Chinese Gardens (York: foods, winter, lawn)

[Philly Joe]

About 90% of the time a Chinese immigrant buys a house, they start some type of garden. As the months/years go by it becomes elaborate and takes up their entire lawn space... a bunch of huge leaves and vines. They lay very expansive pieces of rug or burlap down all over. It usually turns into an eye sore. Anyone here know what they're growing? It's it a hobby or a cultural thing?

[Indiana Tony]

Originally Posted by Philly Joe

About 90% of the time a Chinese immigrant buys a house, they start some type of garden. As the months/years go by it becomes elaborate and takes up their entire lawn space... a bunch of huge leaves and vines. They lay very expansive pieces of rug or burlap down all over. It usually turns into an eye sore. Anyone here know what they're growing? It's it a hobby or a cultural thing?

Winter melons.


It's cultural, they hate to see perfectly good soil wasted.

[fatsquirrel]

This is a pumpkin, melon, or drinking gourd patch. People from rural, not urban, China do not have an aversion to growing foods on the front lawn, and don't know that this is looked down upon in the US. Many people from Bangladesh and Cambodia do this here in New York as well.

[Philly Joe]

Originally Posted by fatsquirrel

This is a pumpkin, melon, or drinking gourd patch. People from rural, not urban, China do not have an aversion to growing foods on the front lawn, and don't know that this is looked down upon in the US. Many people from Bangladesh and Cambodia do this here in New York as well.

Thanks. Every time I would try to ask my neighbor what they were, it was impossible because I don't speak Chinese and he doesn't speak English. I learned some basic Mandarin in order to communicate... all I can manage is "Hello", "Goodbye" and "Thank You".

[chessimprov]

Originally Posted by Philly Joe

Thanks. Every time I would try to ask my neighbor what they were, it was impossible because I don't speak Chinese and he doesn't speak English. I learned some basic Mandarin in order to communicate... all I can manage is "Hello", "Goodbye" and "Thank You".

Maybe translate.google.com can be your friend if you have a smart phone.
It's not a perfect translation, but it can help speed things along maybe.