Hi, I'm Roy!
Since 2018 I have been a social worker working in child protection with a focus of reuniting parents with their children, as well as supporting parents to keep children in their care. It was a privilege and the most meaningful thing I've done with my life. I will always hold onto the memories of working with those families, and child protection remains an issue close to my heart. As you can imagine the work is taxing, and along with significant systemic and cultural issues in this space, I became burnt out. After giving my all for 9 years in what felt like my life's work, I decided to take a break and pursue a new dream; a decision that prioritised peace and wellbeing.
Throughout my time as a social worker, plants became an important therapeutic part of my life; something to slow me down and ground me after long days of heaviness. The maternal side of my family have always been avid growers, and I had a traditional Italian upbringing where growing ornamentals, fruit, and vegetables was the norm.
In first nations culture the idea of totems helped me discover why I was always at peace in nature; in particular forests and being surrounded by plants in general. Your totem is a spiritual symbol that connects you to the natural world, and outlines your responsibility to the environment and your community; your totem is to be protected.
In terms of collecting, it began with an all green Monstera Deliciosa that had me obsessed with its beauty. From there, I discovered rare plants and just how stunning nature can be on its own, let alone when refined by growers and breeders. I soon fell in love with aroids, and collected like a man possessed. Then came the Ikea cabinet I turned into a greenhouse, which allowed me to give my rare babies perfect conditions. While I loved philodendrons, monsteras, and alocasias in particular, I didn't delve into anthuriums until 2023. The gateway drug that reeled me in was the Tezula Ace of Spades, which was one of my first acquisitions. Further, seeing all the velvet beauties on Instagram had me falling in love, at times not understanding how something so stunning could be real. In 2024 I sold my dining table and built a grow tent, and by 2025 I was spending up on all my wish list plants. In 2026, I kicked the whip out the garage and turned it into a new grow space. I now enjoy watching all the plants I've collected grow and change forms over time, with a sense of excitement as I begin to make my own hybrids.