Coming across animal-shaped decorative plants in a shop in Singapore, made by a Vietnamese farmer is a real surprise for many.

Nam Cong, the Vietnamese farmer, grows and sells decorative plants in a shop in Singapore, a place having the honor of patronage of former presidents Tran Duc Luong and Nguyen Minh Triet.

Cong is well-known for creating exotic decorative plants, including one given the name ‘King of decorative plants in the countryside’.
 
Son Rau, an artisan from the Bonsai Association in the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre, said the house of the famous farmer is very easy to find as it is full of decorative and bonsai plants.
 
Ten years ago, he was known as a pioneer in creating animal-shaped decorative plants and house-shaped ficus plants. For years, artisans in the field had just used wild water plum for decorative purposes; however, the longevity of the plant was very short.

With his experience in the field, Nam Cong discovered ficus plant had greater vitality and thicker leaves which were more suitable for making decorative plants. For his efforts, Cong has since earned both fame and money.
 
Nam Cong said that once he made an impression by growing decorative plants in resorts, where a rich man saw his work and placed orders of many decorative plants and shipped them to Singapore for display at a flower fair.

In Singapore, fair organizers and decorative flower plant shop owners were impressed with Nam Cong’s work. Henceforth, his decorative plants have been displayed in famous places such as Garden by Bay and Marina Bay Sand.

Despite his age, every year he flies to Singapore with his eldest child to transplant ornamental plants and transfer the techniques to Indian and Filipino gardeners. He said that when he goes to Singapore, he misses his countryside home a lot.
 
Cong was interviewed by a local television reporter, who lauded the Vietnamese farmer and his spectacular creations.

SGGP