Landscape Designer Lily Kwong talks about her new partnership with Marriott, and how everyone is a plant person.
In, belly deep.
To Kwong, mindfulness and plant life are one and the same.
For me, [mindfulness and landscape] are a fully integrated experience, says Kwong.
Its my own kind of like wellness and self-careplant life.
It completely resets my whole energy field.
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On mindfulness and nature
Going on a walk in nature is like plugging back into a source.
So for me, extended periods in nature is really important to my mental health and well-being.
On gardening and connection
Gardening is a verymeditative experience.
Its also a very humbling experience.
I think for me, its taught me a lot of humility.
Theres a reason why things like scrubbing the floors are part of a kind of spiritual training.
I think the studies show that Americans spend90 percent of their time indoors.
And that, of course, would disrupt your kind of rhythmscircadian rhythms, your stress levels.
So I think practices that get people outside can be incredibly healing.
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Plants pretty clearly tell you if they need water or if theyre overwatered.
Usually its a watering issue.
Theyre either being overwatered or under-watered.
And I leave it.
So thats just it.
It can be a split second, but often people are not attuned to them.
My plant Yoda guru guy always says, Right plant, right place.
For example, the commonfiddle-leaf fig, they need a ton of sunlight.
And its so sad to me that people feel like theyre lethal to their plant.
I just think we are very similar to them.
Its like, we need care.
We need to be listened to.
We all have a birthright.
Every single one of our ancestors were connected to plants.
They were or else your line wouldve died off.
This is something that is very deep in our DNA and our intuition buried somewhere.
Some people buried much, much deeper.
We are part of the natural world.
We are part of an ecosystem.
For me really, it is sensitivity.
Its just paying attention, really listening.
If you do kill your plant, think about why you killed it before you just throw it away.
Take a couple mental notes, apply it, buy the same plant, hit it one more time.
So finding a familiarity again and an intimacy with plants, I think that would solve a lot.
They arent these mystical, mysterious creatures that are totally alien to us.
They all surround us always, even if were in a major city.
Its like plants are in the planter beds and the windowsills inside.
Its just about paying attention.
This interviews been editing for clarity and length.
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