Latest news with #Botanicals
CNN
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNN
Lego just released a new Red Maple Bonsai Tree set, and I couldn't wait to build it
The Lego Botanical line includes some of the company's most popular building kits. They're exciting for long-time Lego fans like myself thanks to intricate designs, as well as newer builders who are just looking to assemble a cute plant model. To start off June, there are two new sets entering the collection, including a majestic Japanese Red Maple Bonsai Tree and a pack of affordable little Happy Plants figures. I spent the weekend building both kits for myself, and let me tell you, they're some of the best Lego kits of the year. Lego Japanese Red Maple Bonsai Tree The newest life-like plant from Lego is here. This Japanese Red Maple is a more colorful spin on the classic bonsai tree and is comprised of nearly 500 pieces. There's no need to water this plant, either, nor do you need to meticulously prune its branches like with the real thing. Lego Happy Plants On the smaller side, Lego has extended its Botanicals collection to include something a little sillier. This Happy Plants set assembles two characters with swappable plants that rest in their heads. As much as I love Lego Star Wars sets and other creations based on the latest in pop culture, there's no denying the draw of these home decor-style models. The Lego Botanicals line has converted so many of my friends, coworkers and readers into Lego fans, and the two new kits that launched this month certainly look like they'll be continuing that trend. The Lego Japanese Red Maple Bonsai Tree is easily the highlight of this month's new releases. But, I also instantly fell in love with the Happy Plants set. So, I'll talk about both of them down below. Lego first launched its Botanicals line all the way back in 2020. The very first kit in the collection was a bonsai tree, so this month's release of the Red Maple is offering a fresh take on the buildable plant that started it all. The first version was so popular that it sold out right at launch and kept that hard-to-find status for months on end. History may repeat itself with the newest kit, as the Japanese Red Maple Bonsai Tree looks to be every bit as enticing as the original bonsai tree. I've been scouting this set out for months and have been waiting for it to hit store shelves since it was revealed earlier in the year. Over the weekend, I went and picked it up for myself and immediately got to work assembling the 474-piece creation. I love the vibrant colors on this plant, as well as the layered leaf design that gives the model's branches a dense and life-like appearance. The Japanese Red Maple Bonsai Tree is so detailed that you'll have to squint to even see the studs that would identify as a Lego kit. Its building process employs quite a few interesting techniques to achieve its regal final design, taking advantage of the same foliage piece that comes in three warm hues. I also love that the base resembles a dark green pot to really make it feel like the real thing — of course, without any actual soil. This model's $60 price tag is a bit steeper than previous entries in the Botanical collection, but the finished build is also a bit larger. A lot of recent Lego kits have been doing the opposite, scaling down the final product to help keep its price in check. So in this case, I'm thrilled to see Lego branching out to deliver a more impressive plant instead of having shrunk the Red Maple to match the size of the original bonsai tree. Alongside the newest Lego bonsai tree, another kit just launched in the Botanicals collection. The Happy Plants set is a departure from the other models that have been trickling into the lineup over the past few years, but one that I'm quite happy to see. Lego first showed me this kit back at New York Toy Fair, and I've been excited to write about it ever since. While other brick built botanicals aim to recreate like-like versions of the real thing, these Happy Plants figures are a bit more playful. The kit includes two of the adorable characters with interchangeable plants to swap between them. The blue figure sits on your desk or shelf with a baby pilea plant, while their yellow counterpart stands up to show off a baby dracaena plant. Each of the builds aren't quite as detailed as the usual kits in this Lego theme, but that just makes them more accessible. The $23 price tag fits that, as well. After building the kit myself, this launch stands out for younger Lego builders and anyone else just getting into the hobby. Lego only releases a couple of kits like this every year. While hundreds of sets will debut across themes like Star Wars, Marvel and Ninjago, builders are only treated to a handful of builds in the Botanicals collection. And with as popular as these kits have been for CNN Underscored readers, I knew I had to share the latest releases in the realm of Lego kits for adults. The launch of the Japanese Red Maple Bonsai Tree and Happy Plants sets are so good, in fact, that I went out and bought them myself. So, if a new product launch is good enough for a massive Lego fan like myself to spend her own money on, it's worth writing about. Whether you're shopping for yourself or for a Lego gift, these kits are easily worth recommending after building them for myself. Here at CNN Underscored, we make it our job to stay up to date on all the latest products, but we don't just find them; we also rigorously test products from hundreds of brands to make sure every gift you give is a hit. In the case of this shopping guide for the new 2025 Lego sets, you're getting recommendations from a lifelong Lego fan. Senior deals editor Rikka Altland has been building Lego since before she could form full sentences. She has also been writing about Lego professionally for nearly a decade and has been building kits for over twice as long. Altland is constantly buying new models, so when she says she loves a kit and thinks it's worth buying, she's putting her money where her mouth is.
