1. INTRODUCTION
This Privacy Policy outlines how Rooftop Urban Gardener collects and processes personal data. In simple terms: we only collect what’s necessary to deliver purchases, send the newsletter, and maintain the site. We never sell or share your data.
Rooftop Urban Gardener (“RUG”, “we”, “our”, or “us”) is a personal blog operated by Filipa Pinto Ribeiro.
All photographs, digital artworks, and downloadable materials featured on this site are the property of Aesthetic Anthology Studios Ltd, a UK-registered company (Company No. 16752170).
We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and your rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and applicable data-protection laws.
2. DATA COLLECTED
DATA STORAGE LOCATION
Rooftop Urban Gardener (RUG) is hosted on servers provided by Hostinger International Ltd, which operates data centers within the European Union. Hostinger adheres to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to ensure your data is securely stored and handled in compliance with EU law. For more information, see Hostinger’s Privacy Policy.
NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIPTION
When you subscribe to Rooftop Notes, our newsletter, we collect your email address and store it securely with MailerLite, our email service provider. Your information is used solely to send you email updates from the Rooftop Urban Gardener blog. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link at the bottom of each email or by contacting us at rugme@rooftopurbangardener.com. MailerLite complies with GDPR and its own Privacy Policy.
REGISTRATION DATA
If you create an account during checkout or to access your purchase history, we collect and store your name, email address, and billing details. You may view, edit, or delete your personal information at any time from your account dashboard (except for your username, which cannot be changed).
Website administrators can also access this information to provide technical or customer support when needed.
PURCHASE DATA
When you buy a digital download through our website, we collect the information necessary to process and deliver your order:
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- Name
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- Email address
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- Billing details (address, VAT number if applicable)
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- Purchase details (product name, price, date, payment method)
Payments are processed securely through our third-party payment gateways (such as Stripe or PayPal), which operate under strict GDPR and PCI-DSS compliance.
We do not store your payment card details on our servers.
This data is used solely to fulfill your order, issue invoices, and provide customer support related to your purchase.
SUPPORT DATA
If you contact us for assistance regarding a purchase or download, we will collect only the information you provide (such as your name, email address, and details of your request).
Your message is stored securely in our email system and used solely to respond to your inquiry. We do not share this data with third parties or use it for marketing purposes.
COMMENTS
When visitors leave comments on blog posts, we collect the data shown in the comments form, the visitor’s IP address, and browser user agent string to help detect spam. Your comment and profile information (if provided) are stored on our website and may be visible publicly under the article where it was posted. Comments are handled through WordPress’s built-in system. Data is stored securely and not shared with third parties.
CONTACT FORM
If you reach out through our contact form, your message and email address are sent directly to rugme@rooftopurbangardener.com.
This information is used exclusively to respond to your inquiry and is never shared with third parties or used for marketing purposes.
GOOGLE ANALYTICS
We use Google Analytics on our site for anonymous reporting of site usage. So, no personalized data is stored. If you would like to opt-out of Google Analytics monitoring your behavior on our website please use this link: Google Analytics Opt-out.
CASES FOR USING THE PERSONAL DATA
We use your personal information in the following cases:
To send newsletters or updates if you have explicitly subscribed
To verify and identify you during checkout or account login
To deliver purchased digital products
To provide technical or customer support
To send order confirmations, invoices, or relevant updates
To prevent fraudulent transactions and ensure account security
To improve website performance and user experience
To send newsletters or updates if you have explicitly subscribed
3. EMBEDDED CONTENT
Pages on this site may include embedded content — for example, social media posts, images, or videos. Embedded content from other websites behaves exactly as if you had visited those websites directly.
These external platforms may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with that embedded content, including tracking your interaction if you are logged in to those services. Below is a list of the embedded content we may use:
Instagram
We may embed photos, videos, or reels from our official Instagram account to display recent rooftop moments or gardening highlights. Instagram has its own privacy and cookie policies, over which we have no control. No cookies are set by Instagram, and your IP address is not transmitted to Instagram servers until you consent to view embedded content.
Read their policy here: Instagram Privacy Policy
TWITTER
We may embed tweets or posts from our Twitter (X) account to share updates or brief notes from the rooftop. Twitter has its own privacy and cookie policies, which operate independently from this site. No cookies are installed and your IP address is not transmitted to Twitter’s servers until you consent to viewing or interacting with the embedded content. Read their policy here: Twitter Privacy Policy
Pinterest
Occasionally, we embed pins or boards from our Pinterest profile to share ideas or inspirations. Pinterest may collect usage data or set cookies when you interact with embedded content. No cookies are placed until you consent to viewing this material.
Read their policy here: Pinterest Privacy Policy.a from images on the website.
4. COOKIES
This website uses cookies — small text files stored on your device — to ensure that our site functions properly, remember your preferences, and improve your browsing experience. Cookies may also be used to provide anonymous usage data through tools like Google Analytics.
