I grew up in a town located in central area of China. Growing food for my kitchen initially hadn’t been my focus while I was residing in China. I however always have had a passion for gardening. Back to my time living in the Motherland, I had a beautiful, lively flower garden, though not much for food, more for its colourful delights.
I moved to Australia and took residence in a regional area. While I was excited settling into a totally different natural and social environment, I encountered a big issue for the first time in my life – the familiar daily produce market teeming with freshly harvested vegetables used to be at my door steps in Wuhan, and virtually didn’t exist here. The mud-less, squeaky clean vegetables in the supermarkets tasted nowhere near the freshness I grew up with.
I have a green thumb for growing flowers. Now it was time to extend my knowledge and practice with edibles in the garden – “If I can’t buy them, I will grow them!”
The determination of 17 years ago turned my quarter acre home into a diverse, edible garden. Beautiful flowers are still part of it. Among those colourful delights, there are assorted exotic vegetables as well as the common ones you may get from supermarkets. I collect seeds from my plants; I compost not only my kitchen waste but also the so-called waste, from friend’s households from local businesses and sometime houses renovation wastes. It creates a small scale of circular economy – One’s waste is my resource for the garden.
My fruit trees also became successful with different graft techniques I have learned through the years. The temperate climate on the Coast gives me chances to grow and enjoy more varieties of food.
My garden is located right next of Wyong river. The flood enriches the soil and I use raised garden beds to counterpart the downside of the flood.
My garden is a nourishing heaven to me and my family. Anyone who would like to know how to “grow your own food and become self-reliant.” is welcome to visit.
