Book Review: Tropical Gardens of the Philippines

Just got an email from McDonalds thru Nuffnang and part of it says..."A blank page…or for your case, a blank post is probably one of the most daunting things to face." Ha Ha, right....

More than a month without any post in this blog… it’s funny that it took me an hour before I could even think of my starting words. Skills have waned without practice, I guess. Anyway, I really missed blogging so I am back!

My writing habit seems to be in remission the past months. It wasn’t because I have nothing to share or I totally lost interest in writing. There were just other important matters that I needed to focus on. Actually, it was not just blogging that I missed, I also couldn’t find enough time for my emerald beauties in my small garden. Before, I used to spend my weekends trimming and pruning my plants, inspecting every pot with so much TLC. You could be wondering…where have all my time gone? Actually I was not happily singing to the tune of Bruno Mars’ “Lazy Song”. Even if I sometimes don’t feel like doing anything and I want to lounge in my bed all day long, mommies need to be up and going. Also, we have been visiting our family doctor more frequently these past months that she became more of a family member and the hospital more of a home. We have been rough sailing through June and July but we are thankful we overcame that part and our boat was kept afloat.

Last week, my interest in gardening was once again awakened by one of my great mentors. Ms. Tita excitedly showed me a book she found on sale at National Bookstore (NBS) as she knows that we share the same passion for gardening. 

It is titled Tropical Gardens of the Philippines by Lily Gamboa O’Boyle and Elizabeth V. Reyes. Actually, merely looking at the photographs by Luca Invernizzi Tettoni in every pages of the book instantly convinced me that I also wanted one. And it was not just gardening that I became reacquainted but also my love for photography. But too bad that my cam was damaged and looks like it is asking for replacement. So photography is set aside for now until the time I save enough money to buy a new one. So going back to the book, Ms. Tita gladly lent the book for me to show it to my mom. My mom liked it also that we found ourselves buying our own copy.  It was a reasonable price for all the great gardening ideas and inspiring photographs that we could get from it.  

The book features different kinds of gardens in privately-owned homes in the Philippines. I especially loved Flor’s Healing Garden on page 205 and the Adam’s Herb Garden on page 211 where it shows, what else, but a garden of medicinal plants and edible herbs. There are 40 other types of gardens that had me dreaming, or if ever luck allows me, of owning one like it. You can see there a koi pond garden, or one that is of earth and stone or a pine forest garden.  It will also show you a rooftop garden, one with waterfall, a mountain garden, a palm lovers' garden, a bamboo farm and even a bonsai garden. So while my spectacular garden is still far away from conception and I am still thinking on the kind of garden i want for myself, maybe I could just lend a helping hand to my dad in landscaping his yard borrowing ideas from this book.

The 224 pages book left me admiring those people who have that amazing fondness for gardening with the likes of Patis Tesoro, Tessa Prieto Valdes, the Lhuillier, Aboitiz and Cojuangco who have made this earth looks more like a very happy place.  You can check out the same copy of the book from