Cookies generally exist to make your experience smoother. However, you may choose to disable cookies in your browser settings. Please refer to your browser’s help section for detailed instructions on how to manage or delete cookies.
NECESSARY COOKIES (ALL SITE VISITORS)
These cookies are essential for the website to function properly and cannot be disabled in our systems.
| Cookie | Purpose |
| PHPSESSID | Maintains your unique session on the website, allowing navigation between pages to work correctly. |
| cookieyes-consent (or equivalent) | Stores your cookie consent preferences so the banner doesn’t reappear after acceptance. |
Functional and analytics COOKIES
| Cookie | Purpose |
| _ga, _gid, _gat | Set by Google Analytics to anonymously track visitor behavior (pages visited, time on site, etc.). This data helps us improve content and performance. Google Privacy Policy. |
NECESSARY COOKIES (ADDITIONAL FOR LOGGED IN CUSTOMERS)
| Cookie | Purpose |
| wordpress_logged_in_[hash] | Confirms login status and helps identify your account while browsing. |
| wp-settings-[UID], wp-settings-time-[UID] | Personalize your view of the admin or dashboard areas. |
| woocommerce_cart_hash, woocommerce_items_in_cart | Help WooCommerce recognize when cart contents change. |
| wp_woocommerce_session_ | Stores a unique code for each customer so WooCommerce can retrieve cart data. |
MANAGING COOKIES
You can control or delete cookies at any time through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect how certain parts of the website function, including your ability to make purchases or stay logged in.
If you prefer, you can also manage or revoke your consent directly through the cookie banner displayed when you first visit the site.
COOKIES PREFERENCES
Visitors can change or withdraw their cookie preferences at any time by clicking the “Cookie Settings” link available in the website footer or reopening the cookie consent banner. This ensures that you remain in full control of your privacy choices.
5. WHO HAS ACCESS TO YOUR DATA
If you are not a registered customer or have not made a purchase, we do not store or have access to any personally identifiable information about you.
If you have created an account or completed a purchase on our website, your personal information (such as name, email, and billing details) may be accessed by:
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- Website Administrators – who manage the technical operation and maintenance of the Rooftop Urban Gardener website.
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- Customer Support Personnel – who may access limited account or order details when providing assistance with digital downloads or purchase issues.
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- Trusted Third Parties – including our hosting provider (Hostinger) and email service provider (MailerLite) for the sole purpose of secure data processing and storage.
All access to your data is limited, confidential, and performed under GDPR-compliant procedures.
6. THIRD PARTY ACCESS TO YOUR DATA
We do not share your personal data with third parties in a way that reveals identifiable information such as your name, email address, or billing details, except when necessary to provide essential website and purchase-related services. The partners below may process limited data on our behalf to ensure that the Rooftop Urban Gardener website operates smoothly and securely.
Hosting provider – Hostinger international ltd
Hostinger provides our web hosting and stores website files and databases. They may process your IP address and basic connection details to maintain server performance and security.
Hostinger Privacy Policy
Email marketing – Mailer lite
MailerLite manages our newsletter subscriptions and mailing lists. When you subscribe to Rooftop Notes, your email address is securely stored on MailerLite’s servers for the purpose of sending email updates.
MailerLite Privacy Policy
E- commerce and payments – woocommerce, stripe, paypal
We use WooCommerce to manage digital product sales and checkout processes. Payments are securely processed through Stripe or PayPal, depending on the method you select during checkout.
We do not store your credit card details; they are transmitted securely and processed in compliance with PCI-DSS and GDPR regulations.
Donations and support – ko-fi
We use Ko-fi to allow visitors to support the Rooftop Urban Gardener project through voluntary donations or contributions. When you make a payment through Ko-fi, your transaction is processed directly on their platform. We do not collect or store your payment details or personal data related to the transaction.
Ko-fi Privacy Policy
Analytics – google analytics
Google Analytics helps us understand how visitors interact with our site by collecting anonymized usage data such as pages visited and time spent. No personally identifiable information is shared.
Google Privacy Policy
7. HOW LONG WE RETAIN YOUR DATA
We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to provide our services, comply with legal obligations, and maintain accurate business records.
Comments
If you leave a comment on the site, the comment and its associated metadata are stored indefinitely. This allows us to automatically recognize and approve follow-up comments instead of holding them for moderation.
Customer accounts and purchases
If you create an account or make a purchase, we retain your profile information (such as name, email address, and billing details) for record-keeping and tax compliance purposes. This information is typically kept for up to 6 years, as required under EU and UK accounting law, unless you request its deletion sooner (when legally permissible).
Newsletter subscriptions
Your email address is kept in our MailerLite mailing list for as long as you remain subscribed. You may unsubscribe at any time by using the link at the bottom of any email or by contacting us directly at rugme@rooftopurbangardener.com.
