and eating organically produced fresh
fruits and vegetables. There is a lot of
community involvement here, and the
farm is an oasis in a ramshackle part
of the city with most of what’s grown
ending up on tables within walking
distance. City Farm by Eco-Mama,
in Quarry Bay, offers organic farming
classes, and wannabe growers can rent
plots on their rooftop if they’re lacking
their own piece of farmable space.
DIY garden
It doesn’t matter how much space
you have, whether it’s a rooftop,
balcony, or even a windowsill, it is
possible to grow just about anything
in Hong Kong’s warm and humid
climate. Small kitchen gardens with
a few herbs and small plants, like
tomatoes and beans, need little more
than sunlight and TLC, and can be
cultivated indoors on a windowsill.
Naomi Weir and her family
started their rooftop garden with
little more than leftovers: “Our helper
started a little nursery with seeds out
of things we’d eaten – like pumpkins,
cherry tomatoes and capsicum
–
in yogurt pots in the laundry
with potting mix from the local
supermarket, and they were doing
really well. So we got a pile of stuff
from a big garden centre just out of
Sai Kung, re-potted it all, added some
extras: rocket, basil, radishes, carrots
(
a dismal failure!) and beetroot – our
most recent experiment.”
they have hives on their rooftop!).
Otherwise, a number of the garden
centres in the New Territories are the
best places to start, says Naomi. “The
staff at the garden centre in Sai Kung
were really helpful. They steered us
in the right direction in regards to
the correct potting mix and the rest.
It was expensive, but the process was
pretty easy, really.”
Annie’s Flowers in Mui Wo, a
short ferry ride from Central, has a
great range of pots, soils, compost and
seedlings for even the most novice
gardener. Annie also grows and
sells her own organic produce, and
is a wonderful source of advice and
inspiration. Further up the road in Pui
O, Garden Gallery is another option for
local and seasonal plants and supplies.
They’ll also come to you and help you
get started with what you have.
Challenges
Gardeners in Hong Kong do need to
consider the added obstacles presented
by the climate and local “wildlife.”
When my husband and I bought our
first home on Lantau Island three
years ago, we had big plans for the
400-
square-foot rooftop. We had
planter boxes made and installed,
It doesn’t matter
how much space
you have, whether
it’s a rooftop,
balcony, or even
a windowsill, it is
possible to grow
just about anything
in Hong Kong’s
warm and humid
climate.
If you’re lacking a green thumb,
the gardeners at HK Farm run
workshops on everything from planter
building to urban beekeeping (yes,
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