The Exotic Plants Lover Club Part 1: We Love Caudex

Yong Jing is someone who started off as a designer, but along the way he came to love plants and botany. He is a second generation of a family-owned business in nurseries and gardening store. And from the way we see, he is actively pursuing this passion and have a unique approach to educating all on the beauty of plants, especially exotic plants.

3. We see that you are more focus on exotic plants. Any particular reason for that?

As a designer, we like to create/ design something creative and dierent in the market, and the habit is with me until today even though I’m in botany career now. I always like to explore & collect rare species of exotic plants. I found that the shape and appearance of the caudex plant is very special, and each plant has its own ‘natural unique look’; you won't nd the same looking plant even within the same species. That’s the most interesting part I’ve discovered so far in my journey.

4. Do you have any tips or advise for those out there who have interest in nurseries and plants?

It is all about communication. Plants will tell. Listen to your plant and knowing what it needs, you’ll definitely and satisfaction in seeing your plants grow.

5. Do you have a vision of where you would like to take your passion for exotic plants in the future?

Caudex plants is still not so popular in Malaysia market today. We hope we can build up the culture of exotic plant in Malaysia, and also happy to see that the botany/ agriculture industry is different now, gardening hobby is not limited to golden aged group but there are younger generation starting to pick it up and do it with very creative way.

1. Tell us a bit more about how you found your way towards pottery. How did you get into it, and what was your first piece?

During the MCO Period, my mom shared with us that she attended a homemade pottery class and what she had learned. This captured our interest, so we started creating handmade pottery goods at home. We then attended our first trial pottery class using throwing method. It was not easy at the beginnings; we spent a lot of time centering the clay which is the first and most important step of completing a pottery good. However, we were happy and satisfied when we finish our first pottery. And thanks to our friend, Jing, who had intrigued us with his collections of exotic plant, we started to make ourselves pots which lend a certain charm to the exotic plant we that we love.

4. Pottery classes can be on the expensive side. What tips you have for those who like to venture into this art?

Attending potter classes requires lesson fees, cost of buying clay and the cost for firing finished pottery. I think one of the ways to maintain these expenses is to be selective in the final product that you really like for firing, and you may also recycle the clay of failed product during the course of learning.

5. Do you have a vision of where you would like to take YT-YF in the future?

We are still at the early stage of learning; we will continue to master our skills. We hope in the near future, we can establish a gallery and a studio space that support and encourage collaboration among artists as they advance their crafts, develop new techniques and to engage the community to support creation of high quality, unique and aordable handmade creative arts as well. Also, we will continually innovate and try new tactics at every opportunity to produce our pottery for global market.