Meet our latest Guest Gardener!

Roberta Arnold holds a place in any urban-space gardeners heart – she creatively and effortlessly showcases greenery in her balcony and outdoor space, and we’re in love!

Some introductions are meant to be – fluid and conversational, and such was our intro to the chatty Roberta. An infectious excitement for plants was a perfect match for ours, and so we discussed our mutual love for all things green…

When asked how much time on average Roberta spends on plant upkeep:

I mean, I could spend all day every day with my plants but usually weekends are my favourite where I water, feed and/or prune – sometimes even rearrange my plants. While working from home in lockdown, I now end my work day by sitting outside with my plants purely enjoying them. All in all I’d say 5 hours unless I’m bringing new babies home and potting up a storm and rearranging. 

Why do you garden in your non-traditional space? (For example, are you trying to supplement groceries by growing your own? Or are you beautifying a space indoors?)

I have always loved lush greenery in a home, and I just think it instantly elevates the look and feel of a room and boosts the mood too.  

My patio was inspired by plant walls and when I came across the bookshelf for a steal I was like ah-ha! This’ll be a great way to display plants with some height and bring a bunch of green to that space. And pretty much all surfaces indoor have some greenery on them too! 

How did you get into gardening?

Growing up, we had a very big garden and both my mom and dad loved spending time in it, so trips to the nursery were a regular occurrence and I was always that kid asking a million questions about what was what, and intrigued by how each needed to be cared for. My favourite was (and still is) always my mom’s massive delicious monsters. To this day, my dad still considers a weekend incomplete if he hasn’t spent time in his garden, and I’m exactly the same – the apple doesn’t fall very far!

What are your social media handles? If you have an Instagram account what is your handle?

@robertalauren_

What is your favourite place to buy plants?

Lifestyle home and garden, the selection is always out of this world and so beautifully displayed and staff are always at the ready to help – especially with all my questions! And bonus is the reasonable prices. Most of my collection I have is from Lifestyle. I live in an apartment in Lonehill with my kitty Millie (whom we deem so very photogenic), and my husband, and I love to fill my balcony with new plant babies. 

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

Of course!!! 

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