Gardening and sustainable living with Connie Cao

We sat down with Obus Lover Connie Cao who shares with
us her latest book, Asian Veggie Patch. Gardening tips and sustainable living. 

Q1. What inspired you to write Your Asian Veggie Patch and share your gardening journey with the world?

A. I wrote Your Asian Veggie Patch as I wanted to share with the world the incredible world of Asian veggies, herbs and fruits that are enjoyed throughout Asia, but are not as well known in western countries. Having grown up in an Asian immigrant household, I was pretty much raised on veggies such as amaranth greens, water spinach and garlic chives - most of which were homegrown in my parent’s veggie patch. When I moved out of home, I started doing the same - growing and cooking my own homegrown Asian veggies. I love documenting this journey with my audience on social media, and when I started doing so, I would get lots of questions from others curious to learn more about Asian veggies they can grow, and how to cook with them as well. There isn’t really a book like this out there, which is why I felt this was such a special topic to delve into that I wanted to share with others. 

Q2. Can you tell us about the process of writing your book? Were there any surprises or challenges along the way?

A. My publisher Murdoch Books reached out to me with interest in creating a book together. It was almost as if the stars had aligned, because only two weeks earlier I had decided for the first time, to tell a friend about my dream of writing a book about Asian veggies! 

The entire book writing process has been an incredibly fulfilling project. There were of course late nights involved and numerous deadlines, but I thoroughly enjoyed the entire process and I’d do it over again in a heartbeat. I am really grateful that everyone on my team was so easy to work with - I felt like I was on the same page as them with all the decisions that needed to be made. So much goes into creating a book, from the manuscript, to design, editing, production and more. To see it come together is truly so special. 

A. Yes it is! When I first started writing, I was concerned I wouldn’t have enough words to write. However, it ended up being the exact opposite problem! My manuscript blew up to more than double the length it was meant to be because I had so much I wanted to say. It was a challenge to weed out the extra words. In the end I focused on curating a really well-rounded list of plant profiles, with a focus on plants that are small space friendly, are easy to grow and worth the effort. Ones that can be grown in a wide range of climates. 

Q4. For those who are new to gardening or feel like they don’t have a green thumb, what are some simple tips to get started? 

A. I would recommend ensuring you start with some nutrient rich soil. A great way to do this is to start your gardening journey alongside your composting journey. Homemade compost is a great source of organic matter for your soil and can be added to existing soil to prepare it for growing. Also, don’t forget to water especially if you are growing in pots as they can try out quickly in warm weather. 

I highly encourage you to give gardening a go and don’t be afraid to make mistakes! Even the most experienced gardener has killed a plant before and there’s always something new to learn no matter where you are on your gardening journey.

Q5. Fashion and gardening aren't always something that goes hand in hand. How do you merge the two, and what are your go-to gardening outfits that are both functional and stylish?

A. I’ve always adored fashion, especially the ability to use it as a canvas to express myself, and as an appreciation of the incredible local designers we have here in Australia. My go-to gardening outfit is usually a pair of overalls - I like to go for ones with lots of pockets because I always have twine, secateurs, keys, tags and scissors that I need to have on hand. I like to layer my overalls with fun printed tops etc. and I do adore a good floral print. 

I grew up in a household that saved ‘nice’ things for special occasions, but I wholeheartedly believe that every day should be a special occasion, so why not wear something you love when you’re enjoying your time in the garden?

Q6. Sustainability plays an important role for OBUS, what role does it have in your gardening practices, and how can others incorporate sustainable methods into their gardens? 

A. Sustainability and a more sustainable way of living is really important to me as the world has finite resources, and we’re using them up much too quickly and without enough thought. These values inform my daily life choices and gardening is a wonderful way to connect with these thoughts. When you garden, you’re looking after and nourishing a plant from seed to harvest. This simply act can spark an urge to take better care of this planet - a planet that gives so much to us - whether that be through composting, growing your own food, reusing and upcycling items in the garden (you are only limited by your creativity!) and creating community resilience through sharing and caring. 

Q7. Do you have any advice for urban dwellers with limited space who want to grow their own veggies?

A. Yes! I’m really passionate about encouraging people to try growing their own veggies, no matter the size of their space. I refuse to believe that I’m going to run out of space at home and am always thinking about new ways to fit more in. I like to encourage gardeners to look at their outdoor space in 3D so that you can better utilise vertical growing, especially in summer. Concrete areas can be easily dressed up with pots and turned into extra growing space and even if you don’t have an outdoor space, you can still grow food indoors by a windowsill. I cover a few of these in my book including one that grows in darkness - mung bean sprouts!

Q8. What are your future plans? Do you see more books or perhaps a line of garden-friendly fashion on the horizon? 

A. Well you know me too well! Both of those things sound like utter dreams to me and definitely things I would love to pursue. For now, my near future plans include soaking it all in and enjoying the present moment (can’t believe I’ll be able to see my books in shops soon!), and hopefully welcoming a flock of chickens to our garden at the end of this year. 

Q9. Finally, what message do you hope readers take away from Your Asian Veggie Patch?

A. I hope this book is a vessel for celebrating cultural diversity in the gardening space, inspiring readers to delve into the wonderful world of Asian veggies and to give something new a go. Asian veggies are absolutely delicious to eat and just as easy to grow as other veggies and I’m super passionate about sharing how anyone grow and cook Asian veggies, no matter where they live! 

Connie wears Wildglade Cord Bomber, Wildglade Blouse & Companion Jean. Shop New Arrivals here.