Tropical Gardens of the Philippines. Elizabeth Reyes
gardens of Jun Obrero, Toni Parsons and Bobby Gopiao, along with those of Rading Decepida and Jojo Lazaro, abound with a new naturalism. Proponents of the “nature managed” concept of gardening, their works exhibit an ecological sensitivity to the nuances of water, stone and vegetation. Outstanding tropical border designs tend to be composed of key plants, which are repeated through the garden to create rhythm and evoke the idea of plantings in the wild. To highlight the contrast between areas of strong light and deep shade, light-catching plants such as ferns and bamboo are used for their delicately textured leaves. Though naturalistic in feel, they become contemporary when combined with modern paving, and carefully maintained lawns. Sculpture and decorative objects are used around the garden to enhance and add interest while water is given special attention in the landscape.
The gardens of Ramon Antonio, Noel Saratan and Frank Borja all reflect an architect’s eye for space and a gardener’s passion for plants. A sculpted, spatial quality resonates throughout their work. Their modern tropical gardens are usually based on strong, clear structural lines, with winding, elegant curves in the ground plan and hardscapes, and a preference for bamboo and clipped boxed shrubs. Borja worked abroad for many years with the prestigious landscaping firm Belt Collins and has supervised many of the firm’s landscaping projects in the Philippines. His work, like Antonio’s, is designed not just to showcase plants but also to cater to clients’ leisure needs. This design trend, born out of functionalist and Modernist ideas of the 1920s, has been reinforced by gardening design shows and western makeover programs promoting the pleasures of water features such as pools and Jacuzzis, patios, barbecues and showy architectural plants in ornamental pots.
In Asia, where gardeners have traditionally been male, a number of women are now playing creative roles in the landscaping arena. Shirley Sanders, a self-taught landscape artist well known for her skillful and meticulous plantsmanship, is famous for designing huge resort-type gardens but she is equally adept with small spaces. Her modest-sized garden and nursery in the bucolic countryside of Los Banos, known for its mineral hot springs, is of particular note. Michelle Magsaysay, who designed the Alejandrino and Olbes gardens, has also established herself as a sought-after designer in the urban scene; she specializes in small-scale designs that combine an Asian formality with a contemporary slant.
Thanks to the now-famous vertical tropical landscapes of French botanist and artist Patrick Blanc, ornamental tropicals are the new darlings of the horticultural establishment. Many a visitor has stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of the hundreds of plants cascading down the walls of the Musée du Quai Branly and the Fondation Cartier in Paris. Taking their cue from this phenomenon, home-grown designers are also experimenting with tropical plants of varying leaf colors, sizes and patterns to transform contemporary architecture into living works of art. The extraordinary array of exotic and native plants available in the country today, as well as the advances in water filtration and irrigation, have benefitted the garden designer. New and hardier varieties of Anthuriums and Alocasias and more sun tolerant species of Philodendrons and Excoecaria cochinchinensis are enhancing many of the newer gardens, while excellent substitutes for yew and boxwood, much used in the west for hedges and topiary rounds, are found in Fukien tea, kamuning (Muraya paniculata) and Eugenia shrubs.
Creating a cool, sheltered area, which serves as an extension of the landscape is an integral part of the design of the tropical house. The home of Doris Ho is a union of indoor and outdoor living.
In general, gardens exhibit a wide variety of plant material mostly imported from neighboring Bangkok, Indonesia and Malaysia. The garden of Malyn and Ochie Santos in Lipa, Batangas is an outstanding example of a garden with a wide variety of introduced plants. Their amazing collection of unusual Philodendrons, Anthuriums and variegated palms showcased artfully by species is a horticulturist’s dream. While a notable few, such as Patis Tesoro and Cecilia Locsin, have made their mark with the combination of indigenous and imported species, others delight in combining the formal and informal gardening traditions of their Asian neighbors. Western models inspire others like Vicky Hererra: Her garden in the windy ethereal landscape of Tagaytay is particularly impressive with seemingly wild borders of perennials and annuals woven in delicate shifting tones.
Last but not least, there are those who showcase their artistry in stone in the great tradition of the Ifugaos, the Philippine mountain people who built the famous Banaue rice terraces. This engineering marvel, crafted of stone and water 2,000 years ago, covers an area of nearly 400 square kilometers (155 square miles) and reaches 1,500 meters (5,000 feet) in height in some places. Known for their skills as wall builders and stone craftsmen, many Ifugaos have been forced from their mountain homes to seek jobs elsewhere due to hard economic times. Their migration, unfortunate as it may be, has inadvertently made their skills available elsewhere to the benefit of the garden world. As a result, some of the most unique contemporary Philippine gardens excel in stone artistry.
Extensive and imaginative stone features, planted beds with sinuous edges and retaining walls, intricately constructed “rip-rap” walls, and more, are all commonly found in many of today’s gardens à la mode. Although stonework has been used in garden design since time immemorial, a high profile comeback has occurred recently in its practical and artistic uses. Though the essentials of construction remain the same, the sculptural qualities of the stone itself and the fluidity of design to which the techniques apply themselves are making dry-stone walling more relevant to contemporary as well as traditional gardens. The popularity of both garden walls and paving in modern gardens confirms the recent rise in demand for dry-stone work. Imaginative and influential designers such as Jerry Araos and Yuyung LaO’ and landscape artists such as Augusto Bigyan and Rading Decepida have recognized the potential of this ancient craft and have answered the call with highly pleasing sculptural, yet functional, creations.
The Cordillera wall of Jerry Araos in his Antipolo garden exhibits both mastery of and sensitivity to stone. He prefers to work with natural stone from Bulacan and Antipolo and creates many of his own designs relying on the old trusted techniques. Augusto Bigyan, on the other hand, specializes in exquisite stone and terracotta mosaics and uses a variety of stone materials in his walls and hardscapes. The stones in Bigyan’s projects vary widely depending upon the geographic location, but most are sourced from the provinces of Bulacan, Rizal and Mindoro. Escombro, a porous stone from Bulacan, is a favorite of many designers because of its ability to weather beautifully. The Andres’ garden waterfall, designed by Rading Decepida, is another example of how traditional garden features are being updated in sophisticated ways for the modern garden.
Clearly, there exists a myriad of different styles. During the three months we traveled around the country viewing and photographing gardens, we tried to showcase this variety, along with the wild enthusiasm of the country’s gardeners and designers. We wanted to get a sense of how the real Philippines connects with the garden and celebrate some of the best contemporary Philippine gardens. We hope that the gardens featured here will be an inspiration for gardeners, landscapers and garden designers in other parts of the world—those looking for something new, something borrowed, something true.
Lily Gamboa O’Boyle
Traditional stone features are being updated in sophisticated ways for the modern garden. White granite pavers cut horizontally and seamed with grass add a modern touch to this Thunbergia arbor designed by Jun Obrero for a Tagaytay client.
CASA DE NIPA
Canlubang, Laguna
Designed by Cecilia Yulo Locsin
Narra, frangipani and Bismark fan palms cast dappled shade over groupings of Acalyphas, Crotons, Cordylines, Heliconias, Rhapis palms, Fukien tea and Osmoxylon geelvinkianum in the exquisite and richly planted borders of Casa de Nipa.
You get to Casa de Nipa down one of those narrow, dusty country roads (meant to be a shortcut!) that pass through a subdivision under construction, via an industrial