Re-rooted on the mainland
Second-generation siblings from Taiwan manage exquisite bonsai that was their father's offering of love to Xiamen
Credit goes to the company for introducing many plant species such as Podocarpus nakaii Hayata and Pterocarpus santalinus, in Xiamen. The company sowed the seeds, and nurtured the plants till they grew into mature trees. They have now been there for generations.
Twenty years ago, Chen's father and others of his generation also introduced moth orchids from the island to Fujian. Each plant could sell for as high as 2,000 yuan ($276.70), a huge price in those days.
As the popularity of the orchids grew, more people began planting them and now moth orchids are commonly seen around Fujian. People enjoy gifting them or buying one for themselves.
As the climate, environment and soil are similar in the two places, the survival rate of the plants imported from the island is relatively high.
The company's employees even travel to England and Singapore to learn new design techniques and methods.
In 2017, when the BRICS Summit was held in Xiamen, the company participated in the city's municipal greening and environmental protection projects. They introduced green technology from Taiwan to improve several landscape projects in Xiamen, particularly those related to the event.
They have also organized cross-Strait bonsai exhibitions to promote exchanges. In October, a cross-Strait bonsai exhibition at their garden saw around 100 exhibits arriving from both sides.
The garden also serves as a science education base for students. Every year, it welcomes more than 20,000 elementary and middle school students, who come for study tours.
With the introduction of policies to promote forestry and agriculture from Taiwan, the siblings see new opportunities on the mainland. They actively engage in the rural vitalization initiative, focusing on smart agriculture and pursuing in-depth development through technological research and the introduction of new techniques.
"We hope to introduce more modern advanced techniques and methods of landscape design, whether from Taiwan or other parts of the world, to promote agricultural development," Chen Tai-ming said.
