First Show of the Year

The Philippine Horticultural Society, Inc. launched its garden show Horti 2012 last January 26 at the Quezon Memorial Circle.  This year's theme is "New Trends and Creative Techniques in Gardening". It's the first for 2012.

The honor of ribbon cutting was given to Rep. Cynthia Villar, Mr. Butch Campos and Quezon City vice-mayor Joy Belmonte.

Photo by Emmanuel Santos. From the Facebook page of PHSI.

Below are some scenes from the exhibit area.  It is so difficult to remember to take pictures for this blog when I was already cataloguing in my mind which plants I wanted to take home. The commercial exhibit was calling me.  No easier plant chase than at a garden show, right?

Oh, I've added bigger versions of the pictures to my Gallery for those of you who want to see more detail.

The next pictures were taken especially for my brother-in-law who is a recent plant convert.  He started with bonsai last month and I hope these beautiful specimens inspire him.  However, the first picture is not really a bonsai tree but an impostor and a very good one at that.  It's actually just drift wood decorated with Tillandsia andreanas.

Speaking of bonsai lovers, a shout out to one of this blog's readers, NRJ, who made the rounds of the show with me.  Seeing him at a garden show was a pleasant surprise.

My kind of exhibit.  Look at all those tillies, sans and agaves.

Community Booth with impressive specimens of cycads.

My mom would have loved this next exhibit.  Most of my ferns are from her personal collection.

Exhibit by Fred Salud

Keeping Cool with Mosses & Salaginella

Exhibit of King Louis Flowers & Plants designed by Francis Gener.

Aroids and Arids by Boyet Ganigan and Dr. Jaye Silvestre.  The silver leafed bromeliad at the top and center is an Alcantarea odorata, a plant that is on the top of my plant chasing list.

Visions by top landscape designer Yuyung La'O.  

Last but not the least, Windows of Paradise by Noel Canicula.

For those of you who are interested, the show will be open until Febuary 5, 2012.  Entrance fee is Php20 (equivalent to US 50¢ and € 0.35) only.  

Daily lectures and demonstrations are held every 2pm.  The remaining lectures and demonstrations are as follows:

• January 30, Monday.  Creative Landscaping by Patrick Gozon of the blog "Our Philippine Trees" 
• January 31, Tuesday.  Urban Landscaping by David Badilla
• February 1, Wednesday.  Vertical Landscaping Using Bromeliads by Fred Salud
• February 2, Thursday.  Creative Bonsai Techniques by the Philippine Bonsai Society
• February 3, Friday.  Modern Techniques in Orchid Growing by C.V. Lazaro
• February 4, Saturday (10AM).  Buri Palm and Its Many Uses by Vangie Go
• February 4, Saturday (2PM).  Saikei and Suiseki by Felicidad Gupit (Tray landscaping and natural stone appreciation.
• February 5, Sunday (10AM).  New Trends in Gardening by Norma Villanueva
• February 5, Sunday (2PM).  Money-making Opportunities in Exotic Fruit Trees by Zac B. Sarian of the blog "Agri Zaccess Ideas"

For inquiries, call

• the PHSI office at +63-2-377-0234 or
• Mett Metilla at +63-2-939-4593 or +63-917-832-1352 or email him at mettsplants@yahoo.com.ph.

For more on the Philippine Horticultural Society, click here.

Comments

[Dennis Secusana]

Hi Im, interested to attend the seminars offered, how can I register?

[Kevin Cloonan]

I enjoyed the show. I found all the exhibits interesting and just wished that there were more of them.

[The Plant Chaser]

@ Dennis: You just have to pay the entrance fee and register in the lecture area. Enjoy!

@ Kevin: There will be another show next month if I'm not mistaken. Sponsored by the Philippine Orchid Society.

[beth12461 garden]

I'm excited to attend the seminar about modern method of growing orchids this Friday. If I'm not mistaken, the show next month is Flora Filipina 2012.

[Mark and Gaz]

Thank you for sharing this! I have yet to attend a Philippine horticultural show and the display looks sumptuous looking at your photos! I must time my next trip there :)

[Solitude Rising]

Once again I'm salivating looking at these pictures of beautifully landscaped/staged plants. Hopefully someday I can see them 'live'.

[The Plant Chaser]

@ Beth: Thanks for the heads up on Flora Filipina. I haven't tried my hand at orchids yet. They seem so high maintenance to care for even if the people from the Philippine Orchid Society tell me they really aren't.

[David]

Whoa! Those are sensational exhibits. I'd probably never leave if I ever went to one of these shows. I got some good ideas though I probably could never have enough bromeliads to pull off the same look. Still, we do try! The first shot is otherwordly and wonderful.
Thanks for taking the time to share this with the rest of the world.
David/:0)

[Donna]

Loved the images in the gallery. Beautiful plants and photographs.

[The Plant Chaser]

@ David: You'll want to leave so that you can head over to the commercial area to bring home plants so that you can attempt to replicate what you saw. LOL!

@ Donna: Thank you!

[Grace In Full Measure]

That bonsai is exquisite!!! The pine tree looks ancient and it is an honest-to-goodness miniature! I am so accustomed to seeing commercial bonsai plants that look more like overly pruned baby plants rather than stunted mature ones.

[The Plant Chaser]

@ GIFM: The first bonsai picture is not a real bonsai but a simulated one. Sorry to disappoint you. The ones in the group picture are the real bonsai.

[Mary]

This show must have been breathtaking in person. What beautiful photographs!

[andrea]

You haven't seen my post before the one you commented on. I put your link as you posted the landscape designs ahead, so i didn't anymore post them, and i forgot my wide angle lens for them too. I am excited for the Flora Filipina, not only for the orchids but because many of my friends are speaking in the conference. A dear anthurium breeder from Hawaii is a speaker too! She has a variety to her name.

[About Mabini: i suggest you stay at Bontoc in Batangas B&B next time you'll go diving. It was recommended to me by friends and i experienced their food and hospitality. I have numbers if you want.]

[NRJ]

BG,

Thanks for helping me choose my Tillandsias. I enjoyed the show, too many plants, too little time hehe.

NR

[The Plant Chaser]

@ Mary: Thanks! The exhibits were really inspiring.

@ Andrea: I missed a lot of posts. I've been setting up Google Reader at the suggestion of Diana of Elephant's Eye. Thanks for the link! You got great close-up shots. I was in a hurry to go to the commercial zone. Yes, I'm excited for Flora Filipina, too.

@ NRJ: You're welcome. And in my case, too small a budget. Hehehe!

[debsgarden]

Ha! The bonsai impostor would have fooled me! The exhibits are wonderful. Perhaps my favorite is the one by Francis Gener.

[patty]

Bom you are now the recipient of the Versatile Blogger Award! http://bit.ly/yhCUbI Hooray!

[Kala]

What beautiful displays! I cannot believe that first shot isn't of a Bonsai tree. A very good imposter indeed!

[The Plant Chaser]

@ Deb: You have excellent taste. Francis Gener has received quite a number of awards in the past.

@ Patty: Thanks, Patty! You may have been mistaken though because my name is not on the list you linked to. I am still honored that you considered me good enough for the award. :-D

@ Kala: Thanks! So glad you agree with me.