Author: Healing Present Nature & Wellness Center

For our Singing Feathered Friends

Featured by Healing Present Nature & Wellness Center, posted in Container Garden, Gardening and Landscape Design, School Gardens, wildlife garden

By Michelle Domocol
Back to Inflourish: Cebu

October in Cebu brings steady rainfall and a daily chorus of bird calls. Healing Present’s (HP) headquarters is located in the bustling, concrete landscape of Cebu City. It sits far below from the farm’s upland vegetation and pocket forests.

Photo 1. Features in Bird-friendly garden behind HP headquarters–A: Assorted foliage plants; B: Fruiting vines; C: Flowering ginger lilies; D: orchids attached to post

Although the headquarters are surrounded by cement homes and ragged roads, we manage to create an oasis for local birds (Photo 1). It’s truly awe-inspiring what a collection of potted plants, raised beds and vines can do (Photo 1). Without fail, every morning and afternoon, we are visited by local avians like black shamas, sunbirds, flowerpeckers, and more.

In general, adding plants that attract local birds benefits you and the local ecoystem. Birds visit urban gardens for food, water, and temporary protection from predators.

In turn, they grace us with relaxing songs. For some, birdsongs are reminders of our unique ecological heritage. These urban bird oases are also wonderful venues to teach children about nature without traveling too far from home.

Here are 3 strategies to create your own bird-friendly garden.

1. Offer a Fruit & Nectar Buffet. Add fruit-bearing and nectar-rich, flowering shrubs, vines and trees. If you live in a smaller space with a balcony or small courtyard, select dwarf fruit trees or shrubs that grow well in containers.

In urban Cebu’s humid, rainfall, and tropical climate, we can plant so many combinations of tropical fruit or berries. Try adding your favorite local fruit. I’ve seen birds flock to gardens with batwan, biasong, lomboy, or seryales.

If you have a larger space, add mature native trees and vines. As your fruit/flower garden matures, birds will appreciate the free food and nectar. You can add non-fruiting plants too. Birds like to protect themselves amongst large leafed plants (Photo 1) like elephant ear, ferns, crotons or other foliage.

2. Leave the fallen leaves. In Cebu, there’s a compulsion to constantly clean up old leaves. In a bird garden, fight this urge. You can sweep the leaves and debris under the plants. But please don’t throw them and worse yet, burn them. These precious leaves return nutrients to your plants. They also attract harmless insects birds love to eat.


3. Discourage cats. Cats can threaten and attack local birds regularly. In Cebu, sometimes it’s difficult to protect your garden from stray cats. If you have your own pet cat, try to keep it inside or away from your garden. You can also put a bell on your cat’s collar so birds are warned as it approaches.



Photos 2 to 5 are my sample designs to inspire your next bird-friendly garden.

Each design illustrates an outdoor space with bird-attracting flowering and fruiting plants. Native and endemic plant varieties are also highlighted.

“Tropical Lounge” (Photo 2)
Photo 2. “Tropical Lounge”

A: Outdoor seating area with cluster of native Phalaenopsis orchids, flowering Heliconia latispatha, and a local variety of Dwarf Lakatan bananas.
B: Bignay fruit tree (Antidesma bunius) and Kamagong (Diospyros blancoi)
C: Dwarf lakatan in container
D: Large-leafed foliage plants

○ ○ ○


“Relaxing Patio” (Photo 3)
Photo 3. “Relaxing Patio”


A: Kamuning shrubs (Murraya paniculata) around a pond
B: Talamisan Citrus tree (Citrus longispina) with Vanda orchids attached to trunk
C: Mix of Luy-a (Zingiber officinale), ginger lily (Zingiber spectabilis), and ferns
D: Reclining outdoor chairs to observe birds and rest

○ ○ ○


“Garden path” (Photo 4)
Photo 4. “Garden Path”


A: Walkway with bordering gardend. A mix of cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus) and local Santan shrubs (Ixora philippinensis).
B: Native Dendrobium orchids growing on decorative boulder
C: Behind the flowering borders, you can add large-leafed foliage like taro. If you have more space, you can plant trees like Cebu Cinnamon (Cinnamomum cebuense) or Banaba (Lagerstroemia speciosa)

○ ○ ○


“Terrace” (Photo 5)
Photo 5. “Terrace”


A: Islands of Gumamela varieties (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)
B: Dwarf Limonsito (Calamondin spp.) tree in a large circular raised bed with attached circular seating
C: Group of dwarf papaya growing in containers
D: More hibiscus shrubs in front of a slightly raised terrace

I hope these designs inspire some enthusiastic brainstorming for our feathered friends. Till next post, enjoy the rest of October’s birdsongs.

