HI THERE, I'M LORETTA!

Born and raised in LA, (Atwater Village to be precise) I fell in love with plants and the garden at an early age, tending to my mom’s potted garden that was abundant with Mediterranean herbs, azaleas, ferns and baby avocado trees. It was a little haven in an urban world. The beauty and healing of my mother's garden inspired me to pursue a career in floral design, photography, art direction, plant prop styling, media and eventually starting my own line of beyond organic food and medicinal plant starts called Spade and Seeds.

After years of selling my specialty plant collection at Los Angeles farmer’s markets, and working closely with the Biodynamic Lunar gardening calendar, I became part of a vibrant and beautiful community of fellow earth stewards, urban farmers, herbalists, and plant people.  Urban farming, working in the food justice arena and speaking with the community have all deepened my practice and skills.  Over the years, I've enriched my own body of holistic gardening and plant knowledge with Horticulture studies at UCLA, a Permaculture Design Certificate, and a Certificate in Herbalism with Marysia Miernowska- but the deepest wisdom I’ve acquired has come from real world hands-on experience and ancient intuition.

Most recently, I co-created Fig Earth Supply Nursery in Highland Park, and helped nurture the emerging urban ecological consciousness by providing our Eastside community with information-accessible gardening workshops, a highly curated selection of edible plants and a unique array of progressive garden products to support local earthworkers. I continue to collaborate with aligned local businesses, such as Artemisia Nursery, to provide my diverse plant collection to the community of LA. These prior experiences solidified my commitment to help my community empower and feed their families by growing their own food and medicine, and heal themselves.  Finding holistic solutions, getting my hands dirty,  and teaching are my passion.

I currently reside on the east side of Los Angeles, where I love making sorrel and alpine strawberry sandwiches with my fluffy haired kiddo, and harvesting homegrown herbs for smudging and green smoothies.

Plants are magic.  Nature is life.  I’m happy and inspired to bring them both to you.

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