SAUK CENTRE, Minn — From her driveway in Sauk Centre, Jing Zhang is surrounded by more than 1,000 succulents.
"My heaven," Zhang said. "Yes, succulent heaven."
Zhang's happy place all started with just two cuttings from an Aeonium 'Kiwi.'
At the time, she knew nothing about propagating succulents.
"I fell in love," she said.
Zhang's husband's grandparents gifted her the two cuttings. As first reported in the Sauk Centre Herald, LeRoy and Kathryn Kemper have since passed away but Zhang still has the original succulent that started from those two cuttings.
"I always remember grandma gave so much fun to me," Zhang said.
Now she tends not only to the original Kiwi but to more than a thousand succulents in 800 different varieties.
"People ask me, 'Which one is your favorite?' All are my favorite. Hard to decide which one is my favorite," Zhang said.
Every day, Zhang can be found outside clipping off dead leaves and caring for "Jing's Garden." In the warmer months, the succulents are able to stay outside. In the winter, they take up space in the family's heated garage.
"They've given me so much fun," Zhang said.
Zhang pays close attention to the forecast each day, especially because it's been a rainy summer.
"They don't like a lot more water, especially like this year. It's too much water," Zhang said. "I just cover all the plants."
She also uses a rubber air blower to remove any pooling water.
"When I look at them, I can feel they are so strong," Zhang said "Once I see them, they just make me calm down."
What started as a hobby has grown into a small business.
Zhang sells her succulents on Facebook marketplace, here. They ship all over the U.S.
One plant Zhang will never sell is the original Kiwi that started it all.
Zhang said, "I always say, 'Grandma, thank you for giving me that direction.' So bright in my life."