Pockets of simplicity

The annual garden shows hosted by the Ayala Alabang Garden Club are events awaited with bated breath not only by the residents of the village but by the neighboring enclaves surrounding it, too. It is much awaited because the accompanying commercial exhibits give them a chance to enrich their landscaping and plant collections. More than this, the shows expose more people to new ideas they can adapt in their own gardens.

Recently, the Ayala Garden Club in celebration of their 12th anniversary held another garden show. Venue was the sprawling Narra Park in Ayala Alabang. The theme of the show was pocket gardens and most of the entries displayed simplicity at its best.

The first prize entry was exhibited by the group headed by Pearl Basco and was called "Edibles and Flowers." This novel entry had a very original design. It used edible varieties of lettuce which were interspersed with locally grown Malaysian mums, tomatoes, herbs and other edible plants. Another original touch were the corn plants that were transplanted to form the fence of a pocket garden.

Former First Lady Ming Ramos, honorary member (since she is an Alabanger, too) of the club, and Mila Sumulong were the prominent guests of the show. This writer and Joe Basco joined them in the cutting of the ceremonial ribbon. After the brief welcome remarks delivered by the incumbent president of the garden club Bess Masangkay and the short speech by Sumulong, guests were invited to partake in a simple but sumptuous merienda-cena.