Saskia Vegter, Urban Agricultural Co-ordinator at 401 Richmond

We’re joined by Saskia Vegter, the Urban Agricultural Co-Ordinator at 401 Richmond, a former industrial building that has been transformed into a cultural hub in a dense downtown Toronto neighbourhood.

Vegter, who previously worked in event management, felt drawn to work in horticulture.

"I just remembered the feeling of connection when my hands were in the soil.”

401 Richmond

401 Richmond is a former industrial building, built in 1899. Vegter explains that the currant owner restored the building to transform it into a cultural hub for artists and creative entrepreneurs.

Tenants currently include art galleries, a book publisher, a film festival, artists with studios, and a daycare.

The Rooftop Gardens

The rooftop has three garden areas:

A deck-patio area, which includes trees and shrubs in containers
An extensive sedum green roof
The “mini farm,” which has fruit, vegetables, herbs, and flowers for cutting growing in containers

Tenants use the rooftop for meetings, lunches, to meditate—or just to get a breath of fresh air, says Vegter.

Children from the daycare often spend time on the rooftop, which provides the opportunity for activities such as herb tasting.

Rooftop Crops

Ultra-dwarf apple trees grow in the same containers as the chums (cherry-plums), with strawberry plants at the base
Luffa grows up the pergola
Planters with edibles are planned for edibility AND colour, using plants with ornamental properties
New to the garden this year is a fig tree

Wildlife on the Rooftop

Despite being on a rooftop in a downtown neighbourhood, Vegter says that there are lots of visitors. She laughs as she talks about the squirrel that left her gifts of half-eaten tomatoes during the summer.

She says that other wildlife includes swallowtail caterpillars, hummingbirds, honeybees, and ladybugs.