University of the Philippines Los Baños Garden Show@101010

The University of the Philippines Los Baños Flower and Garden Show is celebrated twice a year. The show lasts for 1 week and always coincide with two major celebrations of the university, in April for the university graduation and in October simultaneously with the Loyalty Day Celebration. This year it coincided with Oct 10, 2010 or 10-10-10. We love to say we sent and received 101,010 blessings! Professional societies, college batchmates, and other organizations had reunions and those who have not seen each other for decades finally met.

The garden show serves also as meeting place for friends. There are 4 main sections: the center for lectures, areas around it for landscape designs, the commercial booths for ornamental plants and another commercial area for native plants, fruits and vegetables planting materials. Another area functioned as the restaurant. The show now, however coincided with rainy season and somehow it is not enjoyable to be walking on wet grounds and sometimes carrying an open umbrella.

But rain or shine, we showed up to watch whatever is in store.

The back of the center stage, wasn't able to get photo of front because of a lecture going on there. The design is Nativity with lifesize figures of the manger setting, with lots of sheeps and shepherds. Lights are provided by the Filipino traditional Christmas lanterns.

These booths expressed the Christmas spirit with their designs

It rained so hard that we just took shelter under the center roof. It was more difficult later to walk on wet grounds with open umbrellas in tow.

This is judged as the best variegated  plant

Two more designs showing Christmas scenes. Left is the nipa hut porch, while right displayed a red Christmas lantern on the back left corner. The focus here is the bird's nest fern to provide contrast with the colorful species of orchids.

Marigold was exhibited as a hedge, lovely isn't it. It gives repellant properties with some insects

At the left is a blue salvia, while at the right is a blooming  Hoya spp.

                                 Two native orchid species from the wild and domesticated at the owner's garden, the colors are very unique.

Phalaenopsis hybrids with lovely colors

Terete Vanda being sold as cuttings. Shoots which already have viable 2-3 shoots can be cut and be grown on its own, separated from the old plant. Those standing below the inverted cuttings are planted in driftwoods. For beginners not very familiar yet with growing Vanda it is easier to buy these already stable and flowering stands.

Note: I enlisted this post to GBBD for October, thanks to May Dreams Gardens