A backyard filled with blooming plants and growing vegetables is an oasis for one Richmond resident and his family on any sunny day.
Dharam Singh has been growing plants and vegetables for at least two decades and has turned his once plain backyard into a relaxing space for his family.
“I came from Fiji where there were farms and greenery and when we moved to our current house with a big yard, I’ve spent every moment I could gardening,” said Singh, adding that he wanted to build a sustainable garden.
“When there’s no greenery, it’s just not enjoyable.”
Singh described his yard as the “Garden of Eden” with various lettuce, carrot, kale, chili, mint and herb plants growing in it.
He told the Richmond News that on a good sunny day, he would be in his yard for three to four hours tending to “everything he could get to” in his garden.
“When I come out to the yard and I start cutting the grass, trimming the plants and moving around, time just passes by so fast.”
However, maintaining the garden has not always been easy.
Several years ago, rats and rodents would sneak into his garden at night and eat his vegetables or damaging the flowers, according to Singh.
“It’s not like we could stay up late just to catch them at that time, but they seem to have gone somewhere else now so I’m relieved.”
Singh credits his wife, Manju Singh, for helping him, even though she said it’s all his hard work.
“He spends more time in the garden than with the family,” said Manju laughing, adding that the garden was deemed Dharma’s “mistress.”
“It’s a small space, but he gets lost outside here in the garden.
“If anything, his love for the garden is what makes time spent with the family so much more fun in this space.”
