Joy of Urban Gardening

Quezon Memorial Circle, Quezon City -Philippines

group photo at the winning orchid exhibit booth

It was a clear day when the author organized a FREE tour among bloggers/ freelance media  , youth  and environment advocates within the Quezon Memorial Circle and a side trip to the 68th annual orchid and garden show.

We saw Miss Fe Magtoto and Ms. Andrea Agillon ( horticulturist and freelance writer / blogger) Andrea in this Lifetime: http://abagillon.blogspot.com/

After the brief stop-over at the orchid show , We were greeted by Mr. Vince ( Office of the Vice-Mayor Ms. Joy Belmonte) and we went for a short tour of the famed Quezon Heritage House

lettuce bed

The project was started several years ago and the aim of the urban gardening was to provide food for the ordinary people of the city.

coriander

Quezon City is said to have one of the highest rate of malnutrition in Metro Manila. According to one of the garden staff, They purchase most of their seed supplies from Allied Botanical Corporation

Website: http://www.alliedbotanical.com/

Contact : Ms. Dhorry Fadriquela ( 0922-815-0041)

Mr. Cholo Raymundo- Technical  ( 0922-816-3772)

pechay grown in plastic container

The urban garden is becoming a model for urban areas of Metro Manila. there are people from Manila, Caloocan, Pasay,  Makati who would come and visit the site for educational purposes and as a model to be adapted in their local community.

Ms. Pie Burwell

Before our group left the garden, we were given an opportunity to harvest some vegetables that were planted by the gardeners and some seed packets .  A short question and answer portion and our group were very happy to experience the JOY of URBAN Gardening !

Quezon City: http://www.quezoncity.gov.ph/

Note: We would like to ” Thank” Mr. Vince , Office of the Vice Mayor – Ms. Joy Belmonte , Philippine Orchid Society and Quezon Memorial Circle management for the warm hospitality extended to our small group.

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Steven Ang’s -Hydroponic Farm

several varieties of lettuce are grown in this greenhouse

Steven Ang’s Vegetable Farm – One of the features of this vegetable farm is the Hydroponics (from the Greek words hydro water and ponos labor) is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, without soil. Soil less culture.
Gericke originally defined hydroponics as crop growth in mineral nutrient solutions, with no solid medium for the roots. He objected in print to people who applied the term hydroponics to other types of soil less culture such as sand culture and gravel culture.

The distinction between hydroponics and soil less culture of plants has often been blurred. Soil less culture is a broader term than hydroponics; it only requires that no soils with clay or silt are used. Note that sand is a type of soil yet sand culture is considered a type of soil less culture. Hydroponics is a subset of soil less culture. Many types of soil less culture do not use the mineral nutrient solutions required for hydroponics.

Mr. Steven Ang is an active member of the Philippine Orchid Society , Philippine Horticultural Society , a certified  chef  and  an entrepreneur .

According to Mr. Ang,  he supplies several restaurants and supermarket in Metro Manila and surrounding areas. He had an interesting collections of cactus, hibiscus, roses in his farm.

members and guests bought hydroponic  grown lettuce

The tour group was treated with a free sampling of hydroponic grown lettuce and before leaving the farm , some of the members bought freshly harvested vegetables sold at an ex-farm price.