Maia and her husband Jim
We feel it’s important to find sources of joy and inspiration wherever we can and for Maia, a resident of Ingenia Retirement Village in Ettalong beach, that source of joy comes in the form of her mini edible garden.
Maia, who got married to her husband Jim last year in May at the age of 83, is a testament to the saying that age is just a number. Maia has always had a love for gardening, though when she moved into the Village at Ettalong Beach didn’t quite have the garden space she was accustomed to. Then Maia picked up the book ‘The Edible Balcony’ by journalist Indira Naidoo and with the help of the Village gardener John, Maia set out to create a garden that would not only be beautiful to look at, but also provide her, her husband and the community with fresh vegetables and herbs.
Maia says, ‘The garden is truly a sight to behold’, and at one stage they were harvesting over a dozen tomatoes every second day, along with cucumbers, chillies, lemons, and a variety of herbs including basil, mint, coriander, and thyme. Maia loves cooking from what they pick, making everything from stuffed capsicums to fresh salads.
The edible garden is a source of inspiration for all to go out and create their own. It proves that you don’t need a large amount of space to create something wonderful and meaningful. With a little bit of knowledge, creativity, and perseverance, anyone can grow their own mini garden and experience the joy and satisfaction that comes with it.
At all stages of life, it’s important to find things that bring us happiness and purpose. For Maia, that thing is her mini garden, and her story is a reminder that there’s always a way to find beauty and joy in the world around us.