I'm Roni, and Naya's Garden grew out of a fascination I've had for a long time with the extraordinary world of plants, and how much there is to discover when we actually pay attention to them.
I've always loved the spirit of the old village apothecary: Shelves filled with dried flowers, fragrant leaves, strange roots and tiny seeds, each with its own character, history, place in folk medicine, and even myths. A world where plants were appreciated not only for what they could offer us, but sometimes as living beings with spirits of their own. I think we've lost something of that respect along the way.
These days, it's remarkably easy to make tea taste like just about anything. A few drops of flavouring and there you have it - strawberries, roses, vanilla, an entire tropical paradise. Quite an achievement, really. But not quite my idea of tea.
I do have a bit of a disagreement with the modern tea industry, I admit :)
When I work on a blend, I begin by getting to know the herbs themselves. It starts with a simple "Hello, who are you?", and from there, a whole conversation unfolds.
What brings out the best in one plant? What happens when it meets another? Which qualities step forward, which soften, and which seem to disagree entirely?
I'm fascinated by these relationships, and perhaps even more so by the long and curious relationship between plants and the human body. Generations of herbalists, healers and ordinary people have spent their lives getting to know these plants. Their observations, remedies, stories and occasional superstitions have left us an extraordinary inheritance. And I suspect we've only scratched the surface.
Of course, not every combination is a happy marriage. Some herbs bring out the best in one another, others seem determined to spoil the entire cup. And that's part of the pleasure. Tasting, experimenting, getting things wrong, and occasionally discovering a combination that feels as though those plants had been waiting to meet.
I'm certainly not trying to reinvent tea, nor pretend I've inherited some centuries-old secret formula. I'm simply trying to bring a little more care, curiosity, play and genuine respect back to something people have enjoyed for thousands of years.
And the name "Naya"? It is my childhood nickname. It felt only natural to give it to a project that has become so personal to me.
Naya's Garden is still young, and still growing, as any garden should.
There's plenty more to come.
I'm glad you've found your way in,
Naya