A prime residential community that offers breathtaking views of Mt. Makiling, Laguna de Bay, and the Tagaytag Ridge, Ayala Greenfield Estates boasts of exclusive first class amenities, and an 18-hole championship golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., Ayala Greenfieldis also blessed with clear mountain weather. The warm sun and gentle breeze bathing its sloping hills are friendly to plants, allowing residents to grow a wide variety of blossoms all year round. The land, however, differs from what may be found in lower areas, and thus requires a slightly modified brand of care. To help lot owners and aspiring gardeners adjust, Ayala Land invited experts to teach guests a thing or two about Ikebana, pottery, flower arrangement, orchid care and bonsai care.
As brokers conducted presentations with prospects interested in availing of their own space within the sprawling, nature friendly areas of Ayala Greenfield Estates, others gravitated towards booths covered with multihued displays of flowers, pots and other garden accessories. The scent of flowers filled the room as guests eagerly listened to the advice of some of the country’s foremost plant and pottery experts.
At the Pottery Booth, Jon Pettyjohn delighted the audience by forming containers of various shapes and sizes from ordinary lumps of clay. With the aid of nothing more than his hands and a rotating disk, he expertly fashioned pots, bowls, jars and teacups, then set them aside to be colored and baked. "Pottery is considered by many to be the most natural art form, so products formed out of clay are perfect for any natural setting," he says. "In this case, we can design clay pots to become bearers of various plants."
Meanwhile at the Ikebana Booth, Serapion Metilla, proprietor and general manager of Mett’s plant art, carefully demonstrated the basic styles of Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arrangement. "A minimalist style that uses no more than three main plant elements to represent heaven, man and earth, Ikebana is a well-studied plant art," he says. "It may be likened to a film or a story, even to a dance. It is a classic, disciplined approach to flower arrangement, perfect for people who prefer structured, minimalist themes in their homes and gardens."
Like Ikebana, growing bonsais also requires a high level of discipline from gardeners, according to John Dizon. At his well-attended bonsai seminar, the bonsai hobbyist explained that bonsai growing is a plant art for "those who like to think." He says, "Bonsai growing is not just a matter of planting seeds, watering them, and then watching them grow. You have to think about how you want them to grow, how you want them to look, and what style you want them to follow, then work on them accordingly." John then discussed the elements of several miniature yet fully grown trees to an obviously impressed audience.
One flower that’s particularly sensitive to Ayala Greenfield’s cool mountain air is the orchid, a beautiful bloom considered a garden staple by most green thumbs. "While a few species of orchids are naturally suited to windy areas, improper care can subject others to dehydration," reveals Carlos Lazaro, owner of Valesol Garden. During his seminar on orchid care, Lazaro taught interested gardeners the basics of how to nurture Vandas, Denbrobium and other varieties of orchids when the plants are set amidst a slightly modified environment.
Guests who wanted to learn about garden landscaping and flower arrangement, on the other hand, sat before Florence Getalado, event stylist and owner of FBG Flowers and Scents. At her booth, participants arranged gerberas, angels, roses, chrysanthemums and other blossoms into beautiful bouquets, many of which they were allowed to take home. "I think it’s important to equip homeowners with the knowledge of basic landscaping and flower arrangement, especially if they live away from the city," says Florence. "It gives them the flexibility to reinvent their gardens or decorate their homes with a pot of fresh flowers whenever they want to, as well as the ability to communicate the kind of look they want for their gardens with professional landscapers."
For inquiries about Ayala Greenfield Estates, call 728-7000, log on to wwwayala-greenfieldestates.com or email ayala-sales@ayalaland.com.ph.