Assorted Tropical Flora Species @ my Mama's petite garden

Brgy. Topland, City of Koronadal

South Cotabato, Philippines

These are the two varieties of orchids that Balong and i bought in Davao. There are 5 actually but i forgot to take a shot of the other three (hehehe!).

We have around 10 pairs of lorikeets at home. I remember 'lory loft' in Singapore's Jurong Bird Park when  i pass by in here (ahahaha!). Wish to have the same loft as well (ilusyon much ~ ahahaha!)

I guess people living all their life in the busy and tedious city can attest that living in the province is an awesome experience ‘to try’. Well, I can relate to that bigtime (ahahaha!)!!! Fresh fruits, fresh veggies, natural landscape and modest hospitality that engulfs the community is just PRICELESS which perfectly defines what ‘nature’ really is. Bi-decades of my  humble life were spent mostly in the province and here I am the finished product (ahahaha!). My family live mostly around Mindanao whom people not just in nearby islands of Luzon and Visayas but even here abroad inclined to judge as a haven for rebel armies. At some point they are correct, but I definitely assure for your safety once you visit Koronadal City, where people of different walks of life (Christians and Muslims) live in harmony, filled with nature’s bounty for everybody to pamper with.

Balong took most of the shots... He is not using DSLR by the way, just an ordinary 16 mp Sony Digital Camera.

We live out of the city center actually, approximately around 14 kilometers away and you need to travel an additional 30 minutes to reach Barangay Topland where our house is located. Please don’t get confused with barangay and barrio as both have the same meaning, k? (hehehe!). Mode of transportation is not a problem either as ‘habal habal’ ~ a pimped motorcycle with an additional seat at the back that can carry 5 to 6 passengers including the driver is a common sight in here. Gradually however, this mode of transportation is replaced with a common motorbike that can only lodge 2 to 3 passengers for a more safer journey. Jeepney used to conquer the streets during my childhood years (around 15 years ago ~ ahahaha!) but the king of the road evaporate literally because locals shifted to tricycle. Jeepney subsequently became the family vehicle which is utterly used for carrying farm products or utilize for travelling in and out of the city.

I don't know what is the name of these but there are plenty of these in the pathways.

We may live in the remote corner of Mindanao, but don’t underestimate the place where I grow up as cemented roadways from the city center to our barangay makes the travel more faster and less haggard. Since our place is basically an agriculture area, you’ll pass along farm roads complete with rice and corn fields on both sides of the main toll. Mountain ranges can be seen from afar embellished with birds freely flying over the horizon. If you want to have that ‘baryo’ feel, ours modestly is the best example (ahahaha!).

We have few sunflowers in the garden of Papa. i remember we used to eat the seeds even the flower is not ripe yet (ahahaha!)

Since I worked abroad for quite sometimes already, I only have 30 days to spend wherever I wanted to as a remunerated annual vacation. I usually go home and spent it with my family coz as what other would say ‘there is no place like home’. May is always the perfect month to go personally because it’s our anniversary (ano daw? ~ ahahaha!). Kidding aside, May is a summer season and most of my cousin is on break too which is ideal to tag along wherever we wanted to go. We usually gather somewhere and have some fun but what  I fond the most  of doing is inviting my cousin in our house, cook something and helping Mama with her garden (ahahaha!).

I used to know the names of these flowersss... ammmmmmmppnessss... i forgot really... (ahahaha!!!)

Every vacation, I always on Mama’s side with regards to gardening. It’s like a mother and son bonding where I seldom doing except if I am at home (ahahaha!). I help her sprinkling the plant every morning even arranging it. I am not an expert about landscaping but good enough to beautify the place (naks ~ ahahaha!). I have excessive inclination with flora but just don’t know why I didn’t prosper in this field (ahahaha!). My brother even butted-in that since we are into it then venture in business. Hmmmmmm he is absolutely right with that notion but seems am not into it ‘YET’  (ahahaha!). Please don’t get me wrong, I do work in a banking institutions but having a business is not my forte for now, or not my thing so far (ahahaha!). Am just good in advising our clients what to do but in actual mode, hmmmm nah, let me think about it first (ahahaha!). like everybody else, am just afraid of failures I guess but we will get in that bridge soon, we don’t know (hehehe!).

The shot on the left is from the bulb of the cactus plant, while on the bottom right is the renowned bougainvillea! Don't ask me with the yellow one (ahahaha!).

Because of extreme fondness to orchids and ornamental plants,  expect that when Mama is on a trip anywhere expect that she always bring varieties of plants on her way home (ahahaha!). She can either buy it or just plain talk to persuade the owner to give her some seedlings/saplings  for her garden (ahahaha!). That is always a norm actually and it’s her weakness at some point and who am I to hinder unto that simple yet adorable happiness, huh? (ahahaha!).