Contact form messages
Messages sent through our contact form are kept for up to 12 months for customer service purposes and then securely deleted.
Analytics data
Anonymous analytics data collected through Google Analytics is stored according to Google’s data retention policies and is not personally identifiable.
Data removal requests
You can request that we delete your personal data at any time by contacting us at rugme@rooftopurbangardener.com. Please note that certain transaction records must be retained to meet legal and financial reporting requirements.
If you register on our website, we also store the personal information you provide in your user profile. You can see, edit, or delete your personal information at any time (except changing your username). Website administrators can also see and edit that information.
8. SECURITY MEASURES
Rooftop Urban Gardener (RUG) is committed to protecting your personal data and ensuring that it is handled securely.
We use SSL/HTTPS encryption across our entire website. This ensures that all data transmitted between your browser and our servers is encrypted, preventing unauthorized access or interception of your personal information.
Our website is hosted by Hostinger International Ltd, which implements advanced security protocols, firewalls, and continuous monitoring to safeguard stored data.
Access to your personal information is limited to authorized administrators and service providers (e.g., WooCommerce, MailerLite, Hostinger), all of whom operate under GDPR-compliant privacy policies.
In the unlikely event of a data breach, we will:
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- Take immediate steps to secure our systems and identify the source of the breach;
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- Notify affected users without undue delay;
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- Cooperate with data protection authorities as required by law; and
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- Reset user credentials or take additional measures where necessary to protect your data.
We also encourage you to use strong, unique passwords and to log out after completing any purchase or account-related activity.
9. YOUR DATA RIGHTS
GENERAL RIGHTS
If you have created an account, made a purchase, subscribed to our newsletter, or left a comment on this website, you have the right to request an exported file of the personal data we hold about you. This includes any information you have provided to us directly.
You may also request that we correct or delete your personal data. This does not include data that we are required to retain for administrative, legal, or security purposes — for example, transaction records necessary for accounting and tax compliance.
If you choose to have your data deleted, we will no longer be able to maintain your customer account or provide access to previously purchased downloads.
GDPR RIGHTS
Rooftop Urban Gardener respects and upholds the data protection rights guaranteed under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
As a data subject, you have the following rights:
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- Right of Access – to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
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- Right to Rectification – to correct any inaccurate or incomplete data.
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- Right to Erasure (“Right to be Forgotten”) – to request deletion of your data where legally permissible.
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- Right to Restrict Processing – to limit how your data is used in specific circumstances.
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- Right to Data Portability – to request that we transfer your data to another service provider where technically feasible.
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- Right to Object – to object to certain processing activities, such as receiving newsletters.
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- Right to Withdraw Consent – to withdraw consent for email communications or marketing at any time.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at rugme@rooftopurbangardener.com. We will respond to your request within 30 days in accordance with GDPR guidelines.
10. THIRD PARTY WEBSITES
The Rooftop Urban Gardener website may contain links to third-party websites or platforms, including social media services such as Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter (X), and Ko-fi.
These external websites are not operated or controlled by us, and we are not responsible for their privacy practices, content, or security measures.
When you click on a social media icon or external link, you will be redirected to the respective platform, which may collect data according to its own privacy policy.
This Privacy Policy applies only to our website — rooftopurbangardener.com.
We encourage you to review the privacy and cookie policies of any third-party site you visit through links on our platform before sharing any personal information.
10. THIRD PARTY WEBSITES
In certain circumstances, Rooftop Urban Gardener (operated by Aesthetic Anthology Studios Ltd) may be required to disclose personal data if necessary to comply with a legal obligation or in response to valid requests by public authorities — for example, a court order, subpoena, or law enforcement inquiry.
We may also disclose information in good faith when such action is necessary to:
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- Comply with applicable laws or legal proceedings;
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- Protect and defend our rights or property;
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- Prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing in connection with the website or digital sales;
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- Protect the personal safety of users or the public; or
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- Guard against legal liability.
Any transfer or disclosure of personal data for legal reasons will be carried out only in compliance with applicable data protection laws, including the GDPR and UK Data Protection Act.
12. AMENDMENTS
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, services, or legal obligations.
When we make significant updates, the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page will be revised accordingly.
We encourage visitors to review this page periodically to stay informed about how we protect their personal data.
Continued use of the Rooftop Urban Gardener website after any changes to this policy will constitute acceptance of the updated terms.
13. DATA CONTROLLER INFORMATION
Website: Rooftop Urban Gardener (RUG)
This blog is a personal project operated by Filipa Pinto Ribeiro.
All photographs, digital artworks, and downloadable materials featured on this site are the property of Aesthetic Anthology Studios Ltd, a UK-registered company (Company No. 16752170), and are managed and distributed under its copyright.
Contact: rugme@rooftopurbangardener.com
If you have questions or requests regarding your personal data, please contact us at the email above.
Last Updated: 25 October 2025