Q&A

1. If someone were to ask “who is Toni?” how would you describe yourself?

I am, first and foremost, a black girl with a big heart. My two main philosophies are that trying your best is the most anyone can ask of you, and that things should be done for the joy of doing them, regardless of how well or badly it goes. I think this way mainly because I love trying new hobbies, and have to accept that the first time I do anything, I’ll be bad at it. But if it was fun to do, or I can say that I tried my best, then it was worth spending time on.

2. Can you share a little bit about your background, profession etc?

I grew up in North London, in a very green area. I wanted to work with plants when I finished my GCSEs, but was instead encouraged to go the university route. I did my A levels, and then insisted on taking a gap year to study Horticulture at Capel Manor. I spent a lot of time convincing my Mum to let me do it, but my Grandma supported me the whole way through. She was the reason behind a lot of my planty decisions! I gained my City and Guilds qualification – and a lot of life experience – that year, and then went on to the university placement I had deferred. I studied Literature, got a job at a local club, and I’ve been working at bars ever since. Bar work isn’t my calling, but the flexibility of the hours makes it possible for me to do other things that I really care about – like setting up plant swaps.

3. We came across your social media page where you run a plant swap. Please can you share the origins behind the initiative and why you’re passionate about all things plants?

To start with the latter, loving plants runs in my family. My grandfather grows most of his own food, and my dad got me my first plant when I was about ten. It was the first thing I ever had full responsibility for, so I loved that plant with my whole heart. When I developed OCD as a teenager, growing things became a therapeutic activity. The routine of watering, the texture of the leaves on my fingers, the smell of soil… they all quietened the clamouring in my head. Tending my houseplants really helped me during my recovery (alongside therapy), and remains part of how I keep my OCD at a manageable level. I think it’s because growing things gives you a focus outside of your troubles, and gives you something to nurture.

Over time, I met other people who felt the same way I did about plants. I joined Facebook groups, and found a community full of people who wanted to share advice and excitement. Age, race and gender really didn’t matter because we were all meeting with a shared passion. One lady even bought me a coffee when I gave her a plant for her young daughter. We had a lovely chat about how kind the plant community was, and how much fun we had being a part of it. None of us were quite expecting Covid.

During the pandemic, the social events vanished, but since everyone was stuck at home, the number of people in the hobby boomed. The online spaces overflowed with new people, and while it was lovely to speak to them, it changed the landscape. Selling became more of a priority in many of the Facebook groups, as people with large collections sold to newcomers. The monetary value of plants skyrocketed, so their social value changed as well. How people shared information changed, and so did the way people shared plants. All the change was exciting, but it was also frustrating. The connections I made with people were different, and I missed the feeling of community that I used to get. So when guidelines started to relax, I decided to host in-person meet ups, where the priority was very clearly to swap plants and make links. Hence the first event I threw: Plant Swap Kunstraum, where people could meet, chatter and trade plants.

Since then, I’ve opened Sprout Together – a Community Interest Company designed to host more plant swaps and other community events. I want there to be a free/inexpensive way for people to collect plants, while keeping in mind that there’s value in making strong interpersonal connections. I want people to gather in spaces with a passion in common and progress as a community, so I’m going to create those spaces.

4. At iEMPOW3R, we have a ‘Creative Therapy’ initiative. Some people attribute gardening and nurturing house plants with positive mental health benefits. Is this something you advocate for and do you have any stories to share of how looking after plants may help people?

There is no doubt in my mind that houseplants positively benefit mental health. A google search will return endless information to support that, even if you want to ignore all the anecdotal evidence. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) lists benefits including increased pain tolerance, increased productivity, reduced stress and reduced blood pressure. Here’s the article I got that from for you to check out yourself: https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=949

Nevertheless, I can absolutely provide personal evidence! At my first plant swap, I asked the attendees to share their favourite things about gardening. Here are a few of them:

‘Nurturing a living thing is rewarding!’

‘Relaxing/ calming.’

‘Sense of achievement when plants do well.’

‘It reminds me of my Dad, as he did this a lot, to the point the house was like a rainforest.’

‘I love hanging out in nature.’

All these are individuals who have found joy in their experience. Happiness can’t cure problems, but it makes them easier to bear. If houseplants have brought people happiness, then they’ve made their lives a little better.

5. What’s a common myth about owning and looking after plants?

The most common myth I come across is that houseplants steal air from you at night. It’s due to a misconception that they produce oxygen during the day and carbon dioxide at night. While they do photosynthesise more during the day and respire more at night, they don’t do either with enough force to make a difference to your breathing. Forests still have breathable air at night – keeping a cactus in your room won’t hurt you.

6. What would you say to someone who’s never owned a houseplant and is thinking about it?

I’ve got 2 things:

1. You never really know a plant until you’ve killed it. Don’t be scared of killing plants or discouraged by something that failed to thrive. When something dies, work out what killed it and don’t do that next time. There’s a YouTube video of the Long Island Orchid Society Show where the president of the society Peter Stegman says ‘you can’t be an orchid expert until you’ve killed at least a hundred plants.’ That’s a motto I think can apply to houseplants in general.

2. Google your plant before you bring it home! Most plants will have a name label, and there are some apps that help you identify plants from pictures. Ask staff if you’re in a shop. But you need to know 2 things: how much light it needs, and how much water it needs. You can’t put a plant that needs very little water and a lot of light in your dark, wet bathroom. And you won’t know how much light or water that plant needs until you’ve looked it up.

7. iEMPOW3R is all about empowering people from Black and Minority backgrounds here in the UK. If you had to think of one initiative we could deliver for young people or disadvantaged families, what would that be?

I wish I had been given the opportunity to follow my passion when I was younger. I think if I had been given wider choices of education from the beginning, I may not have spent so much time doing jobs that didn’t fulfil me (or getting into so much university debt). As a result, I think I would run school job fairs that only showcase careers that don’t rely on university.

I think removing the stigma from non-academic jobs would positively benefit all students. Those who don’t want to follow an academic path would be better informed about their career options without becoming socially isolated for it. This frees up support for students who want to pursue academic paths, regardless of their background. We already know support is limited in schools – this can help it go where it’s most needed.

As part of the fair, I would invite young professionals who reached their positions without university, and have them describe their paths. I would also invite people from industries that aren’t usually recommended to children, like restaurant managers, receptionists, gardeners, agriculturalists, mechanics, technicians of all kinds, and people who transport goods for a living. By sharing the journey of their professions and explaining the benefits of their jobs, they can give school children options that may better suit their personalities.

You were probably expecting me to suggest a communal garden or something! We had a garden in my secondary school, and I was one of the 4 people who voluntarily took care of it – the rest were kids doing detention gardening duties. I think PE covers the ‘get kids outside’ portion of their wellbeing. I think making it clear that young people have options is better for their growth.