Mint
28-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
Inside India's first Lego store in Gurugram
I still remember the first time I held a Lego brick. It was in the mid-80s, and my father had brought back a police command base set from one of his trips abroad. It soon transformed into a suburban home, then a makeshift moon base as we added bricks and pieces from other sets over the years. Fast forward nearly 40 years, and life's come full circle as I travel the world and drop into Lego stores to pick up sets that I can build with my now 12-year-old. Yet, each visit to stores abroad, from New York to London, has always raised one question—when will it come to India? Well, that question has finally been put to rest as Lego threw open the doors to its first Lego Certified Store at Ambience Mall in Gurugram. Spanning 4,500 square feet, it is the brand's largest store in South Asia. Walking into it felt like stepping through a portal, with the scent of fresh plastic bricks, the multicoloured explosion of sets lining the shelves (everything from the Friends and Icons to the Technic and the Botanicals collections), fully built sets on display, play tables, and features that are essential to Lego stores, like a Pick-a-Brick Wall, Build-a-Minifigure Station and a rare Minifigure Factory. Then there are the uniquely Indian models and installations—a near-life-sized cricketer minifigure greeting fans as they enter the store, and a 13,589-piece mosaic of India Gate. The pièce de resistance is a scaled-down 76,000-piece model of the front of a typical Indian truck; fans can pop behind the wheel for a photo. Bhavana Mandon, country manager at Lego India, says the brand has been very mindful to deliver a rich Indian experience, and that little elements of Delhi and its cultural fabric will be visible across the store. John Seemon, a techie and a passionate Lego collector for over 25 years, acknowledges the tantalizing role that the built-up sets play in influencing his purchases: 'More than once, I've ended up buying a set that wasn't on my radar…something about seeing the finished build pulls you in…the kind of inspiration you don't get when shopping online". On launch day, the store was bursting at the seams. In between the squeals of children and adults posing for photographs with their purchases, I caught a quiet moment at the Build-a-Minifigure station where an eight-year-old girl outfitted a character to look like herself, and exclaimed, 'This is me, Mumma!" to her mother. In that moment, I was taken back 40 years, to the kid who first discovered his lifelong love for this 'highly sophisticated interlocking brick system' we know as Lego. If you're new to the brand, walking into a LEGO store can be a viscerally overwhelming experience, even as the stores are organized neatly into the various themes and categories (toddlers, adults) for most folks to walk right up to the shelves that most interest them. Close at hand are the LCS staff, all of whom are well trained to answer questions, offer recommendations, and assist with purchases, and many of them share that infectious love for building. For a brand that's been aspirational in India and sustained by generations of parents bringing back sets when they travelled abroad, the availability has improved over the past five years, with big toy retailers and e-commerce platforms stepping in. The store adds a touch-and-feel experience for the growing Lego fandom in India, from the interactive play zones where children can sit and build—no screens, no instruction, just raw imagination at work—to the Pick-a-Brick wall, where serious builders can buy large quantities of specific bricks for their custom builds. Vimal Sasidharan, a Bengaluru-based commercial pilot and a collector with close to 100 sets, says he is 'always blown away by the seeing life-sized builds in stores, and the ability to interact with incredibly complex builds up close serves as a reminder of how playful and limitless creativity can be". Lego collectors and builders, this writer included, have often bemoaned the fact that India trailed global launches by months, and some sets never came to Indian stores. Seemon says he has sourced sets and parts from abroad in the past, and had to 'deal with international shipping, and pay customs. It's been a bit of a mission every time". The certified store is likely to address this gaping void, with near-same-day availability as the rest of the world. Dhara Mehta, a media professional turned education entrepreneur, who was introduced to Lego via her three-year-old's interest in the sets, runs an activity centre in Mumbai that aims to spark creativity and imagination through these bricks. As a learning tool for children, it improves fine motor skills, spatial reasoning and problem-solving abilities while fostering creativity, patience and social skills, she says. 