In Chen's village of Nongmei in Guangxi, the land this year is too dry for spring planting.

FORBES: The country is facing a once-in-a-century drought.

Bancroft first began designing and planting her dry garden's desert landscape in 1972.

WSJ: Ruth Bancroft, Growing a Piece of History

The problem is that they are planting these seeds in soil that is too dry or infertile to grow them.

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