• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
GO TO EXPAT LIVING SINGAPORE
GET OUR NEWSLETTER

Expat Living Hong Kong HomepageExpat Living Hong Kong

Moving to Hong Kong and not sure where to start? Expat Living is the essential lifestyle guide to living in Hong Kong.

Menu
  • Living In Hong Kong
      • Living Here
      • Where To Live
      • Schools
      • For Guys
        • Serviced apartments and places to stay in HK
        • outdoor activities18 outdoor adventures in Hong Kong
        • Townplace Soho - barProperty Watch: An urban oasis in Soho
        • School news - new schools in Hong Kong, new curriculums, new facilities and more!What’s new on the school scene?
      • View all
    Close
  • Things To Do
      • Things To Do
      • What’s On/Calendar
      • Competitions & Offers
        • What to watch this month
        • Woman’s Hour PodcastGreat podcasts we are listening to!
        • outdoor activities18 outdoor adventures in Hong Kong
        • Mount Davis - viewHiking Ideas: A Mount Davis Meander
      • View all
    Close
  • Kids
      • Activities & Things To Do
      • Education & Enrichment
      • Health & Wellness
      • Mums & Babies
      • Podcasts
      • Kids Offers
        • School news - new schools in Hong Kong, new curriculums, new facilities and more!What’s new on the school scene?
        • Pregnancy scan image for web article on how to choose an obstetrician in Hong KongHow to choose an obstetrician
        • Baby spit upReflux in newborns: tips and treatment
        • public pools in Hong KongBest public pools for families
      • View all
    Close
  • Homes
      • Home Décor
      • Readers Homes
        • Home news: décor, furniture & more!
        • Townplace Soho - barProperty Watch: An urban oasis in Soho
        • Top furniture finds for your home office
        • Beautiful ginger jar lamps for your home
      • View all
    Close
  • Travel
      • Short Breaks
      • Further Afield
      • Travel News & Offers
        • Mount Davis - viewHiking Ideas: A Mount Davis Meander
        • Gorgeous waterfalls around the world
        • Travel news: Places to stay and play
        • MongoliaWomen on a Mission take on Mongolia
      • View all
    Close
  • Wine & Dine
      • Recipes & Groceries
      • Bars & Restaurants
        • Vegetarian recipe: Vietnamese rice roll with quorn mince and bolognese sauce5 meat-free meal ideas to try
        • Indian-Restarants-New-Punjab-ClubTop Indian restaurants to try
        • Fagara Aperitivo - Hong Kong restaurantsNew nibbles: where to dine this month
        • Tasty Dessert Recipe: Bread Pudding
      • View all
    Close
  • Style & Beauty
      • Fashion
      • Hair & Beauty
        • laser treatments hong kongHow to get super smooth skin
        • Tried & Tested: Body lotions we love
        • online shopping websites21 fashion websites shipping to HK
        • Mazu ResortwearFashion news: the latest launches
      • View all
    Close
  • Health & Fitness
      • Medical & Dental
      • Fitness
      • Wellness
        • Gyms in Hong Kong - best places for keeping fit8 great places to go to keep in shape
        • Pregnancy scan image for web article on how to choose an obstetrician in Hong KongHow to choose an obstetrician
        • menopause - symptoms and how to get helpManaging menopause: how to get help
        • heartAre you at risk of heart disease?
      • View all
    Close
  • Shop
      • Magazine
      • Advertise With Us
        • Mar-May 2021
        • Mar-May 2021 – $36 (Usual Price $48)
        • December – February 2021
        • DEC-FEB 2020 – $36 (USUAL PRICE $48)
      • View all
    Close
Home » Living In Hong Kong » What I learned from growing things

What I learned from growing things

4 January, 2021 by Expat Living 3 Min Read

https://expatliving.hk/parting-shot-planting-a-herb-garden-in-hong-kong/

In our Parting Shot series, readers share their stories of expat life in Hong Kong. Here, LOUISE CROWE meditates on growing things and what she learned from planting a herb garden in Hong Kong.

Grounding

A few months ago, I decided to plant a herb garden on the balcony. It marked the end of a difficult period, in which employment and a future in Asia were very uncertain indeed. At times during those troubled months, I felt rootless and stateless, unwanted, and unable to express agency over my circumstances. It’s amazing how our thoughts can spiral out of control when the basics, like a place to live, feel precarious.