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“Gourd-geous” Garden (Part 2)

Featured by Healing Present Nature & Wellness Center, posted in Container Garden, Food Garden, Gardening and Landscape Design, Pergola

By Michelle Domocol
Back to Inflourish: Cebu Blog


This past May, I introduced some growing strategies for delicious and versatile gourds like kalabasa (squash), sikwa (luffa), kalabasang puti (kalubay/bottle gourd) and ampalaya (bitter gourd/bittermelon).

Now that it’s October, you can start planting more of these delicious, vining vegetables again. Plus, sayote (chayote) is another option that thrives in October’s weather.

Check out “Gourd-geous” Garden to review the basic growing strategies for gourds. In this post, I’ll explain the beneifts and techniques of gourd trellising. For detailed gourd garden designs, order my new Kitchen Garden design book.

Gifts of Gourd Trellising

Is trellising really worth it? Can we just let the gourds spread on the ground naturally? That is an option but here are some very important benefits to consider:

Photo 1. Left to Right: Examples of gourds growing on arches, pergolas, and wall trellis.
Photo 2. Types of vertical structures for trellising; A: Arbor or archway; B: Pergola with added trellis panel; C: Trellis panel with pot.
  • Save Space in Small Gardens. Some gourd vines can grow to 20 feet. With trellising, you can have a modest amount of space and still grow grow multiple varieties of gourds. Since they grow vertically along a fence, arch, trellis, or pergola (Photo 1 & 2), you cover less ground and occupy less garden space.
  • Keep that Gourd-geous Figure. When gourds hang on a trellis or vertical structure, they retain the shape of the vegetable (Photo 3). If ampalaya, sikwa, or young kalabasa develop on the ground, then can alter, flatten, or curl their natural shape.
Photo 3. Gourds hanging from pergolas and trellises. A: Sikwa; B: bottle gourd; C: Ampalaya; D: Sayote; E: Kalabasa
  • Happy Harvesting. It is much easier to harvest gourds hanging from trained vines. Mature gourds on the ground can be harder to see under massive vines on the ground. You don’t want to accidently miss a mature gourd hiding under leaves. This can easily rot and attract pests to your garden.
  • Simple to Support. Trellising and vertical vines make it easier to support and maintain growing gourds. When they are grown vertically, this improves ventilation and reduces fungal growth. You can easily detect and remove dead leaves. The vines are also easier to control and prune. On the ground, gourd vines can wrap around and smother other vegetables and herbs.
  • Functional Beauty. Imagine a beautiful fence with graceful ampalaya or sayote vines. Or picture a bamboo archway with mature sikwa and kalabasa hanging like christmas ornaments. Clearly, this is nature’s beauty. But you can also use gourds to create a functional screen that blocks unpleasant views. So if your neighbor has an unkempt backyard, a gourd wall might help.

Trellising Tips

So here are some tips and tricks to trellising.

  • Strong & Sturdy. Remember to make or purchase a vertical structure are strong enough to carry the weight of your mature gourds. Photo 1 shows different options for vertical structures. Each type of trellis, fence, arch or pergola can be strengthen with braces, bolts, and/or concrete footing. If you’re unsure, consult a professional to install your vertical structure.
Photo 4. Left: Gourd tendrils wrapping around trellis; Right: Tying and guiding gourd stem & vine.
  • Tying Vines. Gourds develop long tendrils as they mature (Photo 4). These tendrils naturally wrap around and climb vertical structures. As they grow older, you can guide the vines and tie the thicker tendrils and stems to the trellis or other structures (Photo 4). You can use
    • strong pisi (box twine/abaca string),
    • nylon string,
    • pantyhose fabric,
    • ribbons of soft cloth, or
    • plastic coated wire

to gently and loosely tie the stems to the structure.

