In 2017, I moved to the country and did something radical: I replaced the carefully maintained lawn with an edible garden that started teeming with life.
As I dove into this new world of gardening, I quickly realized the existing tools weren't built for what I needed. Then in 2019, I took a permaculture course that truly opened my eyes to the invisible world beneath my feet: the soil life, the uncountable relationships between fauna and flora, the whole living system I was now part of. But the apps I found still focused on simple plant catalogs or ignored ecological impact entirely. Nothing helped me track the seasonal rhythms of dozens of plants, understand which choices would benefit this web of life, or stay on top of the endless tasks a vibrant garden demands. I was juggling spreadsheets, notes, and my memory, and things were slipping through the cracks.
Gardiflora was born from this need for simplicity. I wanted to build something that respected the complexity of real gardening: tracking plants, managing seasonal tasks, organizing different garden zones, while making biodiversity impact visible and useful. A tool that works whether you're planting an ornamental border, creating a naturalistic garden, or experimenting with edible plants.
I also volunteer as a garden advisor with Tuinrangers, where I visit people at home and help them make their garden more wildlife-friendly. I love doing it. But after dozens of visits, I noticed I was repeating the same advice: plant a hedge instead of a fence, leave a wild corner, pick native species. The knowledge was there, it just wasn't reaching enough people.
I believe that every garden, no matter how small, can be a home for wildlife. When you replace a sterile lawn with a living ecosystem, whether that's a wildflower meadow, a shade border, or an herb corner, you're creating habitat, supporting pollinators, and helping nature heal. That's what drives this project: giving gardeners the tools to make thoughtful choices that benefit both their garden and the planet.
Thank you for being part of this journey toward more intentional and ecological gardening.
— Wim, Creator of Gardiflora