Planting a herb garden was very noticeably an antidote to all that. I purposefully chose aromatic herbs like rosemary, tarragon and mint, which release a scent at the slightest brush. Elbow-deep in potting compost, I very quickly realised that, from the eighth floor, I was literally grounding myself and fulfilling a previously unrecognised need to put down roots.

The idea began earlier when my attempts to reduce my plastic footprint progressed from the bathroom to the kitchen, and the small, over-priced plastic pouches of herbs started to bother me. A couple of weeks after assembling the herbs, when I still couldn’t walk past them without a quick tousle and sniff, I noticed a wrinkled tomato in the fridge and remembered the leftover compost and spare pots I had stashed away in the back kitchen.

Planting a herb garden in Hong Kong

Gratitude

Fast forward three months and the situation seems to be getting out of hand. Now I have tomato, bay, capsicum and chilli plants growing beside the sage, thyme, oregano, tarragon, mint, marjoram, rosemary and coriander – close to one hundred plants in total, not counting the ones I have given away to friends. I keep thinking that some will die back or succumb to a disease but instead they continue to grow and thrive.

It’s such a simple pleasure to plant a seed and watch it grow, one that I now struggle to believe I had lost touch with. First comes the anticipation. Then, after a week or so, delicate stems begin to appear on the surface of the soil – they’re bent at the waist in the evening, then standing proud waving their seed leaves the following morning, ta daah! At first there is one, then a couple more; suddenly, there’s a burgeoning cacophony, growing so fast you can almost hear them.

Watering has become an evening ritual. I should buy a watering can but in truth, traipsing to and fro with a jug is all part of the slowing down and the quietening at the end of the day. There’s a stillness to this collection of plants, and a quiet determination not just to survive but to thrive. If they’ve wilted in a hot, drying wind, a cool drink makes them stand proudly again within a few minutes. It’s almost like gratitude made visible.

Patience

The rate of change is slower now. They’re steadily building height and strength, siphoning carbon from the atmosphere. I expect they’ll flower in another month or two and we’ll see what pollinators they attract, which other species they will benefit. So, for now, it’s a waiting game. First grounding, then gratitude and now patience. I wonder what these plants will teach me next.

Tell us a tale and win $1500 HKD

Here’s your chance to get published – and make some money at the same time. We’re looking for 500-word written contributions on any funny, poignant, practical or even controversial topic that touches on expat life in Hong Kong. Simply email your stories in a Word document to editor@expatliving.hk and we’ll consider them for inclusion in an upcoming issue.

This article first appeared in the Winter 2020 issue of Expat Living magazine.  Subscribe now so you never miss an issue.

Categories: Living In Hong Kong Tags: gardening Living In Hong Kong Parting Shot

You May Also Like

Townplace Soho - bar

Property Watch: An urban oasis in Soho

Charity Focus: Hike for Freedom

International relocation - costs

The changing costs of relocation

Primary Sidebar

Expat Living Hong Kong 🇭🇰

expatlivinghk

Open
Ever wondered what it is like to live in Tai Hang? EL reader Neelam Daswani @neelampurehealth gives us the lowdown. For the full story and Neelam's recommendations see our MARCH-MAY issue.

#hongkong #discoverhongkong #hkiger
Open
❤️HK❤️

#hongkong #discoverhongkong #hkig #hkiger #view
Open
* Friday GIVEAWAY *

We have teamed up @gingerjarlampco to give one lucky winner a stunning Ginger Jar Lamp worth $4,000!  Here's how to have a chance of winning:

1. Like this post
2. Follow @gingerjarlampco on Instagram
3. Enter your details via the competitions section of our website - link in our bio.

Good Luck! 🤞🏻

#hongkong #hkig #hk #discoverhongkong #hkiger #fridaygiveaway
Open
Jo Lodder and Catherine Cormack recently set out to raise much needed funds for @stop.hk and @tails.lantau by tackling Hong Kong’s famous hiking trails over four days in March.  To find out how they got on, head over to our website to read all about it, link in bio.

#hongkong #hkig #discoverhongkong #hkig #hikeforfreedom #hkhiking #hkhiker #adoptdontshop #stophumantrafficking
Open
📸 @ colsimphotography

#hongkong #hkig #hk #discoverhongkong #hkiger
#photography #photooftheday #streetphotography #streetsigns #hkstreet
Open
A chocolate overload and cute little bunnies – what’s not to like about Easter celebrations? We’ve rounded up some things to do in Hong Kong for a cracking good time over the break - check out the full article on our website - link in bio.

