ZHANG WANG

LIFELONG GARDENER ANS ŌTAUTAHI COMMUNITY HOUSING TRUST COMMUNITY PRIDE GARDEN AWARD WINNER 2017

Zhang Wang lived in her Addington social housing unit for 10 years, growing veges and medicinal herbs in the available space in a shared backyard. In May, a contractor sent by the Ōtautahi Community Housing Trust (ŌCHT) dug up her vegetable patch following complaints by neighbours about difficulties accessing communal areas. Zhang had not been told the digger was coming. The event made the news and so great was the outcry from gardeners across the nation that within days, ŌCHT had apologised and built new garden beds for her. Zhang has spent winter replanting and preparing for the growing season ahead.

CHINESE YAM

The Chinese characters for shanyao literally translates as mountain medicine. No surprises then, that Zhang prizes these Dioscorea tubers as a nourishing comfort food. “Shanyao has great medicinal properties,” she says. “And it is delicious when cooked.” The tuber is a versatile ingredient in Chinese cuisine, starring in both sweet and savoury dishes as a paste, puree or soup; steamed or stirfried; and as a regular accompaniment to rice, meat and numerous vege dishes.

SHISO

While this herb is popularly used as a salad green here, and widely used in Japanese and Korean cuisines, Zhang enjoys using the fresh leaves to brew tea. Fortunately, it is also an easy plant to grow (and for her to replace) – seeds are now widely available from major retailers such as Yates.

BURDOCK

Commonly seen growing wild along country roads and forest edges, and notable for their prickly purple blooms, it is the roots of Arctium lappa that have long been valued for their medicinal properties in Japan (where it is known as gobo) and China (it is used as a blood purifier). Zhang slices up the root, then dries them to make a tea. “You can also stir-fry or use niubang in soups,” she explains. Seeds are available from Kings Seeds and Koanga Gardens.

SOLOMON’S SEAL

While many regard this as just another pretty ornamental, Zhang usually harvests the roots of this plant in autumn to prepare a health tonic. Tender young shoots are usually harvested in spring for steamed dishes and stir-fries. (A 2013 study in South Korea confirmed the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of Polygonatum sibiricum rhizome extracts, but it would pay to be cautious as other parts of plants in the Polyganatum genus may be toxic.)

WORMWOOD

This easy-to-grow, bitter-tasting herbaceous perennial is also known as Chinese mugwort, and Zhang prizes its versatility and medicinal qualities. She brews either the dried or fresh leaves in hot water when she fancies herbal tea, and stir-fries the tender young leaves for a meal. She also boils the leaves to colour an old-fashioned dessert, qingtuan – soft, sticky, chewy, steamed bite-sized balls of deliciousness made with glutinous rice flour and red bean paste.