'This is not just a toy for kids but a superb hobby for adults to pick up as well," she adds. Ritam Bhatnagar, a media entrepreneur, is another adult super-fan who created a custom Lego mosaic for the launch. For AFOLs (adult fans of Lego) and long-term faithfuls, many of whom have kept the fandom alive despite the odds, the store is a place for community, to congregate with like-minded fans. Some, as Seemon describes it, see it as a pilgrimage, where fans of all ages are welcomed. And leave, likely with lighter wallets, happier. Fan's Glossary AFOL: Adult Fan of Lego MINIFIGURE/MINIFIG: Little Lego people included in most sets MOC: My Own Creation, anything built with Lego bricks without instructions BUILDER: Lego fan whose primary interest is building MOCs COLLECTOR: Lego fan whose primary interest is collecting official sets STUD/ANTI-STUD: The circular bumps on the pieces that fit inside the anti-studs below another piece to form Lego's interlocking system
Gizmodo
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
LEGO Flowers Just Dropped to Nearly Free, the Perfect Lifetime Reminder of Love for Your Mom
This last-minute Mother's Day gift is just the thing for a creative mom who loves flowers. Fresh flowers are always a lovely gesture, but let's be real, they don't last. They're wilting in a few days with droopy petals, a shadow of their former beauty. And that's the gift you want to give your mom for Mother's Day? The woman who brought you into this world? You should go with something that's bound to last longer, and we've got a great solution for you that she can enjoy for years to come: LEGO's flower-building sets. Build them once and they last forever, or just build them and take them down again to do it once more. Right now, the LEGO Botanicals Bouquet of Roses kit is just $48, down from its usual price of $60. That's $12 off and a discount of 20%. See at Amazon Flowers for Mom that last forever This 822-piece set comes with twelve red roses in different stages of bloom, along with four sprigs of baby's breath to make a complete arrangement. The end result is surprisingly realistic, but the real fun is iin putting it all together. These flower sets are created with adult builders in mind, so it's nice and relaxing, but has an adult-centric finished product. Each flower has an adjustable stem, so you can arrange them however you like, with shorter, taller, clustered, or spaced out roses Stick them in your favorite vase, and you've got a centerpiece that'll look just as good weeks or months down the road. And you don't even have to water them, which Mom will love. As part of LEGO's Botanical Collection, the Bouquet of Roses joins other buildable flower sets like the Orchid and the Flower Bouquet. But it looks good by itself too if Mom doesn't want to add it to any other sets. And for anyone who appreciates flowers but has allergies, pets, or just no luck keeping plants alive, it's a good alternative to making someone sneeze all day at the real thing. With this discount, the LEGO Icons Bouquet of Roses is such a cool gift for Mom that you might even think about buying for yourself. It's just under $50 at $48, and you can save 20% on it. If you think you might get something out of the building kit, why not buy one for yourself too? You may end up enjoying yourself more than you could have imagined. But act fast, because LEGO sells quick. Grab yours and then make sure you get a kit to Mom for her special day. See at Amazon
Metro
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Lego announce new lower priced Botanical sets and a big scary tiger face
A trio of new budget priced Lego plant sets has been unveiled for the spring, along with a cool tiger mural to put on your wall. Everyone loves Lego, but everyone also knows that Lego is expensive and no matter the quality there's just no way you can afford all the neat sets. Especially the big adult-orientated ones based on things like The Lord Of The Rings and Super Mario, which are extra expensive because they're licensed properties. That's not the case with the Botanicals sets, unless Mother Nature starts charging licensing fees, but they can still often be upwards of £100. Not this time though, as Lego unveils a trio of new sets for more modest prices, plus a really cool tiger mural which is similarly affordable, because it's not based on a movie or video game. There are a lot of Botanical flower bouquets, but this is by the far the cheapest. For the price you get a variety of spring