From music stage to zero-dollar market
In 2018, when Ms. Mai Hue opened a small coffee shop for her music center students to practice their performances, this space became the cradle for a loving community of tree lovers. By chance, she joined a community group that donated trees, and she realized the joy of giving away green shoots, and more importantly – they needed a place to gather, meet, and share.
With the spirit of “contributing what you have”, she volunteered to turn the coffee shop into a meeting place for people who love plants. “I am also a farmer’s daughter, so I do a good job of taking care of, maintaining, and propagating more trees for the market meetings, and have a lot of experience to share with people” – Ms. Hue shared. Since then, 0₫ Plant Shop Binh Thanh born
The tree market will be held monthly, usually on weekends, and those who come to receive trees will be given a ticket, write down the desired types of trees, and then wait their turn to be called. No one is limited, no one is forced - everyone works together to build a green community.
In addition to the cool green potted plants, participants also had a lucky draw to receive special gifts – valuable bonsai pots. Each gift not only has material meaning, but also a thank you to those who love nature, joining hands to build a greener and kinder community every day.
Image of people happy when drawing lots to win trees
Expanding the spirit of sharing: 1D Seedling Market was born
After several years of operation, Ms. Hue realized that maintaining the source of free seedlings was a big challenge. Besides, some people felt “embarrassed” to receive the plants without contributing anything.
“I don’t want to lose the zero-dollar spirit, but I also need a small amount to buy more plants, pots, and soil,” she shared.
Ms. Hue hopes that selling trees at a small price to support people will help create a small amount of funding to maintain and develop other green living activities.
From then on, in 2020, “1D Seedling Market” was born - where people can choose to buy seedlings for less than a glass of iced tea.
“1D Seedling Market” operates in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, with many types of chemicals, kiểng lá, medicinal plants, fruit trees, etc. Not only is this a place to buy and sell, it is also an opportunity for people to exchange, share and share their passion for farming.
Challenges do not stop her
Although the model operates on a voluntary basis and does not charge fees, Ms. Hue has encountered many difficulties: at first, it was investing in seedlings and materials; then there were situations where people who came to receive the plants were "more greedy than the regulations".
However, what always makes her feel steadfast is the join hands of the peopleWhen she needed someone to contribute labor, plants, fertilizer, or snacks to the market… All were like a small extended family.
Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Hue and her team have deploy online markets, support home delivery of plants - people only need to pay shipping fee. It is in the most difficult times that the strength of community and spirit is shown. mutual love of this "special market".
Not just trees – but connections, love
More than the potted plants given away, the most valuable thing that Ms. Hue and the community created was a space of connection and sharing. The two main Facebook groups – Shop 0 VND Binh Thanh (over 17,000 members) and Seedling Market 1D (nearly 5,000 members) – is a place where people share pictures and experiences of growing plants every day, and especially together give – donate seedlings, materials, and soil to those in need.
0đ, 1đ – Value is not in numbers, but in humanity
The two projects “Binh Thanh 0đ Shop” and “1Đ Seedling Market” both originate from the same point: spreading the love of nature and the spirit of sharing in the community. The core value that she aims for is the connection between people and people, between people and nature – everything happens as a “fate”, without calculation, without coercion, simply giving and receiving with kindness.
This is a place that can bring the community closer together – when at a small market, people of all classes and ages (from children, students, workers to the elderly) can sit together, chat, share and exchange not only plants but also the joy of life. It is a place that narrows the generation gap, erases material barriers, where each person has their own value to contribute.
Image of father and son participating in the 0đ tree fair
Children are also taken to the tree market by their relatives to explore.
Currently, her management team has about 10 people in charge of breeding, ensuring that the source of plants is always abundant and diverse.
Once just a visitor to the zero-dong fair, Mr. Liem gradually became attached and officially became a member of the association from 2022 to present. He smiled gently as he said: "Sometimes work is too stressful, so I turned to planting trees to relieve my mind, and unexpectedly I became addicted to it."
“Sometimes work is too stressful, so I turned to gardening to relieve my mind. I never expected to fall in love with it.”
The small garden at his house has now become a favorite retreat, filled with the green of all kinds of vegetables such as squash, pumpkin, perilla, and cool plants such as pothos and aloe vera. For him, each sprout that grows is a way to dispel fatigue, a spiritual medicine in the midst of a busy life.
The journey of sowing love continues
When asked about the future, Ms. Mai Hue does not dream of anything too big. What she wishes for is simple but meaningful: "I want to maintain the two green markets for a long time, so that the small green buds continue to spread throughout the corners of Saigon, cooling the heat of the South."
“I want to maintain the two green markets for a long time, so that the small green buds continue to spread throughout the alleys of Saigon, cooling down the heat of the South.”
And for those who are thinking about starting a community activity, remember that you don’t need much to start. A small potted plant or a sprig of rosemary can be a seed of sharing. All good things start with a heart and a little bit of good karma.
]]>From an electronic engineer with a “serious young man” appearance, Hoang Anh Huy has a special passion for ornamental plants. Not only stopping at personal interests, Huy also founded the website Huykiengla.com With nearly 2,000 visitors per month, the community “Learn to care for indoor ornamental plants with Huykiengla” Nearly 20,000 members and many other platforms, providing a lot of very useful information about plants.
From electronics engineer to bonsai inspiration
Huy is currently working at a leather shoe manufacturing company, but his love of nature has inspired him to spend time researching and developing Huykiengla. Since his childhood, Huy has been familiar with the scene of going to the fields, finding wild fruits, and digging for tubers. “What I know about nature is mostly from observation and real-life experience, not from books or school,” Huy shared.