Photo 5. Examples of gourd hammocks
  • Vegetable Hammocks. Once you notice vegetables developing on your gourd vines, you may want to add support. Heavy gourds can tug or pull down vines. If you observe this extra weight, add some hammocks. Use strips cloth, mesh netting or pantyhose. Tie the fabric to the vertical structure, then put the young vegetable into hammock (Photo 5).
  • Patient Pruning. Monitor your precious growing gourds. Feel free to prune or cut the side shoots of sprawling vines. You can even trim the vines when the start outgrowing the trellis. Trimming some of the leaf growth can divert energy and nutrients to vegetable growth.

Hope you enjoyed this mini-exploration into gourd-geous trellising. Until next post, happy gardening!

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October’s Optimistic Seedlings

Featured by Healing Present Nature & Wellness Center, posted in agroforestry, Container Garden, Food Garden, Gardening and Landscape Design, Raised Beds

By Michelle Domocol
Back to Inflourish: Cebu Blog

Gardening is a constant invitation to observe, experiment, and refine your plant growing techniques. October is an opportune time to learn new skills and sprout a wide range of optimistic seedlings.

In October, Cebu’s weather and rainfall is generally suited to planting squash seedlings, seeds of leafy vegetables, a few root crops, beans and more. Here are a few suggestions of specific vegetables you can plant from seed or seedling:

  • Leafy Vegetables: repolyo (cabbage), cauliflower, pechay, mustasa (mustard)
  • Onions: garlic (ahos), sibuyas bombay (onion)
  • Gourds: sikwa (luffa), calabasa (squash), kalubay (bottle gourd), ampalaya (bitter gourd), sayote (chayote)
  • Sun-loving veggies: kamatis (tomato), okra, taong (eggplant)
  • Roots: gabi (taro)

For a complete monthly planting list, download the free planting calender here.

This list above includes links to previous growing guides. Click on one of bold vegetable categories above to see my specific guides for squashes, leafy vegetables and more.

This past March, I introduced techniques like crop rotation. In that post, I explained how plants are grouped by their similar cultivation needs. Crop rotation is about enhancing plant compatibility.

Plant Incompatibility is when you place two vegetable groups with drastically different watering, sun, or soil requirements next to each other. Problems can occur. You may see stunted growth, leaf diseases from mineral deficiencies, mold, or pest infestations.

For more details, check out March: Food x Flower Gardens.

Below are some sample designs that integrate crop rotation groups and outdoor seating areas (Photos 1 to 3). The sample planting arrangements can be applied to home or school gardens. Each design features raised beds and plots with particular vegetable groupings. You’ll also notice pollinator attractants like cosmos and pest repellents like lemongrass.

A combination of Crop rotation groups, pollinator attractants and insect repellents ensure:

  • fertile soil (full of minerals and nutrients for healthy vegetables)
  • weed control, and
  • pest control
Photo 1. Design A


Leafy Vegetables & Onions
Combinations of repolyo (cabbage), cauliflower, pechay, and mustasa (mustard) are featured in all three designs. They all benefit from weekly watering and deep, fertilized soil. Remember you don’t need to grow all types of leafy vegetables in one space. You can combine 2 options like cauliflower and pechay.

Leafy vegetables and onions are commonly grown together (Photo 1 & 2). The members of the Onion family such as garlic and large white onions repel pests (like aphids and beetles) that can harm leafy vegetables.

Gourds
Gourds like sikwa (luffa), calabasa (squash), kalubay (bottle gourd), ampalaya (bitter gourd), sayote (chayote) really thrive in compost-rich soil and mulch. When they grow together, you can easily monitor their leaves. Gourds require ventilation and trellising to prevent mould on the leaves and vegetables. When they are in the same garden section, you can gently tie their long vines to a trellis, net, arbor, pergola (Photo 1 & 3). For instance, in Healing Present’s farm, we’ve grown sayote with ampalaya on the same trellis.

Photo 2. Design B

Sun-loving veggies
Kamatis (tomato), okra, and taong (eggplant) can be grouped together as well (Photos 1 to 3). All three of these vegetables need plenty of water, sun exposure, heat and well-draining soil. They also need lots of nitrogen in their soil.

