Catherine Renarde

Hi, my name is Cat and you can find me on socials under the handle @a.fox.in.the.jungle I'm not an actual fox obviously, I got the nickname many years ago and it fitted me so it stuck. I'm a trained horticulturist and professional photographer living in a small fishermen's village tucked between the Canadian Taïga and the St-Lawrence River. I grew up surrounded by nature and I can't get enough of it. During the warm season I can be found in my private food forest and flower gardens with my hands always full of dirt. Whenever I can't be outside I find solace in my indoor jungle full of houseplants and planted tanks.

I've been keeping fish for about 27 years on and off and became fully committed to the hobby 6 years ago when my beloved cat Nur became unable to jump on the windowsills to watch birds outside. As a mean to entertain her in her old days I started keeping fish again. She never cared for the fish though, but I did. And when she passed, caring for them became my way of processing my grief as well as a manner to honor my soul cat and the deep bond we shared. Wanting to provide the best habitats for my fish and shrimps in an aesthetically pleasant way I stumbled upon some aquascaping YouTube channels and the horticulturist in me became obsessed. I've been at it for 4 years now and I chose to specialize in Dutch-style aquascapes with lots of colorful plants, nano fish and shrimps. I also dabble in botanical-style from time to time. I draw a lot of inspiration from the forest around and the faerie heart beating in my chest.

Aquascaping has brought a lot of peace, focus and joy to my life and I'm always happy to help fellow hobbyists bring their scaping dreams to reality. I'm also always open to discuss the photography part of the hobby, which I get asked about a lot. Actively or passively helping others find their photographic voice and style is incredibly rewarding. Hope to catch you on socials sometime!