Common Materials for Flower Arrangements

The tropics has the richness of resources not only of the living plants, but also of indigenous materials for use in landscape designs and flower arrangements. Whether these are gathered for the actual purpose or by-products of other original uses, we have lots of them. 

Top and bottom photos are made of  reeds or tall weeds woven to look like walls or dividers, and provide clean backgrounds for some ornamentals. Above is Tillandsia usneoides, while below are indigenous ferns.

Driftwood or dried tree branches make common mounting materials for orchids, whether as attachment materials during growth of orchid plants or for landscaping designs.

Bamboos are abundant in the tropics and they make into a lot of beautiful designs, whether just cut to pieces or woven into baskets and containers. 

another style of weaving the shortly-cut bamboos of equal length provide lovely container for these 

group of profusely growing cattleya

a box on the wall can either be made of metal, wood or thick cartons. A Philodendron and some water plants provide a lovely diorama on the wall.

the above is made of wood frames and mounted on the wall, planted with cactus and succulents

used tires instead of discarding to the garbage bins can be made into containers of hanging plants

Another creative use of our bamboos, done patiently in a tedious but artistic way, is making archs like the above in entrances of major festive activities. Sometimes these are also laced with plants and flowers. The above is the entrance to the commercial booths during the Philippine Orchid Society Show 2012. Another entrance to the landscape design exhibits was posted earlier.

 

More Orchid Landscapes and Tillandsia Princess

I will be continuing my posts on the Orchid Show, since I would like to share with you a lot of the photos. Here is the first part of the landscape designs in case you did not see it yet.

This is one of the landscape designs with mostly orchids displayed. It is not so obvious at a distance but the blue orchids on top is exemplified by the close-up below.

Don't you think this blue orchid is really enticing and special?

Now here above, it might not be as striking at that distance. Can you see what is very special here? But if you will see below, you might re-think again!

The lady above, i suppose tends her garden very well. I request your gaze to her dress. The design of her dress is the formal design of the traditional Philippine gown, with the butterfly fan sleeves.

At a nearer focus, her face is really beautiful, I am sure most of you will agree! Can you imagine the owner of the garden being so enamored enough of her plants to have made them into her dress, and ...her head dress even made of the plants she strongly care for. It might be itchy though, but love conquers all. Don't you believe so? Medusa might not even dare stare on her eyes, he might be smitten and himself turn into stone!

...and this is the expanse of her garden, populated profusely with her favorite plants, she being the Tillandsia Princess.

I bet if we will visit her house, we will see the above bouquets hanging on her walls. Or maybe she also uses this as a corsage for her dress when she goes to attend parties in the forest! 

Would you like to be a Tillandsia Princess!?  

   

Philippine Orchid Show 2012

The Orchid Show in February, Flora Filipina 2012, is the 1st of the bi-annual events conducted by the Philippine Orchid Society. This first one is held with a 2-day conference of the advances in orchid growing with local and international speakers. I am very excited this time, as my friend from Hawaii who is a dendrobium and anthurium breeder is a speaker. After her talk, I left for the landscape exhibit. 


The weather was so hot and humid, except for a few minutes of overcast skies. Fortunately, it is just the 2nd day and not so many people are in the exhibit areas. I saw many enthusiasts with big DSLRs who came alone trying to get good shots despite the very bright sun. It is good for them it is not very crowded, most people are in the commercial booths to buy some plants. 


The exhibit area is placed inside the Quezon Memorial Circle gardens, also planted with many interesting plants. I actually shot some plants from these areas. I was in the show for practically the whole day, until my feet retired on me. I will show here some of the landscape designs. 

The theme posted at the gate of the exhibit area is patterned after the Tourism's slogan:

 "there's more fun in the Philippines". The vertical structure is planted with different types of 
ferns and bromeliads.

 Phalaenopsis are the focal plants here, joined by other smaller orchids.  The buildings are permanent ground structures which provided the background.

Tne hanging violet dendrobium is our native D. anosmum locally called 'sanggumay', with very sweet fragrance.  It makes the area around this design sweetly scented.

This arch symbolizes the Philippine fiesta, where archs are usual structures in approaching a place, a church, a special gathering area, most especially during the traditional 'Santacrusan or Flores de Mayo', where beautiful ladies in formal gowns join a procession of flowers to honor the Saint or the Virgin Mary.

not only orchids are displayed, as this is a bonsai garden

while this is a desert garden

and another cactus garden collection. Naturally planted plants at the site provided background.

There are still other landscape designs, but I was not able to get nice shots of them, so i might not give justice if i post them.

Garden Show in the Tropics

I am happy that a few souls are already looking at my blogs. My blog started only as a venue for my everyday grumblings, musings, complains, once-in-a-while experiences, hopes, dreams, adventures...and sometimes about other consciousness. In jest, it was just a record of thoughts and events.

When i stumbled on the group about gardening, i was enthused to post more and often, especially when some newfound friends helped me untiringly along the way. That was Autumn Belle of My Nice Garden, who painstakingly taught me things to do, even put my links in her site way before Jodi of Blooming Writer sprouted the idea of Blog Adoption. Moreover, i took time really to comment on most blogs, not necessarily for them to know me but i was really fascinated by their posts and photos. Plants from other climes inspired me especially because most of my favorites are temperate plants. I am the horticulturist whose knowledge has been shelved in the convolutions of my brain to accomodate more timely concerns. Horticulture includes not only ornamental plants but fruits, vegetables, industrial crops, but these blogging inspired the ornamental sector in my brain. Those years of learning just come out handy in times of need. I realized i miss the ornamental group most of all.

So, i will be posting some landscapes in garden shows from my photo files.  This is also to inform everyone around the world that there are two distinct Garden Shows in Manila every year. Other places have annual garden shows also, but the most famous is the University of the Philippines Los Banos weekly garden show every October. In these activities awards are also given not only to distinct ornamental cultivars but also to the best landscape designs. Best and recent hybrids are on display, as well as some endemic botanicals for the collectors and as potential parent materials. Lectures are also conducted by distinguished authorities, for example 'Embryo culture of orchids', New commercial varieties', 'Pest and disease control in ornamental nursery', to name a few.

You can certainly identify the plants included here: a few-marigolds along the walk, colors of Hydrangeas middle, petunias between the rocks right side, different hanging plants on the trellis.

Here: L-R: White Phalaenopsis, ground orchids bottom left, Aerides orchids on the right, few Paphiopedillums and endemics on the basin, endemic botanicals hanging on the tree at right. Accents on Aerides plants are mostly Schefflera and Dieffenbachia, and more.

L:R: Mostly Phalaenopsis of different colors on left, White and yellow Dendrobium on right plus yellow ground orchids, plus fern accents

At left top are Epidendrum with orange Cattleya in front, middle are Rhenanthera species, while those on right are mostly Dendrobium species.

Now, you are familiar with most of these, expanded also below. There are also Cycas at the back and different ferns.

Note: Can you see the cut photo of a pet on the mid-right? I am sorry to have cut it, just see it now!

Here: how many plants can you identify? If you can name half you are not just masterish gardener but a doctorish gardener, haha! Are you curious of the snakey vines embrasing the tree?

Oh this is easy!

Another easy identification. I can give prizes for the highest number of identified species. lol

I noticed that it might already be very heavy for this post, i still have some few landscapes but the site is already complaining. Maybe a Part II is needed for convenience. Happy viewing, Blogger Friends! Take your time and take care!

If your visit here will coincide with these garden shows, i will personally guide your Garden Tour. I can also be your personal photographer.