Photo 3. Design C

Roots
Different cultivars of gabi/taro (Colocasia esculenta) can grown near edges of ponds or swampy areas. If you include these root crops in shallow ponds make sure the roots are planted in soil (Photos 1 to 3). They do not have floating roots. In some parts of the Philippines, gabi is combined with other species of taros like Xanthosoma sagittifolium, giant taro (Alocasia macrorrhiza), and swamp taro (Cyrtosperma chamissonis).

I hope this intro to plant compatibility and crop rotation inspires you to explore new gardening techniques. Be that new seedling…so full of potential and optimism. Who knows? This month you may find a technique that boosts your garden’s growth. Green fingers crossed.

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Lovely, Leafy Lagoons

Featured by Healing Present Nature & Wellness Center, posted in Container Garden, Gardening and Landscape Design, wildlife garden

By Michelle Domocol

Back to Inflourish: Cebu Blog

Lush lagoons are a wonderful site to relax. Sitting beside a pond or dipping your feet into a leafy lake has a restorative power for some. After an agitating day, watching water flow can slow down rattling thoughts and help you escape. You can lengthen you inhale and just concentrate on the wind pass through the waterside palms.

With some sturdy construction and consistent maintenance, a flourishing pond can provide an ample amount of respite. Sound appealing? Well here are some basic elements you can consider as you brainstorm your oasis.

  • Lagoon location. Choose a spot that has partial or full shade. This inhibits annoying green algal and mosquito growth and keeps your pond healthy.

In Healing Present, our main pool is shaded by tall palms, bamboo, vines, ferns, and a variety of low growing vegetation (Photo 1). The shade also keeps the water cool and refreshing during the dry, hot seasons. Healing Present also added fun fountains and mini-waterfalls to increase water circulation (Photo 1, C). That means less stagnant water eliminates mosquito infestations.

Photo 1. Healing Present’s lagoon: The partial shade, vegetation, & mini-waterfalls create optimal conditions for a healthy lagoon.
  • Details & Depth. The depth of your pond is up to you. It really depends on the intended function of your pond. Will it be decorative and part of a beautiful vista? Do you intend to swim in it? Would you look like to keep fish in the pond? Or would you like a mini local water habitat for your respite as well as for local fauna?

Research the appropriate depths for your pond’s intended purpose. Or consult a landscape professional for suggested pond depths.

Photo 2. Stone & concrete ledges in Healing Present Lagoon

In Healing Present, the lagoon is used for respite, swimming, and a local habitat (Photo 2). We also added sitting areas, lush vegetation, and stairs to achieve these functions. So we decided to build graded ledges around and inside the lagoon (Photo 2).

The deepest part of the lagoon is 1.2m (4 feet). This depth safely accomodates our youth and adult swimmers (Photo 2, B). Ledges within the pool provide built-in seating and steps (Photo 2, A) for swimmers. Terracing or graded areas around the pool make plant and water maintenance accessible and easy.

  • Leafy & Lush. For me, plant planning is best phase of a waterside project. When we add the right plants, a boring cement pool or fancy puddle comes alive. In the Philippines, a variety of:
    • water-loving lilies,
    • irises,
    • water reeds,
    • moisture-tolerant palms,
    • flowering gingers, and
    • colorful crotons

are commonly available.

Luckily, the tropics gift us with an impressive range of water-loving plants. Remember, with planning, your can choose plants that help you achieve your water garden’s intended purpose.

Perhaps you want specific floating plants for your fish’s food and protection. Or maybe you want low-maintenance, fast growing plants that grow all year-round so you can easily and shade your swimming spot. Or you may want native, moisture-tolerant palms and grasses that songbirds will like.

  • Illuminated evenings. Consider adding lights to your lovely water feature. Solar-powered LEDs or halogen lights extend the use of your pond into the night. With recessed lights or spotlights, you can enjoy the pond without tripping or accidently falling in.

Visitors can sit waterside or swim under the stars. You can add recessed lighting to garden steps or decks around the pond. Or you can add underwater lighting on the lagoon floor or in the pond walls. Alternatively, spotlights can also amongst the vegetation bordering the pond.

