For Chongue, gardening began as a childhood hobby, then an escape from the stresses of work. Working in architecture and interiors for seven years at a string of firms, Chongue became disillusioned with certain elements of the industry, and found joy in designing the more tangible moments in architecture rather than less tangible moments like facades, which “you don’t get to touch and experience”.
“I ended up doing more interior-focused projects where it was furniture styling, as well as interior architecture, so you’d still design kitchens and everything that happens indoors,” he says. “I would use a lot of plants in my projects’ interiors. Or, when I was designing buildings and
