Decatur family transforms backyard into Chinese garden

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - Walking into the backyard of the Coulthard family’s Decatur home is like stepping into another country.

Yinglan Coulthard has tended to her Chinese garden for 10 years. Each year, harvesting an array of vegetables found often in Chinese recipes.

“Long bean and cucumber, it’s really good food,” she said.

Her husband, George Coulthard says day or night, rain or shine, Yinglan is out in the garden, taking care of her own little piece of home.

“She’s there every morning and every night. She wears a headlight at night. She waters the garden by hand with little cups,” he said.

Take a short walk around the yard and you’ll find bitter melon, long beans, winter melon, tomatoes, and potatoes.

“When we visit China, it’s like stepping back in time,” George said. “That’s pretty much what we have here with the way she does things.”

Yinglan has always had a passion for cooking. Prior to moving to Decatur, she ran a restaurant in China for 25 years. Now, she’s a cook at First Wok in Decatur.

Sharing her favorite dishes with her loved ones is important to her. It’s a glimpse into her culture.

“I cook a lot. People come over and eat often,” Yinglan said.

It’s not just vegetables. Jars of Yinglan’s hot sauce are a favorite among her friends.

“People really love my hot sauce,” she added.

George expects the passion project to keep growing.

“Every year it’s bigger. We’ve been here 10 years. The first 5 years we lived in Dalton City in the country. She had a little patch, but it kept getting bigger and bigger,” he said.

The Coulthard family plans on sharing their harvest with the community at the Decatur farmers market for many years to come.