“It took me nine attempts to grow creeping daisies, which is a weed,” she says, laughing. “It’s all about understanding your plants and how nature works.”
Although she lives in an apartment with a tiny balcony, she has managed to grow a large variety of plants, including herbs, fruit and flowers.
Basil, tomato, coriander, mulberry, papaya, avocado, chilli, butterfly pea and rockmelon are among the vast selection thriving within that limited space.
Lim tells FMT she tried gardening for the first time eight years ago during a “low point” in her life.
“I was on crutches and I had just lost my job,” she recalls, crediting her late grandmother, who loved gardening, for inspiring her.
Within a short time, Lim began exchanging tips and plant cuttings with her neighbours, which allowed them to get to know one another better.
It was during this time that her friends gave her the moniker “Lady of Leisure”.
“It’s not because I had nothing to do, but because I was making time to do what was important for my soul,” Lim explains.
Over the years, Lim transitioned from gardening at her parents’ home, to a condominium with no balcony, and now the small balcony of her apartment.
As she reaped the fruits of her labour, figuratively and literally, Lim began giving away her plants through community groups on Facebook.
“I once gave away 80 plants, which was quite time-consuming to organise. Nevertheless, I wanted to make a bigger difference,” she says.
In 2019, a friend offered her a free booth during the “Conscious Market” festival at Publika Shopping Gallery in Kuala Lumpur, which was how “Plant Swag” – a plant-swapping and -gifting community – was born.
From just 10 people that year, the Facebook group now has over 4,000 members.
Lim has since organised eight plant-swap events, during which members volunteer to prepare food and everyone brings their own cups and utensils.
“Takeaway food packaging contributes to a lot of plastic waste,” she points out.
Lim also collaborates with small businesses on plant-related initiatives. Among them is Deaf-in-Business Café in Damansara Perdana, Selangor, where customers who spend more than RM10 get to adopt a plant for free.
In addition, those who donate three plants to the café to give out to other customers are entitled to a free latte.
The next plant-swap event will be held at Deaf-in-Business on Jan 22 alongside a clothes-swap drive.
Lim also tries to incorporate sustainable practices in different areas of her life. In 2019, she organised “Kabut in the Park”, a car-boot sale of plants and pre-loved and re/upcycled items with the goal of keeping waste out of landfills.
“Little things like these go a long way in making the world a better place,” she reflects, adding that she’d like to organise similar events in the future.
For those who’d like to venture into gardening, Lim says to take note of the space and sunlight available before deciding on suitable plants.
“Even if you have a small balcony, you can still grow a lot of plants by using the space creatively. It’s important to know which of them require more sunlight, and you can also consider getting plants that grow vertically.”
Proper tools such as shears, trowels and watering-cans are a must-have, and Lim says it is essential to allocate time to nurture the plants.
Ultimately, the most memorable part of her journey has been the people she meets along the way.
“Most of my initiatives were supported by strangers who have now become my friends,” says Lim, who is the director of the Yayasan Sime Darby Arts Festival, which was held at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre annually during pre-pandemic days.
“I am so grateful to have them in my life. People are truly at the heart of everything.”
For more information, follow Plant Swag and Lady of Leisure on Facebook and Instagram. Those interested can sign up for the next plant-swap event here.