Our next 'Girls in their Garden' series muse is dancer, creator, and influencer Mimi
"My fascination with the beauty of plants coincided with the start of my health journey, and soon I learnt, of course… what better way to nourish your body and soul than growing your own food?"
Mimi's self-described 'indoor, sunny, herbaceous' apartment garden is in Collingwood, VIC, where the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung are the traditional owners of the land. An avid traveller, spending months away at a time, Mimi still prioritises growing and nurturing plants. Cleverly choosing hardy herbs, she has mapped the natural light and creates air flow to keep them happy. A true testament that no matter how small your space, or busy your life - you can enjoy growing your own food.
I met Mimi many moons ago, through work events in the fashion industry, and we have many beautiful mutual friends. She is very inspiring in how she chooses to do life, and the lens in which she see's the world. I chose her for my first muse of 2021, in hope that during this time, even though some of us are physically restricted to our homes, we can create a space to grow.
Dear Mimi...
Describe yourself as someone who loves you would…
Mimi is a force of nature, creating and manifesting her dreams and goals against all odds. She searches for, and cultivates, visual and energetic beauty in everything. When she dances she expresses the depth of her true self.
Like a bowerbird, she pays attention to little details in her space and perches each perfect piece of foraged nature, vintage ornaments, or sentimental gifts like a balancing act of colour, weight and energy nestling in every corner of her nest.
Mimi loves creative writing, she loves to journal in the form of poems … sometimes she shares them with the world. She loves more than anything to capture the most intimate moments of her friends and family on 35mm film...
She travels and adapts well, especially when she knows there is a nest to return to, and just like that, miss Libra, double Aquarius, in true triple air sign fashion, comes with the wind, and goes too - following the flow of the breeze and trusting the winds of her wild journey through life.
Favourite quote?
"All you have is Here and Now. So, Surrender and Just Be."
Favourite plant?
Blue Lotus Flower - Their smell is intoxicating, as I walk by a little pond and it wafts over I feel tugs on ancient Egyptian strings in my soul.
Have you always been attracted to growing plants? If not, what inspired you to start?
Yes! No, Since the end of High School. A few wonderful experiences in the bush dancing and adventuring, really changed my perspective on nature, and the way I looked at everything. My fascination with the beauty of plants coincided with the start of my health journey, and soon I learnt, of-course… what better way to nourish your body and soul than growing your own food?
How do you practice self love at home?
My routine or ritual is the ultimate form of self love when I am at home. A bath full of salts and a blend of essential oils depending on my mood is my number one treat. I burn incense in the morning or put my oil diffusers on, I love calm music to float and dance around as I clean my apartment. I love cleaning, and dusting and dancing - I find it very therapeutic.
Watering the plants and petting them like they were my pet. I talk to them too. Then I relax with my shiny floors and do yoga followed by a meditation and of course let’s not forget the all important self-pleasure.
Your new home has such beautiful light, is this one of the necessities to healthy city indoor growing?
So much sunshine! I Have to make sure the air circulates (windows open or fan on) to keep them healthy. I found some herbs love the direct sunlight and some just prefer the reflection/availability of natural light.
I had mint, basil, oregano, thyme, Vietnamese mint and coriander for a few months, but then the aphids invaded! After a few months of being away from home now, my sun-loving basil is the only survivor! I discovered you can order ladybug larvae online, and you release them, they eat all the aphids and happy days!
You travel so much for work, do you find growing food helps you centre when you’re home?
I feel that whether I am growing herbs, or watching my indoor plants grow - it is growing. They are my plant babies, I pat them and talk to them and tell them they're looking great. I walk past my fiddle fig and stroke his leaf and say “You look great today” Never seen a happier fiddle fig! Go, figure. The more I talk to them and touch them gently the happier they look, and the more they grow.
What's some advice you would give someone wanting to start a garden in their apartment?
Just give it a go!
Make sure you pick something hardy- which is why I started with herbs.
Research planters with good drainage to avoid root rot.
Find a spot with suitable light and airflow for whichever plant.
Try to buy seedlings or saplings, and of course organic grown is better.
And if you buy your plant in a store/shop already grown try to mimic the environment you found it in for a while so as to not startle it.
Follow Mimi: @mimielashiry @35mimimeter @_nourishmi