PLANT LOCAL. THINK GLOBAL.

native plants: beauty with purpose

My story = your story

Growing up as a child in Jakarta, Indonesia, I was always charmed by plants. My fascination with their lives, how they grow, how they interact with animals and their functional design led me to dream of a lifestyle that would serve their purpose.

Pursuing my Bachelor of Fine Art in Graphic Design, brought me to California, where the local plants captivated my heart, mind and imagination. I got the opportunity to study native horticulture through the Theodore Payne Foundation, a non-profit nursery that is dedicated to a preservation of California Native plants. The study inspired me to use my own Culver City front and backyard as both an educational piece and my source of joyful inspiration, turning it into a sustainable, lively ecosystem for bees, butterflies, birds, and other wildlife. I was proud that my garden had become part of Theodore Payne Annual Garden Tour, and my neighbors saw it as an oasis in the urban environment. It was even featured on 89.3 KPCC for its Environment & Science story on Drought: Taking Out Your Lawn? How to Choose What to do Next

As people came to visit the garden and began to inquire about Native gardening, I realized how underrated and misunderstood Native plants are. While I am not a landscape designer (maybe some day), I am inspired to integrate my passion, design skill and artistic vision to create an awareness around Native plants. From there, a variety of projects and collaborations began to take root, and Poppy & Finch grew organically as a business as I moved to Portland, Oregon, a city I have been longing and I can call it home now.

From leading creative native plant workshops for educational groups and private parties to creating products and floral designs for special events of all kinds, I want my company to be as free-form and varied as the Native landscape. In Poppy & Finch studio, colorful vintage coffee cans, condiment containers and other re-purposed collectibles are used for arrangements of Native flora, which will transform them into unique, one-of-a-kind centerpieces for an upcoming wedding or staging, to name a few. T-shirts, tote bags, and cushions sporting the colorful Poppy & Finch logo are ready to be shipped to customers. Plans for collaborations with local artists, on products such as potteries, soaps, candles and essential oils, are blooming and growing. 
And inspired new native plant project ideas pop up in my sketchbooks daily.

We think of the earth as this enduring thing that nurtures us and will outlive us, but the truth is, it’s very fragile. What we do for it while we’re here really does matter. I love being able to use my design skills to help people understand that, and help them experience the beauty of giving the earth what it needs. I really believe we have to plant locally and think globally. The plants we put in our gardens will feed the birds and butterflies and all the other wildlife around us. Ninety percent of local leaf-eating insects, including caterpillars that turn into butterflies, only can eat Native plants. Most of plants around us might be drought-tolerant but they are from Africa, New Zealand, Australia, etc. Native plants is the base food web for the cycle of life. Gardening with Native is such a rewarding experience, I really feel connected to nature. 
I want to help people everywhere surround themselves with the real, authentic beauty of
this place, where we are so lucky to be living.

Let’s stay in touch!