Meet our September Guest Gardener!

Welcome to this month’s edition of our Guest Gardener: Motlatsi Moloto loves her indoor plants and her social media accounts reflect this! Find her on Instagram on the handle @tlatsi

This self-proclaimed Mother of Plants says that she does her research before buying plants. When asked how regularly she buys plants, her answer was: 

“I can’t really put a time frame to it. I usually buy them depending on how I feel. It’s something I take my time with as well. I do a lot of research on the ones that interest me and I buy them with intention and not just for the sake of buying. I have a special connection with each of the plants I have so far and I can’t wait to grow my family.”

We asked Motlatsi how much time, on average, per week she spends on plant upkeep? 

“I incorporate taking care of my plants with my “Self Care Sundays”. Self care for me involves taking care of my natural hair and for my plants I’ll take the time to water and re-pot if I need to. It’s such a therapeutic thing to do! I’ve recently just learnt about propagation which basically means growing plants from other plant cuttings / plant parts.

I am obsessed with a page on Instagram called @currentlypropagating where people share the process of their propagating plants. I plan to start my own soon! Nurturing my already existing plants is already such a fulfilling feeling I can only imagine the pride and joy in starting your own from scratch.”

Motlatsi, why do you garden in your non-traditional space? 

“When I got my first plant it was mainly for decorative purposes. I got a few more and fell in love with how they made my space feel. They definitely have added so much presence in my space. They’ve become more than beautiful features, I am aware and grateful for their air cleansing and mood boosting capabilities.” 

What influenced you to start gardening, or to keep plants?

“I got influenced believe it or not. By Nelson De Coninck from Belgium (@nelplant on insta). His display of his plants is so aesthetically pleasing. On the hunt for a collection of my own I’ve grown to appreciate plants. They’ve really given me a purpose. It’s like I know without me taking the time to understand and learn about their needs they won’t thrive as much.”

What is the name of the suburb you currently reside in, and what type of home do you have? Flat/apartment, house, flat-share, garden cottage, etc?

“I’ve just moved to North Riding, where I live in an Apartment.”

What is your favourite place to buy plants?

“I’ve gotten all my plants at Lifestyle Home Garden. Definitely one of my favourite stores. It’s literally DIY heaven. I knew I was officially an adult when I discovered the place and how much pleasure I get popping in. Ps: I am obsessed with the room display inspo you guys have going on. I’ve definitely taken a few snaps for inspiration for my new apartment.

I haven’t bought from this shop yet but Cart in Linden (@carttheshop on insta) is heaven for plant mothers and fathers!”

If you purchase from Lifestyle Home Garden, are you a Loyalty member?

“Not yet – I can’t imagine the cashback points I’ve missed out on.”

Do you consider yourself a #Plantie? If you too would like to be featured as an inspiration to other Urban Greenies and aspiring gardeners, email us at marketing@lifestyle.co.za