flowers, including billy buttons, bluebells, Cleopatra ferns, yellow yarrow, a pink gerbera, a peony, and a tulip. You don't get a vase with it, but you can just use a real one and, at a distance, it's actually hard to tell the difference from real flowers. There's already a classic bonsai tree available for the Botanicals range but this larger one recreates a miniature red maple tree in a traditional plant pot. The tree is regarded as a symbol of peace and balance in Japan and believed to bring good luck and prosperity. They also look really pretty and are a lot easier to maintain when they're made of Lego. These cute little potted plants will make both the gift recipient and your purse strings happy, as despite the low price they're one of the cleverest Botanical sets so far. The plants are a baby dracaena and a baby pilea (they're interchangeable between the two pots) but just adding the smiley faces somehow makes them seem super endearing. This is technically part of the Lego Art line, which includes recreations of famous works of art such as the Mona Lisa. The Fauna Collection uses original designs though and this tiger is easily the best one yet. It's not always easy to get the organic shape of animals right in Lego but this 3D artwork looks great and can be displayed either on shelves, using a brick-built stand, or on the wall. It even comes with a number of jungle flowers, for a little Botanicals crossover. More Trending The three Botanicals sets are available to pre-order now via the links above and will be released on May 1 for the Sunny Bouquet and June 1 for the Bonsai Tree and Happy Plants. The Tiger is also out in June but isn't available for pre-order yet. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Lego Star Wars Day is here again with great new sets for prequel fans MORE: Lego has had the Marvel-ous idea to make Iron Man and Spider-Man mini-busts
NBC News
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC News
BTW, there are a ton of Lego flower sets on sale at Amazon right now
Every time I revisit Lego's lineup of colorful sets, I'm always amazed by how detailed they are. While they're made from hundreds of small pieces, it's easy to bring them together to make something super life-like. Right now, Lego's bestselling Botanicals, Icons, Creator 3-in-1 and other sets are on sale for up to 20% off. Whether you're in the market to add to your own collection or looking for a gift to give someone special (Mother's Day is May 11 by the way), consider one of the sets below while the deals last. 4.9-star average rating from 2,015 reviews on Amazon NBC Select associate reporter Ashley Morris, who is our resident plant aficionado, loves this particular set because of how it looks alongside real shrubbery. 'I love displaying my Lego set by the window on my shelf with my other, real plants — it looks gorgeous even beside actual flowers, and adds a fun and playful touch to my plant collection,' she says. It has only 327 pieces so it's on the easier side to build, she says. Lego Icons Bonsai Tree Building Set 4.9-star average rating from 22,873 reviews on Amazon Inspired by Japanese cherry blossom and bonsai trees, this small set is customizable (you can keep the green foliage or replace it with the pink cherry blossoms). It's only about seven inches tall and has 878 pieces so it shouldn't take you too long to complete. Lego Botanicals Orchid Set 4.9-star average rating from 19,387 reviews on Amazon One of Lego's most popular Botanicals sets, the orchid has 608 pieces and you can even customize the finished product by moving certain parts around, according to the brand. Since it has a flat base that resembles a flower pot, you can set it on a coffee table, desk or bedside table for display. Lego Botanicals Tiny Plants Set 4.9-star average rating from 4,111 reviews on Amazon Rather than one large connected set, this option has all the pieces you need to make several small, individual sets of potted plants. The set includes a cactus, Venus Flytrap, shamrock, prickly pear and jade plant for a total of 758 pieces. Display them all together as a set or in separate areas like a desk, beside or entryway table. More Lego sets on sale on Amazon The majority of the sets below are at least 20% off on Amazon and have a 4-star average rating from 500 reviews or more on Amazon 20% off Lego Botanicals Bouquet of Roses 20% off Lego Botanicals Lucky Bamboo Building Set 47% off Lego Classic Large Creative Brick Box 20% off 20% Lego Creator 3-in-1 Playful Cat Toy Why trust NBC Select? I'm a commerce editor at NBC Select where I cover deals and sale events, including ones from Lego and other toy sets and entertainment brands.
