“Mind over body”, “Tough time never lasts but tough people do”, “Men don’t cry”, “The fittest survives”. These are modern world yardsticks preached by best-selling authors all over the world. Yet again, have you ever wondered why do some people who lead seemingly admirable lifestyle still succumbed to themselves?

I do.

My name is Cath. I am one of the privileged few who get to call the shots in my education, career and personal life. I get to say no to what I do not enjoy, I get to start my own business, I get to slow down my business so I could return to school and I get to travel to anywhere my heart desires. Essentially, I have full control of my own happiness. However, I was not excluded from the crux of anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts.

I soon realised while we are trying to present our best possible self to others, we are also silently struggling to make sense of the storms within us - meeting our authentic self. This process is usually highly sensitive, requiring time, a safe space, and a skilled professional to assist in the navigation. Time is a luxury in our culture, and when we choose to talk about it, the most productive advice we are usually given by the people around us, would be “C’est la vie, just suck it up”. Hence, we would often choose to sweep these unsettling emotions under the carpet. We then assign “guards” to ensure they do not surface, because they are socially unacceptable.

From a very young age, I carried this vision of creating a sanctuary for urbanites to rest. Yet I was not able to articulate the rationale behind this abstract imagery. Soon I got busy with my career in advertising and branding. For the next 16 years, I was thriving in what I thought was the best thing that happened in my life. At the peak of my career in 2009, I decided to take a hiatus in building my dream life, prompted by two words that creeped into my consciousness - “Give back”. I did not understand what I had within me to give back, since I was neither overflowing with wealth nor social-consciousness.

My assumption to “give back” to my husband who was then, living like a widower because I had prioritised my career over our marriage, inspired me to create The Plant Story. The rational was simple, I was a hopeless serial-plant-killer and he was the plant whisperer who always managed to revive my dying plants. I thought I hit the jackpot, only to have him tell me not to involve him in my Project Give Back. The eternal optimist in me thought I just needed to work harder to bring this abstract vision to life for him to see.

Another 16 years passed by. This time, I am a certified practising horticulturist with the privilege to meet and interact with multitude of people who became curious about The Plant Story, I suppose some of you are here too. You came to my little weekend bazaars when selling cute plants was not a thing. You found my hidden plant studio at an industrial estate after Aunty Lucy visited with MediaCorp. You soaked in our 7,000 sqft urban garden retail, workshop and cafe at HortPark. You supported us at Tangs Orchard when the management team saw something I did not. They kept knocking on our door for The Plant Story to be a part of their new retail concept. You continue to support us when we expanded to Marina Bay East and even when I decided to slow down to hide in Seletar as things got too crazy for me to rationalise.

I recently got reunited with a customer who told me she engaged The Plant Story to facilitate a Miniature Garden Workshop for her daughter’s birthday party 16 years ago. I asked her what made her remember us so vividly. She told me it was the way I explained the psyche of plants in a very calm and patient demeanor, despite being surrounded by 8-year old children who were all too excited about the workshop. Soon after, I met another workshop participant who told me she is now a proud “grand-parent” of three generations of plants she learnt to propagate after I inspired her to rethink how plants thrive.

Today, as a nature-based facilitator who fuses horticulture principles with human psychology, I serve my clients with my mantra - To keep plants happy, treat them as humans. To keep humans happy, immerse them in nature.

I have made it my sole purpose to help urbanites reconnect through nature. Whether you are just curious to know how to keep your plants happy or to understand how to meet your authentic self safely in nature, I invite you to explore the world of nature with me.

Cath Lim

Founder| Nature-based facilitator and counsellor

Certified Practicing Horticulturist (SG/Aust) | Certified Nature & Forest Therapy Guide (USA) | Certified in Art Therapy & Practical Counselling