you choose to use rocks, vases, sand, real foliage, foam, etc., be aware that the weight of the plastic flowers is much greater than other artificial flower varieties.

Because of this, as well as the smoothness of the LEGO pieces, the loose arrangements will not stay in place unless you make your own fastener!

Luckily, in all likelihood, if you were to present a set from the Botanical Collection as a gift, you would be presenting it all boxed up. So, the onus would largely be upon the builder to fashion a stabilizer to their liking.

With that said, I do see the decorative potential in this organically vibrant range of LEGO sets. Depending on which flower kit you choose, you can devise a wide range of display solutions. The 40460 Roses and 40461 Tulips could well fit into many nooks, while the 10289 Bird of Paradise could make a striking centerpiece.

The various price points offered also make it fairly accessible to try out a botanical set or two – regardless of how much of a green thumb you have!

Just Imagine: Ro-Bot-anical Possi-Build-ities.

Yeah yeah these sets are “for adults”, “Adults Welcome” and all that goofiness, but let’s romp for a moment! You know I couldn’t resist, right?

The Botanicals all use some interesting builds for the process of shaping the “plants”. From classic pieces, to dinosaur body parts, to robotic elements, to “machine” parts, they work in sync to recreate organic botanical forms.

With such an eclectic mix of parts in fancy colors, the potential is there to go full-Maniac and create some truly wild stuff!

How far will you take your Botanical Collection? 

}B^ ]

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You can find sets in the LEGO Botanical Collection at the Official LEGO Shop, available on Amazon, and by shopping the below listings.

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