  • In-ground or Above ground. Many who’d dream of grand, flowing water feature get turned off by the construction process and investment. One way to install a pond or lagoon without digging holes is an above ground option. There are a variety of materials and designs for an above ground water feature.

You can create a beautiful no-dig, container pond. Your raised pond’s exterior can be gorgeous limestone bricks, stained concrete, treated timber, bamboo, or other weather-resistant local materials. Some even use re-usable exteriors like wine barrels and bathtubs. Photo 2 shows Healing Present’s above ground pond with a gray flagstone exterior.

Photo 2. Healing Present’s above ground pond; the fountain bubbler and aquatic plants increased water aeration.

Photo 3, A & B display two types of above ground ponds. Check out “Flowing Sanctuaries” to learn more about raised water features.

A. Above ground pond with stained concrete
B. Large terrazo stone bowl transformed into pond

Photo 3. Raised ponds from my article  “Flowing Sanctuaries”

Whatever decorative exterior you choose, make sure your pondliner is sealed and water-tight. Small pumps, fountains or pond bubbles also help the water aerated. This reduces unwanted mosquito and algae growth. A combination of shade, pumps, filters, and/or added vegetation keep you pond (Photo 2) easy to clean and maintain.

In many cases, above ground options are easier to construct and require less time. Plus smaller, preformed ponds or other types of container ponds can be dismantled or transferred easily. So if you’re planning to move in the future, you can transport the pond with you.

Thanks for browsing these 5 considerations. If you need more inspiration, here are more examples on waterside planting and garden stair lighting.

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Atis: The Ice Cream growing on Trees

Featured by Healing Present Nature & Wellness Center, posted in agroforestry, Food Garden, Gardening and Landscape Design

By Michelle Domocol

Back to Inflourish: Cebu

This September, atis is available at most fruit markets around the Philippines. I know most people associate atis with its custardy consistency. But I like to freeze fresh atis. Scooping out the smooth, creamy sweetness of frozen atis is second to none.

As farmers harvest ripe atis fruits, the trees continue to sprout new shoots. New atis leaves unfurl. Young fruits ripen till the next harvest (Photo 1). Under the best conditions, atis carry on  producing fruits from July to late November. Since September is part of the dry season, farmers continue to water and fertilize these precious ice cream trees. For detailed dessert garden designs, order my new Kitchen Garden design book.

Photo 1. Atis fruit maturing in the Healing Present agroforest. (Photo by S. Suson)

In celebration of Atis, I’ll share some cultivation tips (Photo 2):

  • Atis seedlings thrive in open, sunny spots with well-draining environments like limestone-based soils. Choose an areas with any obstructions like nearby buildings or powerlines (Photo 2). If an atis tree’s roots are crowded, obstructed, or rotting in wet soils, you will not produce healthy fruits. So be sure to give atis trees ample space and well-draining soil.
Photo 2. Main cultivation techniques for Atis tree
  • Make sure to weed around your atis trees. Ideally, 3 feet around the atis trunk should be weed-free (Photo 2).. Weeds include crab grass and common herbaceous growth around trees.
  • Atis don’t like competition from small weeds or other trees. Give at least 15 feet between atis and it’s neighboring trees (Photo 2). Many agroforests grow atis with mango trees and vegetable gardens. If you choose this mixed-crop planting technique, be sure to provide adequate spacing.
  • A 4-inch layer of vermicompost can be added around the base of the atis trunk (Photo 2). You can spread the layer 5 inches away from the trunk.
  • Atis trees are also periodically pruned to 8-12 foot high. If the grow taller, they may not get adequate air ventelation and sunlight throughout their branches (Photo 2).
  • Atis fruits are considered ripe when the segments on their greenish skin turn creamy-yellow. If they ripen on the tree, local birds and bats feast on the delicious fruit (Photo 3).  Sometimes, overmature fruits burst while attached to the branch.
Photo 3. Damaged, overmature atis may have burst or been partially eaten by a bat
(Photo by S. Suson)

Thanks for reading about my appreciation for Nature’s ice cream trees. Enjoy the rest of your week. And I hope you get to sweeten your weekend with some fresh atis.

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