MANILA, Philippines—The need to maintain a three-hectare property in Antipolo, coupled with a love for the arts, prompted Edna del Rosario to develop Jardin de Miramar, a venue for outdoor special events.

Formerly known as Villa Leona, the property was a weekend getaway for Del Rosario’s family and an oasis to entertain friends. To keep the place alive all year round, she turned it into a destination of sorts.

Jardin de Miramar has served as location for a telenovela, a movie, garden weddings, debuts and children’s parties.

The broad expanse of greenery, dotted with fruit trees shooting up to the sky and natural woodlawn, is accentuated with commissioned artworks.

The feeling of being far removed from the madness of the city starts in the winding driveway leading to a rotunda, studded with towering mango trees and pugad lawin, and edged with dieffenbachias with patterned leaves to break the monotony of green.

Snidus ferns, resembling banana leaves, create large nests all over. Huge ferns grow in clusters on the pugad lawin tree branches. Like many tropical gardens, green is the crowning color, starting with ribbon and carabao grasses that glow like unpolished emerald.

Growing trees—palm trees, bamboos pugad lawin, mango and other fruit-bearing trees—is Jardin’s other indulgence. They not only give shade, their majestic trunks and sprawling branches also provide contrast to the green of the landscape.

Clusters of yellow peanuts, bromeliads, kutsaritas, yellowtail cassandras, mother-in-law tongues and a grouping of bamboo orchids, bandera Españolas and firespikes relieve the evenness of copious matte green mounds.

Instinct

Other touches of color are the forget-me-nots and lavenders in little pots, pink flowering vines, creeping bougainvillea vines, philodendrons intertwining with other vines, orange costuses, yellow irises that cover the trees and ground orchids.

Pink and white Doña Auroras embellish the fence, rimmed with palm trees. Zamias and candletops or yellow moss cover the old urns.

As in most Filipino gardens, don’t ask the gardener how plants are arranged. Plantings are done as if by instinct—the syngoniums by the coral tree and palmeras or pothos growing alongside feather palms.

By the waterfall, scented bushes of the damas del dia give a sweet and subtle scent. Little groupings of water lilies, money tree, water lettuces, horsetails, star jasmines dangling from the phoenix palms permeate the area as well.

Each spot has its unique character. In the driveway, metal sculptures of children by Michael Cacnio underneath the mango trees provide an exuberant touch. Paradiso, a multilevel garden designed by artist Tony Leaño, evokes a tropical scene with royal palms rimmed with elephant’s ear plants and a soothing waterfall.

Pergola has a vine-covered gazebo as the focal point, surrounded by water features with bromeliads, ti plants, heliconia, rhapis and costuses, a kind of ginger plant with spirally arranged leaves. The Terraza is a three-level terrace shrouded by giant branches of a mango tree.

The Galera, with its maritime theme, has rhapis and tumbergia vines wrapping around salvaged parts from old ships. Its center of attraction is Noah’s Ark, a 50-year-old boat, renovated by sculptor Ral Arrogante, and dramatically lit by Shoko Matsumoto. Rhapis and tumbergias emphasize the distressed surface of old ships.

Ed Castrillo’s fish sculpture makes a dramatic statement.

Romantic

The Intramuros venue is the most romantic. Tumbergias and millionaire’s vines drape the moss-covered adobe walls and arches, over a pond filled with healthy kois. Forget-me-knots and Boston ferns line the bridgeway, evoking a nostalgic past.

It complements the pavilion called Sevilla, which has tropical foliage motifs to show the link between the outdoors and indoors.
Nature murals by Alfred Galvez, windows displaying pocket gardens and large, leaf-printed lighting fixtures by architect Wendy Regalado break up the white walls.

The native-theme Ylang-Ylang showcases an outdoor setting of bamboo and sawali walls facing the untamed rapture of Miramar’s forest. Sanggumay orchids dangle from the surrounding mango trees. Traveler’s palms are highlighted by pink gingers and pothos plant.

The lushness of the pugad lawin, ti plants, rhapis and ferns enriches the facade of Casa Santa, home to a collection of over 2,000 Santa Claus icons. Sculptor Daniel dela Cruz is working on a metal sculpture of larger-than-life-size bride, while environmental artist Reggie Yuson is completing a cube fountain.

Clearly, on top of the commissioned artworks, Jardin de Miramar is also a work of art, contrived by nature itself.

Jardin de Miramar is at 276-279 San Jose Extension, Antipolo. Call 8171591, 0917-7923915 or 0922-8923917. E-mail Miramar@globenet.com.ph or visit www.miramar.com.ph