Singapore’s “city in a garden” slogan has taken root and flourished with the mindset spreading to the public.
From lush public gardens to private patches in balconies, the importance of biodiversity is not lost since its beginnings in 1965.
From all ages, many take up the role of plant parents, contributing to their Residential Council (RC) gardens or decorating their own homes with an array of species.
David Tan is a proponent of this green movement and has been spending a lot of time flexing his green thumb.
He shares with us his four years of experience falling in love with his plant collecting passion.
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A growing plant collection
As far back as he can remember, plants have always surrounded David.
He took his first serious steps into planting four years ago, a few months before COVID stopped everyone in their tracks.
The plant collection at home started with around eight plants for decoration. The seeds of his passion were planted and nurtured the more he followed social media accounts showcasing places decorated with plants and avid collectors with rare specimens on display.
As he bought more plants, David researched their characteristics and proper care. With the abundance of free time during the pandemic circuit breakers, David’s plant collection blossomed to 200 pots of plants around the house.
It wasn’t long before the hobby got on the nerves of his wife and kids, so he had to find a new place for his growing plant collection to be nurtured.
The amount of sunlight plants receive at RC plots was too harsh for the aroid philodendrons and monsteras that David specifically grows, so he had to come up with an alternative.
He spoke to a nursery owner, and they were nice enough to offer David a plot for him to shift his plant collection to.
Since that move more than two years ago, David has immersed himself in the community of plant collecting, raising all sorts of aroids, and taking part in many plant swaps and sales.
Cost of raising a plant collection
The costs for maintenance vary according to the plants grown, but aside from materials, soil, and possible rental of the plot, the other important cost is the setup.
When David got the plot from the nursery, he went with a basic setup, which mainly included a netted shelter from the harsh sun and an auto-irrigation system. The total cost was around $2,000.
He adds that it is normal for setups to cost up to $5,000 for more serious collectors looking to get the best equipment and structures for their plants. At the RC, the setup would cost anywhere between $300-$500, according to David.
Selling plants to fund a plant collection?
There are some avenues in this hobby for people to recoup some of the costs involved.
David observes that there are some in the nursery who sell plants and spend most of their time cutting, propagating, and growing plants for sale, almost like a second career.
Usually, people spend a lot on quantity or rarity to make a profit and recoup their costs. David is just happy if his sales can cover any maintenance for the plot or buy him a new plant.
There are a few reasons behind this practice. The obvious one is to make room for more plants to grow.
Space constraints can be detrimental to both the plants and their owners. It makes more sense to either plant swap or sell cuttings away to create space.
Cutting is a common practice in the community when plants that grow big enough can be cut to propagate a part of it.
Another reason is that it makes the hobby a lot more accessible to newcomers.
Selling plants also generates buzz around the hobby and creates more interest.
Getting involved in a planters' community
When David first got hooked on to the hobby, he tried to get his family involved. His wife shares the same interest in plants as him — with one key difference. She buys the plants and David looks after them!
He tried getting the kids involved too, giving them odd jobs to help with the garden.
He has not given up hope on the kids. After he moved his collection to the plot, he tried to get the kids to get their hands dirty and bring them down to the plots to do small tasks such as pest control and cleaning up dead leaves.
The kids were enthusiastic at first — seeing as they could earn 50 cents per pest found —but the excitement soon died as they realised how hard it was to profit from that deal.
Although getting his family involved did not turn out as planned, David could always rely on the planting community in Singapore to get involved.
At first, it was meeting fellow enthusiasts and following them on Instagram. This led to group buys to get discounts.
He later took part in plant swaps where, instead of purchasing plants from one another, they could swap cuttings instead.
Once David joined the nursery, the plot owners would be the go-to community group.
They have a WhatsApp group for fellow plot owners within the same nursery, and would organise group buys and swaps, even host ‘makan’ sessions with impromptu plant swaps or contribute spare accessories for cultivation.
Advice on how to start a plant collection
Planting is a great hobby for seniors and comes with many benefits. David recounts that when he first got into it, his plant collection beautified his space at home, and the routine labour of tending to his plants brings him serenity and peace.
Spending time on the “mindless labour” helps keep the mind off stressful matters from work or home, allowing David to relax and escape for a bit. The exercise from the labour also keeps him healthy.
Getting involved in the community and taking part in activities like plant swaps and sales are great for socialising and keeping the mind healthy and active.
David gives us a tour of his garden, along with a healthy scoop of advice for someone looking to pick up gardening as a hobby.
“I never thought I would have green fingers until I gave it a try.”
So here is David’s advice for getting started on planting:
- Start with planting easier-to-care-for plants and slowly challenge yourself with those that require more maintenance.
- Plan your budget. David sets a limit for himself. You could start off at a level you’re comfortable with.
- Get involved in the tight-knit plant community groups on social media or buy some plants from nurseries to grow at home. These groups can be a garden of knowledge on your hobby.
- Once your collection grows big enough, try renting a plot for it.
