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Grünerløkka, also referred to as “Løkka” by the locals, is
the urban heart of Oslo. Right around the corner from a popular
hipster hotspot for coffee, between two large planters holding
purple maple trees, there’s a green door. And the green
continues, into a backyard bursting with fresh leaves. Some
of it Norwegian flora, other greenery giving hints of a tropical
forest. If there was ever any doubt, this must definitely be it:
the home of Arctic Gardener Anders Røyneberg.
The stairway is no different. As we climb upwards, one storey
after another, there are clusters of plants drinking in sunlight by
every window. Finally, at the top, it proves unnecessary to catch
our much-needed breath, for as the door opens and his urban
jungle unfolds, there’s nothing to do but gasp.
“It’s quite small,” he says. And it is. But that’s not the first thing
we notice. It’s the extent of the green plants. “I guess you could
say I’m showing signs of addiction like those of a hoarder,” he
laughs. A giant Monstera Deliciosa dominates the main room.
There’s an open loft that’s flooded with hanging ferns and lush
arrangements in every vacant corner. It’s a zoo, except prettier
and free from animal abuse.
Roots
How does one end up with a hundred plants? What happened?
“It all started with a heartbreak. That’s when my love of looking
after plants really started to grow.” But raising plants as a form of
therapy started long before his life’s trials and tribulations.
Anders grew up in a small rural village an hour outside of Oslo.
His father was a farmer and his mother, a nurse. It’s no surprise
he became an agronomist, psychiatric nurse and sexologist
himself. It’s an interesting combo, but it’s all connected with the
art of making things grow – from mind and soul to tiny organisms.
“My down-to-earth upbringing left me wanting to see the world
and seek new people by moving to the city. But it didn’t take long
before I started longing for my roots. That’s when I decided to
bring nature, a piece of where I come from, into my Oslo home.”
He thinks a lot of people can relate to this. “For a long time,
humankind has been drifting further away from nature. Now we’re
in the process of taking it back. I think the budding trend of people
having plants in their homes is a result of our nature deficiency
and a symbol of the green shift we’re now experiencing.”
Reduce
His interior style is Nordic retro with a light-handed touch of
Aztec. A fluorescent light in the shape of a cactus breaks with
the otherwise calm tones of blue that repeat through every room
in his loft apartment. “I don’t have a lot of things but I wouldn’t
describe it as minimalistic. It’s just that I’d rather have those
things be plants instead of filling the space with trinkets and
useless décor.”
Devoting this much space to plants doesn’t come without
sacrifice. “We had to replace drawers and excess seating with
small tables, pedestals and open shelves. This way we can use
the floor space more efficiently by displaying the plants at different
heights. Speaking of displays, we also had to let the TV go.
Instead, we see the plants as a form of extremely slow TV. ” He
laughs, and later admits to the lack of TV in his diet resulting in
him wanting to watch TV when visiting better-equipped friends.
“It all started with a heartbreak.
That’s when my love of looking after
plants really started to grow.”
Anders Røyneberg
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