Mama used to collect ornamental plants, it's just a hobby for her. It's good because it's therapeutic  that gives you beauty while it fills your time (hehehe!)

When Balong and I went to Davao City, we passed to one of the flower farm that sells different varieties of  orchids. We bought 3 assorted vandas and 2 dendrobiums as a gift to Mama to add to her collection. In most flower shops, prices varies actually because it depends mainly on the orchids species plus the rarity of course. Like Waling Waling for example, considered as the ‘Queen of all Philippine Flowers’ can range up to PHP 100,000 if you buy it in cluster with fully blown flowers (ahahaha!). Well, we have no waling waling yet at home but we have plenty of varieties to be proud of (naks ~ ahahaha!).

I guess you know what it is (hehehe!)? Corn plant on the left, eggplant flower on the bottom right and a grass flower on top (ahahaha!).

Everybody would agree with me pretty sure that flowers really append to that tropical feel within or outside of our house. It can either be potted or planted on the ground but point is, it has this fascinating appeal to people that adds color to our life, ayt? (ahahaha!). At some point, it makes our day pleasant seeing the intricate beauty that embodies certain areas of our house. That’s why there is no questions really if my mom is wholly engage into it because our humble house maybe small but having area as an outlet to see such beauty at its best then a garden is an answer to that (hehehe!). 

Hmmmm Proud to say that I took these shots (ahahaha!)

Balong took this when we were searching for 'chili leaves' ahahahahaha

If my Mom has her floral garden, my dad has its own veggies garden too (ahahaha!). It’s not that big actually (around ¼ hectare) but ample enough to sustain our daily needs. Since it’s the first  time of Balong to meet my parents, he always accompany Papa in cultivating his garden (palakas mode ~ ahahaha!). What he has are mostly seasonal plants like lady fingers (okra), bitter gourd (ampalaya), string beans (sitaw) and lots more. I love steamed kamote tops with bagoong (fermented fish), thus I always pass by here to pick some (ahahaha!). It’s mainly for family consumption exclusively but our neighbors do ask for some then we heartily share it with them. The lot is where we about to build our house but for the time being let’s keep it as a garden (ahahaha!).

Have you seen my mom in the collage pics??? Ahahahahaha... ILOVEYOU Mama.. mwaaaaaaaa

You know what is more interesting? The vegetable garden even won as ‘the best private backyard garden’ for the whole province of South Cotabato in 2011! How cool is that huh? (ahahaha!). It was solely materialized as a hobby  for them to fill their free time but having a price is just a plus (ahahaha!). Below is the news in relations to the award received by Papa and a PHP 10,000 price is fair enough, huh? (ahahaha!).

http://www.southcotabatonews.com/2011/07/search-for-cleanest-and-greenest-lgus.html

We have more than a hundreds sapling of oncidium or locally known as dancing lady.

Herewith are some of the shots taken by Balong at home during our vacation, taken mostly from Mama’s orchid garden. I made a collage out of it because there are so many shots that is hard to delete (hehehe!). Thanks baby, mwaaaaaaanesss!!! Just enjoy the shots po...

My mom loves collecting orchids. She has more than a hundred varieties. It's just a hobby that fills her time when she's at home.

She has a small garden in front of the house and there is a rambutan tree that shades the whole area.

Everytime she travels, rest assured that she always have an orchids or ornamental plants to bring home (ahahaha!). She usually buy it but sometimes she persuade the owners to give her some saplings/seedlings (ahahaha!)

Hmmm that's me in the corner. I usually help Mama in sprinkling her garden with water.

The rambutan tree in the background serves as the shades of the orchids.

It's always good to see a garden filled with beautiful flowers. Wish to have a good one in the near future. (hehehe!)

Dendrobium is the most common vareities that my Mom has. It's more than 20 i guess. If all her orchids blooms, darrrrrrrrrrrnnnn what a stunning scene pretty sure.. (hehehe!).

So that's it for now guys. Hope you enjoyed the shots from our humble garden.

Cheeeeeeeeerrriooos!!!!!

Have a great day and night everyone.

Enan signing off.

SMILE :)

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Indoor Orchids Garden @ Changi Airport ~ A Photographer's Paradise

Terminal 2, Departure/Transit Mall

Changi Airport, Singapore

Beautiful arrangement of Vanda varieties in Orchid garden inside Changi International Airport.

When I see orchids wherever I may be, first person that comes to mind is my Mom. You may wonder why incorporate such plant to her? Simply because she loves collecting it (hehehe!). I can still remember that every time we’re on a travel and she saw someone selling orchids or plants in the streets or nursery shops expects that she always have new variety to bring home (ahahaha!). She has lots of breeds in her garden, she basically accumulate it as she admire its beauty extremely. Every day if you can’t find her inside the house, just go to her garden and voila you’ll see her in there, that’s her weakness at some point (ahahaha!). Whew!!! I can still remember her fine pinch in the groin in a sweet way (aawtttsss ~ ahahaha!).

