With the smell of spring onion pancakes and pandan mochi in the air, Connie Cao’s backyard in Melbourne is where garden magic comes to life. From the lemon-tree nook to the bramble patch, her space is a playful mix of her favourite Asian veggies, adventurous new varieties, and vibrant flowers that delight both the eye and buzzing visitors. Connie’s garden celebrates the joy of growing and harvesting where every plant, every meal, and every moment invites you to slow down, savour, and be inspired.
Pull up a chair and peek inside her garden for tips, recipes, and all the little secrets that make this backyard a feast for the senses—you might just be inspired to start your own garden adventure too!
Hey Connie, thank you so much for welcoming us around your garden table. For those discovering your garden for the first time, can you share a little about your journey into growing your own food and flowers and how it all began?
I’ve always been fascinated and in awe of how nature can turn little seeds into food that sustains us, and I wanted to see that for myself, again and again. My husband and I bought our place approximately eight years ago. The backyard came to us as mulch and weeds, but I had big dreams to turn it into a productive, thriving garden. It started off with some raised garden beds, which we then enclosed for crop protection. I worked on new projects every year, adding a greenhouse, more raised beds, chickens, fruit trees and quail.
Our garden is now home to more than 80 varieties of fruit and berries, with lots of flowers, perennials and annual veg in between.
Your work spans books, writing, radio, TV, and social media. How do you share your knowledge widely while keeping your garden experience personal, grounded, and full of joy?
I try my best to separate my work with my personal time, prioritising personal pursuits on the weekend where possible. It’s a delicate balance, but I find that when I’m passionate about what I am doing, it shines through in my content too.
From transforming a backyard into a lush, abundant space filled with veggies, berries, flowers and chickens, your garden is such a joyful example of small-space magic. How do you approach designing and caring for it to make it so inviting?
I think adding to it slowly, bit by bit has certainly helped me figure out exactly what I am wanting from our space. An idea I’ve taken from permaculture principles is dividing my garden into zones based on how often I interact with certain parts of it. This has inspired me to create little ‘rooms’ or ‘spaces’ in the garden, filled with nooks and crannies of delight. For example, under the lemon tree is where a small table sits for me to arrange flowers, along the wall of our home is a path I often use. The bramble berries live here making it a perfect opportunity for a forage when I pass by.
Your love for edible gardening, especially Asian vegetables, is so inspiring. How do you decide what to grow, and are there any plants that hold a special place in your garden?
I choose what to grow based on what we like to eat or cook with in the kitchen. At this time of the year - going into winter - I’m planting celtuce, bok choy, wombok, daikon and tung ho. I’ve also added a few new varieties too - sprouting cauliflower and a Japanese mustard. I like trying new varieties of veggies that I have tasted on my travels or seen in Asian grocers. Planting a bit of everything rather than lots of one thing also keeps things exciting and fresh.
Life in your garden goes beyond planting - composting, chicken-keeping, preserving, and DIY projects are all part of it. How do these shape your space?
I love all my gardening adjacent projects, that’s for sure - I think it all falls under the umbrella of what it’s like to live a permaculture life. I’ve set up a trio of compost bins in a shady corner of the garden - most veggies prefer a bit of sun - so this works out great.
My chickens also have their own enclosed run and outdoor run extension too - this is separate to the main growing area, because they are an adventurous bunch who love to scratch and scratch. I do my DIY in the carport, and so on, and all of these different activities keep me inspired and energized. I love picking up where I left off, and being able to move between projects based on my mood.
Your book, Your Asian Veggie Patch, has been loved by gardeners and cooks of all levels. What inspired you to write it, and what do you hope readers take away from it?
I wrote Your Asian Veggie Patch as a book that I wished I could have to refer to time and again. It’s a book that blends gardening with cultural connection, and celebrates the diversity that exists in the plant world too.
Your Asian Veggie Patch is all about growing and cooking with Asian veggies, herbs and fruits, but more so than that, I hope that readers take away curiosity in learning more about the food plants from their cultural heritage, and celebrate the beauty that is found in all our diverse backgrounds and experiences.
Lastly, Your Asian Veggie Patch is written by someone who gardeners in a backyard - and showcases just how much we can all fit into spaces of all shapes and sizes. I hope it encourages readers to realise that you can grow more than you think in the space that you have.
You’ve cooked some beautiful dishes for us today. Can you tell us what you prepared and why you chose these recipes?
We have spring onion pancakes - these are a childhood favourite, which I used to make with my mum. They’re a delicious appetiser and snack. Thin, savoury pancakes that are crispy and layered.
The pumpkin flat cakes are another popular Chinese street food snack - these have a mochi-like consistency with red bean paste inside. I could eat numerous in one sitting!
The tea eggs are backyard eggs soaked in black tea and spices. They are a common way of preparing boiled eggs. I do a dozen at a time and have them in the fridge to add to meals.
The pandan mochi is a dessert my sister and I often make together. The sticky, round balls are covered in desiccated coconut to balance the texture.
And lastly we have fried noodles - it’s one of those dishes where you can use whatever ingredients in the fridge to bring it all together, and is often served on birthdays as the long strands of noodles symbolise a long life.
If someone joined you around your garden table for the very first time, what would you hope they see, taste, or feel before they leave?
I hope they get to enjoy the magic of garden-to-table cooking, to see the joy in growing, harvesting and cooking from the garden, and be inspired to do a bit of that in their backyard too. Gardening is an incredible way to connect with the environment and nature, and is something all of us can include a bit of in our lives, to bring a smile to our day.
