Photos down memory lane

I've just been back from some family responsibilities. I accompanied my 15 yr-old niece to take the review classes for the University's entrance exam next year. We were far from home and just stayed with some friends, where i also stayed while writing my dissertation a few years back. I took some days leave from the office and just roam around and compare the differences in sceneries during those student days and now. It was some walk down memory lane. I realized we need to just do that once-in-a while, just forget office and life responsibilities and just leisurely and lazily do what we want. Or maybe just do nothing at all. In this case i had fun taking photos and think of the 'good old days'.

These partner rows of royal palms (Roystonea sp.) were already maybe 50 yrs old, though some are replacement when typhoons blown some of them. These are University landmarks already, the university being erected in 1909.

An old Ficus elastica tree near the Biological Sciences Building. This witnessed a lot of student happenings in these grounds.

The above Ficus elastica with L-clockwise: main trunk, grown adventitious roots, hanging adventitious roots from top branches, massive root systems already protruding above ground.

Another lovely tree with pink flowers in summer. The fallen flowers are in lovely contrast with the green grasses. 

This tree was not yet conspicuous during those student days, now with its profuse yellow flowers, one will be enticed by the sweet fragrance when near the Biological Sciences building. I am not sure of its ID, but maybe it is a jasmine tree.

Since the university is at the foot of a mountain forest reserve, which is also a dormant volcano, humidity is very high in the area. This provides conditions good for agriculture, forestry and beautiful healthy plant growths leading to lush biodiversity. L-clockwise: Casia fistula in full bloom, 
Samanea saman in its unshaded splendor (century-old), oil palm, luxuriant Mussaenda 'Dona Trining', a philodendron unabashedly climbing a tree, and a palm trunk profusely harboring a lot of epiphytes, saprophytes, symbionts, etc.

Some more landmark plants. L-clockwise: the football-baseball-volleyball field, a wall of Indian trees to cover the tennis courts, the bougainvillea with white and red flowers in one plant (Bougainvillea 'Mary Palmer'), the much loved hibiscus representing lots of hybrids produced in the university, the golden shower symbolizing the university color- green and gold.

Left-clockwise: Mt. Makiling peaks slightly protruding above the tree tops as viewed near the SEARCA grounds, private dormitories outside the gate, newly added lights along the royal palms at mid-campus, Development Communications bldg, Humanities bldgs with additional chairs on its grounds, the Biological Sciences bldg with a big octopus tree beside it. 

University Library being more useful to students before the digital age and the WWW

Banners in the campus "Iskolar para sa Bayan" means the scholars are for the country! It is the foremost university in the country and partly subsidized by the government. Admission is very highly competitive and much coveted because of the quality of education but lower tuition fees.

...and i love this scene! Wouldn't you love walking barefoot on pink flowers on the green carpet!!!

I would like to link this post to Shadow Shot Sunday because of the last photo. Thanks to the host of this meme, Hey Hariet.

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