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I have lived most of my life in rented houses and apartments, so have never had much of a garden that I could work with. As an adult, nature has been a part of my life and spending time in nature is an important part of how I restore my energy and look after my well-being. During the pandemic, living in a small apartment, I really started to get into propagating the few plants I already had through cuttings and ended up turning our apartment into somewhat of a jungle as a way to feel connected to nature, even when inside. I’m now lucky enough to have a house with a small garden, and lots of room for my plants to take over most flat surfaces.

At the moment my plant collection is quite a mixture. I have a lot of indoor plants, where I tend to like things like monsteras, philodendrons, cane begonias, peace lilies... My goal is to feel like I’m in nature, even when on my couch, so I prioritise things that grow easily and can handle a bit of neglect. Even very common species can look great and can make a space feel like a green oasis. Outside, I have a small backyard, without too much space, so I go for variety, especially in texture/colours in the foliage. I love noticing the timing of different species flowering throughout the year and watching the different pollinators visit. Recently, I am really enjoying trying to grow bulbs like freesias, ixias, sparaxis and tritonias as well as classic South African clivias, aloes, euphorbias and other succulents. I have lemons, limes and a few herbs I use in my kitchen as well.

First piece of advice: Start simple. Work with nature, not against it. If you have a dark house, get shade-loving plants. If you have a hot sunny garden, think about native drought-tolerant plants. I am a big believer in taking cuttings or seeds (with permission) from friends gardens/homes and propagating them. I always have cuttings sitting in jars of water in my kitchen starting to grow roots. I find it much more rewarding (and cheaper) to watch a plant grow this way. Plus you can propagate your own plants to give as gifts to your friends in return. Second piece of advice: Under-water rather than over-water. It much easier to revive a dry plant than deal with root rot. If in doubt, a moisture meter, or sticking your finger in the soil is a great way to test you plant is dry before watering again.

Owning plants is a wonderful way to feel connected to nature, but it’s important to make sure its done in a way that celebrates but doesn’t threaten biodiversity in its native habitat. I source most of my plants from either cuttings from my friends gardens, or from commercial nurseries and I especially love nurseries attached to botanical gardens. This way I know where they came from and I don’t need to worry about whether or not they are sourced legally. Never take plants, seeds or cutting from any nature reserve or park, unless you want to get a big fine. If you find yourself in a small town, market, online or if you are ever in doubt, ask the seller where the plants came from, and if they are protected indigenous species ask to see their permits. Any reputable nursery or grower will be more than happy to show you theirs and often even have them proudly displayed. If the plants are big, old, scarred, battered, or unusually shaped this could mean they have been taken from the wild, so either ask for more information, or avoid and rather buy something more obviously from a cultivated source.

In my home, we’re looking at about 100 plants indoors, maybe another 50 in pots outside, and then who knows in the garden beds themselves maybe another few hundred. In my job, maybe a couple of thousand species spread across the incredible and diverse Succulent Karoo biome