Fluppy and Brent

Balong waiting for our flight to Davao.

Well, enough of the great reminisced chou chou (ahahaha!). As the title suggest, this is about the Orchid Garden in Singapore Changi Airport and not about me (ahahaha!). My apology, I just can’t resist not to mention my mom though as she is the best mother ever and seeing these orchids makes me feel at home. Hmmmm ok I have to admit, am feeling homesick already (ahahaha!).

Assorted orchid plants in the hall ways.

Anyway, there is no doubt that Singapore Changi Airport is undeniably the world’s finest airport in the world and it continues to uphold its position as one of the best. The airport is huge and it boasts three superb Terminals easily accessible via free Sky Train. The airport services offered to its guest is over the top and feels like you are in a first class lounge complete with so many free amenities to indulge with while waiting for your flight somewhere else.

I love the place, the ambiance, and the systematic arrangements of facilities within and if you’re in doubts where to stop over on your next flights then don’t think twice to pick Changi Airport as they offer an excellent service to its transit passenger. There may be some areas in here that required few bucks to experience but I assure you it’s worth every penny. You’ll really not mind the time when you are here as there are lots of leisure and entertainment to indulge in. 

Orchids can be found in most areas in the airport.

One signature trademark of the airport that I love the most is the presence of Nature Trail. Well, Singapore is known internationally as a Garden City and you can witness it in firsthand in their world class airport. It’s a series of themed indoor and outdoor gardens located in various terminals which makes this showground distinct from anywhere else. There are 6 themed garden actually and I already featured the most notable one the ‘Butterfly Garden’ which is considered as the world’s first butterfly park in an airport. If you have time to catch the stunning beauty of such winged creature then just go to Terminal 3 near the Departure Lounge and Transit Mall and voila you’ll see the farm-breed butterfly habitat.

I supposed to compile all the gardens that the airport have but I decided to feature ‘orchid garden’ separately as there are so my distinct and conspicuous varieties in here that is worth sharing. Besides, we took a lot of shots during our stay and it’s quite hard not to post it though (hehehe!). It’s a haven for photographers as profusion of colors that is gratifying to the eyes can be viewed in here.

Orchid Garden is located in Terminal 2, Departure Hall in Level 2. This is the first garden we’ve seen right after clearing ourselves in immigration on our way back to Davao via Philippine Airlines. We pause here right away as there are available benches slash bridge for visitors to sit on. We were quite tired of the long travel from our hotel to here, but seeing such garden helps rejuvenates our lost energy.

Actually, orchids is the most widespread flower you’ll see wherever you are in the airport. In our first day here in Singapore, just right after we disembark in the plane from the Philippines, beautiful lined up of these lovely plants greeted us right away. When we went to the carousel area to get our baggage; as usual, wide array of orchids can be seen in here too. In fact, you’ll find it commonly in the hallway, stores, restaurants, pathways, prayer rooms, lounges and even inside the comfort room. And you know what? I’d rather called this as Changi Orchid Airport because of the extensive presence of such plant though (lav it ~ hehehe!).

Orchid garden was very nicely laid out in terms of display of the orchids. Each has its own corners with detailed information about each species. They have breeds like:

The dendrobiums:

The vandas:

The moth orchids

The oncidiums

They are good in replicating the habitat as you’ll see a number of them displayed in a natural setting of rocks and cascading from aged drift wood in a lush tropical landscape. What a stunning rainbow of colors, really. The timber bridge that passed through the pond is an attraction in itself as you can observe from here colorful groups of koi too, freely swimming to a semi-natural fishpond.

I guess the best way to enjoy the place is to buy some finger foods in the nearby restaurants and bring it in here. The ambiance is really inviting as you’re in the midst of beautiful landscape while savoring the taste of the food you bought.

I was searching for Vanda Miss Joaquim which is named as the national flower of Singapore but the staff said that it is seasonal and you can witness it if you have time in the National Orchid Garden inside of the Singapore’s Botanical Garden in Cluny Road which is as well considered as the largest display of tropical orchids in the world.

There is even a Dendrobium Changi Airport, a special orchid hybrid cross between Dendrobium Singa Mas and Dendrobium Sri Siam to commemorate the opening of Orchid Garden in Terminal 2.

Personally, it was one awesome place to enjoy while waiting for your flight. It’s a botanical garden within an airport, an intricate and stunning beauty to explore.

The border of free internet stations are made of pots full of orchids.

Preserved souvenir items made from orchids petals.

So there you go, have a great day and night everyone.

Cheerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrsss!!!

Enan signing off.

SMILE :)

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