Special Guest Mayor Joy Belmonte at 73rd Mid-Year Orchid Show

Honorable Josefina “Joy” Belmonte -Alimurung together with Honorable Candy Medina- Atienza (councilor 6th district), Assistant administrator Attorney Lord, Engineer Zaldy Dela Rosa, Quezon Memorial Circle administration staff, affiliated plant societies, invited guests, media, social media bloggers and Philippine Orchid Society members, were treated to a grand ribbon cutting, a tour of the exhibit area and opening of the 73rd mid- year orchid and festival 2019.

Engineer Zaldy Dela Rosa shakes hand with Mayor Joy Belmonte- Alimurung ( photo courtesy of Quezon City press corp)

73rd Mid -Year Philippine Orchid Festival 2019

l-r Mr. Norberto Bautista, Engineer Zaldy Dela Rosa, Honorable Candy Medina- Atienza and Mrs. Susan Lee ( photo courtesy of Hon. Candy Medina -Atienza)

blooming phalaenopsis and dendrobium orchids were given to the guests of honor

Opening was held late afternoon past 4:00 pm within Hardin ng Bulaklak ( HB/ Garden of Joy/ Flower Garden) the exhibits highlighted the blooming of several varieties of waling-waling  or Vanda/ Euanthe sanderiana which is the highlight of the festival.

several varieties of Waling- waling on display at the show

 Vanda sanderiana / Euanthe sanderiana locally known as Waling-waling

It is good that there were some blooming Waling-waling during this time of the year since rainy season started a little bit late.

table judging of Cymbidium chloranthum and cattleya hybrids

It is also good that table judging for flowering orchids were introduce during this show. This will enable orchid hobbyists and the general public to appreciate the orchid competition winners up close. Most international orchid shows normally present their orchids that way.

strap leaf vandas with red and white ribbon can trace their parentage to Vanda sanderiana and Vanda coerulea.

The mayor also delighted the crowd with her three good news which were delivered during her speech after the ribbon cutting ceremonies held within Quezon City Memorial Circle in Quezon City.

carnivorous plants for sale at the commercial stall ( photo courtesy of Dr. Tan)

Commercial Booths and Daily Activities

schedule of daily talks

62 commercial booths selling different kinds of plants, carnivorous plants, orchid hybrids, ornamental plants, pots, fertilizers, native orchids, ferns, fruit trees, cacti and succulents, flowering annuals, variegated ornamental plants among others.

 Pagsolingan’s Garden with Rare & Exotic Plants (courtesy of Dr. Roland Salazar )

Rare and Exotic Plants – Dr. Roland Salazar

Address: 106 Mindanao Avenue Garden Center,Mindanao Avenue , Barangay Talipapa, Novaliches, Quezon City

There will be daily lectures or talks starting today at 2:00 pm at the pavilion area within the exhibition site. Entrance fee is Php 50.00 for the general public, Php 30.00 senior citizens, students and person with disabilities with valid identification card.

73rd Philippine Orchid Society’s exhibit, lectures and commercial trade fair will run until September 9, 2019 !

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Mr. Ramon Calado Farm Revisited

Antipolo City, Rizal Province-Philippines

Aerial plants like Tillandsia ionantha , orchids, hoyas and dischidias greet every visitor to his farm

Happy Easter to all avid readers! During my pilgrimage to Antipolo City on Maundy Thursday – April 17, 2014. We happened to know a common friend and decided to make an appointment with Mr. Ramon Calado.

Ascocentrum miniatum from Thailand and other parts of Southeast Asia

Mr. Ramon Calado is a breeder of orchids ( for at least 40 years !) and ornamental plants. He is also into ornamental fish keeping and i saw two 20 gallon of red cherry shrimps .  I know that there are some serious orchid collectors which resides near or within Antipolo City . Personalities like Tita Betty Duterte, Mr. Arsenio Sy, Dr. Glen Bulmer ( just passed away ) Ms. Girlie , Mr. Nonito Dolera , Mrs. Adelia R. Angeles ( decease )  among others.

Asplenium musifolium ( Cobra )

I have met him several years ago when he was the guest speaker in one of the orchid and garden shows that i have attended. I did not know anything about Mr. Calado until my father who use to work at Federal Agricultural Company in San Miguel , Bulacan  told me that he use to be one of the prime movers and technical consultant at the orchid farm. The farm   was established in the early 1990’s within the agricultural estate of the Typocos .

begonias

We used to visit the orchid farm in the early days of the operation and bought some Dendrobium University of Hawaii white variety . It was the fad among orchid collector and backyard grower in our place several years ago. The flowers are long lasting and had a sampaguita ( faint smell) which the housewives and backyard growers adore.

medinilla seedlings

orchid seedlings in community pots

There are some regular buyers of orchid seedling from different parts of the Philippines and  foreign buyers. His orchid hybrids can withstand the intense rainfall and have acclimatize under Philippine condition – that is ‘why’ some farm owners would buy his stock of orchid seedling on a regular basis. They are more hardy compared to the imported Dendrobium hybrid seedlings from Thailand.

Vanda Manila

Euanthe sanderiana

I am really amazed with such a small space and area, The combined lot area is is barely 600 square meters- ( 2 lots) can accommodate all those orchid seedlings and ornamental plants plus all those hanging tillandsias, hoyas and dischidias!

dischidias

Phalaenopsis equestris

Link of previous article 2009: https://renz15.wordpress.com/2009/11/08/mr-ramon-calado-orchid-and-ornamental-farm-in-antipolo/

For appointments  :

Mr. Ramon Calado

Email: orchids_bymoncalado@yahoo.com

(0917) 336 4124 GLOBE