#hongkong #hkig #hk #discoverhongkong #hkiger #easter #eastereggs #easterbunny
Open
Whether you're a newbie or have been here a while, our guide is sure to help you make the most of living here.  Read it for free on any device 👉 expatliving.hk/cg/ig
Open
Beaches and swimming pools are progressively re-opening 🏊‍♀️🏝👏👏

#hk #hkig #hkiger #hkbeach #hkpools
Open
*Friday Giveaway*  Win one of 50 Early Access Passes to the Affordable Online Art Fair 2021. Like this post & enter your details via the competitions section of our website - link in our bio

Good Luck! 🤞🏻

#hongkong #hkig #hk #discoverhongkong #hkiger #art #affordableart #affordableartfair #giveaway
Open
Jo Lodder and Catherine Cormack are currently on a Hike for Freedom, tackling four trails – the Maclehose, Hong Kong, Wilson and Lantau – to raise money for two organisations doing incredibly important work. @stophk - a charity that strives to put and end to human trafficking in Hong Kong and @ tails.lantau - an animal rescue organisation based on Lantau. The Hike will cover 300km and 18,600m in elevation over just four days! 

Read the full article on our homepage - link in bio - including how you can donate and follow their progress.

#hikeforfreedom #hkhiking #adoptdontshop #hongkong #hkig
Open
In our new spring issue we take a look at Jenny Perry's  impressive village house renovation in Sai Kung 🏡 there's so much to love! Check out the article for all her tips and local recommendations 👉 link in bio
Open
Read our latest Spring issue on any device for free 👉 expatliving.hk/digital/FB/

In this issue, we’ve got some of the best finds to make your home office functional and looking good. We also check out two beautifully renovated homes, get an insider’s guide to Tai Hang and discover home-decorating trends and the latest properties on the market.

There's loads more, including great Mexican food, easy recipes from our team, beauty tips and facials to try, and a look at Hong Kong’s country parks and hiking trails.

👨‍🎓 Plus, an eight-pager School Special! Everything from getting your kids IB-ready and enrichment options to great advice on battling bullies and trolls.
Open
* Friday GIVEAWAY *

We have teamed up with Assaggio to give one lucky winner a fabulous 35oz Fiorentina T-Bone Steak & Seafood Set Dinner for Four, worth $2,488!  

Featuring the 35oz Fiorentina T-Bone Steak served on a red hot sizzling iron plate with rosemary, the set dinner comes with Seafood Platter (Oyster Fine de Clair, Alaska King Crab Leg, Black Mediterranean Mussel, Veraci Clam), Kobocha Pumpkin and Tomino Cheese Soup, and Italian Black Truffle Tagliolini. 
Finally, wrap up the meal with the signature dessert trio: Tiramisu, Panna Cotta and Wild Berry Sorbet.

Sound good?

Here's how to have a chance of winning:

1. Like this post
2. Follow @miradining on Facebook
3. Enter your details via the competitions section of our website - link in our bio 

Good Luck! 🤞🏻
Open
📷 @colsimphoto we love his new collection #hongkonginmotion
Open
We are looking for readers to tell us about their area and why they love it.

We will send you some questions to answer and feature you in the Street Talk section of our print magazine and will also publish it online.

Drop us a PM with some info of where you live and we will get our team to be in touch 😊
Open
One of the many ways to enjoy HK’s waters! Head to our website for a comprehensive guide, link in bio. 📷 @ wanchaibelle
Open
Love a tasty taco, a classic plate of nachos or a frosty margarita? 

We recently road tested 3 Mexican restaurants – read the full reviews in our March magazine ✨📖 or online – link in bio.
@taqueriasupermacho 
@elmachohk
@tqmhk
Open
HK resident and award-winning artist Martin Lever recently spent 14 days in quarantine. Inspired by the mountain view, he created a stunning series of artwork, The Room 202 Project. 

What's more, Martin has teamed up with ImpactHK and is selling limited-edition digital prints – 50% of sales will  support HK's homeless.

For the full story, head to our website – link in bio.
Open
Happy International Women’s Day ❤️
Open
HK graffiti artist at work! Thanks James @triple8films
  • COMPETITIONS & OFFERS
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Subscribe

© 2021 Expat Living Hong Kong, All Rights Reserved.