“Keep trying! One harvest is the same as a masterpiece, except you get to eat it!”

We've been so inspired by the zeal and passion of Gina, who has embarked on growing her own veggies and herbs on her rooftop. Thank you Gina for being our featured urban gardener this month, sharing with us her 5-year-journey of urban gardening all the way from New York to Hong Kong.

A keen supporter of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), Gina was inspired to start growing her own food after visiting a farm where most food is sourced from in upstate New York. She first started at the rooftop of her apartment with her then-neighbor with herbs and peppers.

Her love of gardening continued to grow after moving to Hong Kong, just like her plant collection. Starting last fall, Gina has been growing brussel sprouts, different types of lettuces (they grow so well here!), Basil, Thai Basil, all varieties of cherry tomatoes (yellow, red, the sweet ones, orange…), lemon balm, broccoli, purple cauliflower, oregano, thyme, radishes and many more! The more we harvest the basil, the more it gives to us - that is what’s magical!

The greatest challenge so far for her is the uncontrollable weather. Gardening also helps her realize the hardships of being a farmer. While she does gardening as a hobby, farmers depend their livelihood on the crops and are at the mercy of the weather.

Gina recommends us not to give up growing veggies (and herbs) and the love will pay off.

“Just keep trying! Don’t give up because it’s going to be different each time. My garden is like my third child, it does require a lot of attention and you can’t look upon it as a chore. It’s a labor of love, it’s really worth it. And this whole thing like “Oh! I don’t have a green thumb”. No! You let nature takes its course! You are just facilitating.”

Thank you so much Gina for sharing your story and these awesome pictures of your winter veggies, we all can't wait to see your summer harvest soon!