China: Rising prices and rooftop gardens · Global Voices
John Kennedy

Following news of rising prices in China and Shenzhen shoppers traveling across the border to Hong Kong for cheaper goods, another recent trend, according to Shenzhen-based NetEase photoblogger CS Yilao, has seen people saving money by growing their own produce on rooftops:
在深圳，因为近期物价飞涨，港元对人民币连续贬值，部分深圳市民赴港购生活必需品。我们可以比较一下深圳和香港地区的生活日用品价格差距：在深圳卖2块钱一包的食盐，香港超市卖1.1港元，折合人民币才9毛多；红富士苹果深圳已卖到6块钱一斤，平均一个都要4块钱，而同样大小的苹果在香港10港元能买四个；深圳的鸡蛋已经涨到9毛钱一个，差不多大小的鸡蛋在香港惠康超市23港元就能买30个，折成人民币一个还不到7毛钱；10卷装的维达卫生纸，深圳的超市卖32.5元，香港超市才卖28港元；750毫升装的飘柔洗发水深圳超市卖39块钱，香港61港元就能买两瓶……
近期，因为深圳菜价飞涨，最低菜价也在4.5元以上.大多数在深圳工作的外来工又不像深圳户籍人口那样拥有多次香港往返证.到香港去买菜,蛇有蛇路,龟有龟途.天无绝人之路.虽然过不了海关,但上房顶是可以的.本清爽宽敞的屋顶,闲置着可惜.咱们把这闲置空地利用起来.花点力气,挑上几担土,建成一个又一个小菜园.自已动手,丰衣足食.只要不来折房子,偶们就一直将菜种下去.
One morning I got up early and went out onto the balcony, where I noticed something off about all the rooftops surrounding me. I got out my binoculars and looked around carefully, then I noticed that I was looking at rooftop gardens.
Gardens in each corner; here this homeowner is watering his sprouts.
These two neighbors look like they're sharing gardening tips
Everyone has their own plot and they help each other out, give and take.
Here the planters have been put aside and are about to be reseeded.
They're even using greenhouse technology.
These people are well prepared, bringing up all that building material. Looks like they're going all out.