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In recent years, gardening has garnered increasing interest as a hobby for those seeking refuge from our fast-paced city life.
From the efforts in Woodlands to cultivate a flourishing community garden to beautifying arrangements in HDB corridors, there's no shortage of green thumbs to spruce up the city.
Recently on Jan. 29, Boon Lay residents were able to show off their fruitful harvests at their community garden situated on the roof of the multi-storey carpark (MSCP) at Blk 183A Boon Lay Avenue.
Minister for National Development and Member of Parliament for the Boon Lay Division of West Coast GRC Desmond Lee joined the residents in harvesting sugarcane and vegetables from their community garden.
Budding initiative
Mothership spoke to Boon Lay Meadow-Grove Residents’ Network (RN) to find out more about how the garden came to be.
According to the RN, Tee Kok Chuan, the Chairman of the RN, raised the idea of starting a "mini-green movement" within the estate in 2020.
Residents would be able to own a plot to grow plants and vegetables, and cultivate their love for gardening.
Thanks to this, many like-minded residents were able to come together to bond over their common interest of gardening. It especially allowed seniors to stay active and connected with the community.
In addition, the harvests would be shared with vulnerable residents and the community in the estate.
According to the RN, the initiative saw overwhelming response from the residents over the years, which led Tee to create a rooftop garden at the MSCP.
Farming sugarcane
Later on, some residents and gardeners brought up the idea of cultivating sugarcane on a small plot of garden space to Tee, and suggested sharing the harvested sugarcane with the community and needy residents in the area.
Currently, three community gardeners comprising RN volunteers and residents manage the farming of the sugarcane plots.
However, residents are also encouraged to visit the garden and offer their "'green fingers' and support" to make the space more "vibrant and inclusive" for all.
The RN shared that in addition to sugar cane, other vegetables and local fruits are planted.
Some notable mentions are the winged bean, bitter gourd, snake gourd, Malabar spinach, Chinese kale, Brazilian spinach, endive, luffa and taro.
Tee has also collaborated with NParks to make enhancements to the current allotment garden.
This includes designing a frame structure made entirely out of PVC pipes to support plant growth, and to allow the gardeners to have a more "standardised system" for gardening.
The haul
On Jan. 29, Lee joined 40 residents and gardeners to harvest the sugarcane.
Together, they harvested about 60 sugarcanes.
On average, the sugarcanes take about eight months to grow before they can be harvested.
Image via Desmond Lee/ FB
Residents who participated in the harvest would receive two whole sugarcane plants.
Image via Desmond Lee/ FB
Image via Desmond Lee/ FB
Sharing is caring
Tee suggested that the harvested sugarcanes can be enjoyed as a cooling drink, or simply cut into bite-sized cubes to be chewed for the sweet juice.
Encouraged by the strong support from the residents, Tee plans to cultivate and grow more interesting plants and vegetables to share with the community.
He also envisions the garden space becoming a place that offers educational lessons to young children to promote community gardening.
Image via Desmond Lee/ FB
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Images from Desmond Lee/ FB.