By Ewen McRae
Rowena De La Rosa is an avid gardener at the Westvale Community Centre. She spoke to Ewen McRae
What is your connection to Brimbank?
I am a resident of Brimbank. Brimbank is home.
What do you like best about the area?
Brimbank is the heart of the west featuring the old and the new, forming a very diverse demographic – multi-layered, multicultural but united as one community. With over 100 languages spoken, Brimbank is an open, dynamic and progressive municipality ready to brace for the challenges of the new era. Brimbank is also perfectly positioned as a growth area … the district is also committed to healthy and sustainable living. I love the spacious parks and community gardens – the biggest I know is the Westvale Community Centre garden.
What could make the area better?
The area is excellent and it would be a bonus if bike lanes are to be added on to the main roads. This is to encourage more people to move more eco-friendly without adding more carbon emissions into the air. Besides, it’s a good exercise.
Where is your favourite place to go for a feed in Brimbank?
I go to Sunshine or Deer Park to find clusters of restaurants – Vietnamese, Malaysian, Chinese, Indian. Or I go farther to Watergardens to find some European cuisines. I also cook Filipino, Korean and fusion international dishes at home – thanks to the ubiquitous Asian markets in Brimbank where I shop for the ingredients.
How did you get into gardening at Westvale?
I had the chance to tour around the garden in 2014 or so. Without experience in community gardening, I was fascinated with the design of the whole garden. The garden includes an area of garden beds with various sizes where a variety of vegetables are planted, an orchard of fruit trees, a picnic area equipped with benches and tables and a communal place to cook. So I inquired at the administration office and signed up in the reservation queue. In 2018, I was surprised to get a call. One garden plot became available and I was asked if I’d still be interested. Without a second thought, I said, “Yes”.
What is it about the Westvale gardening community that makes it so special?
Westvale is a medium-sized community garden with over 60 garden plots. It’s special because I realised my green thumb never left me after all these years. I used to help my grandmother in our backyard garden when I was a kid. She also taught me how to cook dishes in the kitchen with vegies harvested fresh from the garden. Gardeners become a community. We share seeds and seedlings. We share harvests. We share tips on gardening. You can observe the differences in gardening styles based on cultural backgrounds. You have the freedom to learn and grow anything you want. I am able to share my harvests with family, neighbours, and friends. And finally, physical and mental health benefits. Gardening is like meditation.
What are your best gardening tips?
Nearly all parts of a plant are edible from top to bottom – seed pods, flowers, leaves, stems, root crops. Don’t throw edibles away. Throwing them away is wasting not only food but the resources spent in growing them, including precious water. Learn how to dry or preserve your harvested vegetables, which you can eat during winter time when vegies don’t grow. My Italian neighbor in the garden told me to freeze my basil leaves to preserve them, especially after autumn. If you have abundant harvest, share it with friends and the community. It’s like sharing the rays of sunshine in people’s lives. We can eliminate hunger. We can also teach others to grow their own food.
What would people be surprised to know about you?
I am personally trained by Al Gore, the former US vice-president, as a Climate Reality Leader. As such, I carry the mission to educate the community about climate change and what everyone can do to help. Gardening is a big part of walking the talk. I believe climate action starts from the kitchen – with the food we eat. I’ll be facilitating some plant-based cooking classes and workshops at Westvale Community Centre this year.