It was those experiences that nurtured Huy's love of nature and led him to a career in ornamental plants.
“Small potted plants bring peace”
(Huy shared)
For Huy, plants have more benefits than people think. Not just a decoration or a personal hobby, plants have become a spiritual therapy, helping Huy overcome the pressures of his old job. There were times when he was so stressed that he wanted to give up everything, but then it was the small pots of plants that brought him peace, helping Huy regain balance.
Natural plant care
One of the things Huy always emphasizes is respecting the laws of nature. Huy pays special attention to Natural Agriculture, ecological agriculture – where plants grow according to their own instincts instead of being forced by humans to care for them according to their own will. This is also the philosophy that Huy applies to growing and caring for ornamental plants: Understand plants, listen to plants and care for them according to their needs.
Create a playground for bonsai lovers
Huykiengla.com was born in late 2023 and officially operated from early 2024. This website is not only a place for Huy to share his personal knowledge and experience about ornamental plants but also helps connect people with the same passion. In addition, the founder of Huy Kieng La also built a Facebook community "Learn to care for ornamental plants indoors with Huykiengla" to create a space dedicated to those new to the hobby, where they can ask questions without worrying about being rejected for being too basic.
When watching Huy’s videos and articles, it can be seen that this bonsai inspiration not only shares knowledge but also spreads love for plants in a very natural way. Not too theoretical or exaggerated, Huy approaches viewers with practical, easy-to-understand and immediately applicable instructional videos.
Huy's content revolves around caring for popular ornamental foliage plants such as Monstera, Philodendron, Anthurium,… answers questions about common diseases in plants, guides on soil improvement and treatment of weakened plants. In particular, this engineer who loves plants also regularly shares personal experiences, mistakes Huy has made when taking care of plants, helping new players of ornamental plants avoid unnecessary risks.
Another impressive point is the way the content is delivered. Huy does not try to create elaborate videos but focuses on authenticity and usefulness. Huy often films videos right at home, with potted plants that Huy takes care of every day, sharing each step in detail. This creates a sense of intimacy, like a friend giving instructions on how to grow plants instead of a distant expert.
Not only does Huy share videos, he also focuses on connecting with the community. In the Facebook group, Huy regularly interacts, answers members’ questions, and shares real-life stories and personal experiences. This has helped create a positive environment where people not only learn but also share interesting moments in their tree-growing journey.
From passion to challenges
Huy's passion for ornamental plants began during the COVID-19 pandemic. While going to a coffee shop, Huy was accidentally attracted to the green potted plants in the shop and began to learn about them. However, this path was not easy. Initially, Huy made many mistakes such as watering the plants too much, using unsuitable soil, placing the plants in low light... Instead of being discouraged, Huy persevered in learning, experimenting and adjusting, step by step drawing out the secrets of effective ornamental plant care.
After many experiments, Huy concluded important principles: clearly understand the needs of each type of plant, adjust the watering regime appropriately, use suitable substrates and especially patiently observe to come up with the most effective care method.
“Caring for plants helps foster patience and a deeper connection with nature”
(Huy shared)
Planting trees is not just a hobby
For Huy, growing plants is not only a hobby but also a way of life. Taking care of plants not only brings a sense of relaxation but also helps to nurture patience and a deeper connection with nature. Each green leaf is not only the result of care but also a source of inspiration and motivation every day.
Huy believes that when people sincerely love nature, they will gradually form a sense of environmental protection - starting with small but meaningful actions such as saving water, recycling waste or simply planting a pot of plants in the living space.
Talking about his journey of taking care of ornamental plants, Huy told about a time when he helped a friend save a Monstera pot that seemed hopeless. When the plant grew new leaves, the friend happily texted him to thank him, as if he had just won the lottery. That moment made Huy realize that the joy of plants comes not only from taking care of them, but also from helping others love them properly. That is also the motivation for Huy to continue sharing his passion and spreading love for nature.
“Love the tree the way it wants”
(Huy shared)
When asked what message Huy would like to send to those who love ornamental plants, he happily shared: “Love the plant the way it wants, not the way you want. Otherwise, it will die.
”
Future orientation of Huykiengla
The Huy Kieng La project is still growing, and there are ambitious plans ahead. Huy is expanding the website with more in-depth content, and is also nurturing the idea of organizing workshops on plant care, creating opportunities to connect people with the same passion. More than just a personal project, Huy Kieng La is designed to become a space where people can learn, share and spread the love for ornamental plants together - turning this green passion into an increasingly strong community.
Looking at Huy’s journey, it can be seen that this is an admirable story of pursuing passion and sharing values with the community. From an electronic engineer, Huy changed direction and devoted himself to spreading his love for plants, helping thousands of people to take better care of plants and gain a deeper understanding of ornamental plants.
Without being too ostentatious, Hoang Anh Huy quietly built his personal brand with dedication, enthusiasm and his own passion. And perhaps, that is what has made Huy an inspiration to many people who love ornamental plants. If you also love plants and want to find a space to learn, share and spread the spirit of green living, join and follow Huykiengla on the platforms.
Facebook: Hoang Anh Huy
FB Group: Learn to care for indoor ornamental plants with Huykiengla
Tiktok: Leaf Ornamental Medal
Youtube: Leaf ornament
Website: https://huykiengla.com/