As sophomore Christine Wu stands up from her position in her flower bed, she brushes soil off her clothes and shakes the dirt out of her gloves. She marvels at her progress; her eyes raking over the abundance of plants and vegetables that are springing from the ground.
Planting, picking, upturning and shoveling since she was twelve, Wu was brought up in a family of farmers.
“I remember very vividly gardening with my parents and I think that was when my interest started to expand,” Wu said. “I spent most of my childhood in the soil of my backyard. At first I was only helping to grow plants, but over time I started to pay more attention and eventually it became my hobby.”
With extra time during the pandemic and stress building up, Wu began by planting aloe and garlic as a hobby.
“When I went back to China, I saw a large strawberry farm,” Wu said.“Something clicked in my mind after seeing it; ‘Woah, this is really cool. Somebody on their own can grow something like this by themselves.’ I thought that was really amazing. I think it’s cool that humans can grow and harvest plants with shovels and their hands.”
Wu uses eco-friendly methods to tend to her vegetables, such as rice water and old eggshells for fertilization. She takes care of her plants by putting aside an hour each day to tend to her flower beds.
“In seventh grade I did a project on global warming and I think that worried me, and so I then started to do research,” Wu said. “I started looking for ways to change my own habits in everyday life to protect the planet. I learned how to help the planet and be waste friendly too.”
Discovering the science behind gardening, Wu wanted to know more. Growing and taking care of plants means more than just watering them; it’s Wu’s dedication that has led her garden to flourish.
“I’m fascinated with the biology of plants and being able to watch it grow is interesting to me,” Wu said. “On top of that, I really like watching other people harvest and grow their crops on social media. Recently, I’ve been learning about flower language and their impact. It really piqued my interest and I would like to grow some in the spring.”
One of the byproducts of taking an hour today to garden is realizing that is a go-to stress management activity.
“Gardening is my sort of therapy because it reduces stress. It’s proven to be good for your health, and boosts vitamin D. Growing your own food can help you eat healthier,” Wu said. “Gardening boosts self esteem; a person can grow things and be more in tune with the Earth. It is always good to feel accomplished especially if you physically see your hard work pay off.”
Wu’s passion for gardening expands on her personal connection, rather than just a skill she has acquired.
“I feel like I embody Aubrey Hepburn’s quote, ‘To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.’ It represents how I am as a person and my attitude towards gardening. Gardening represents my down to earth nature. It also allows me to be more humble and express myself through my craft.”
