Melendres in full bloom

Melendres in full bloom

The melendres in my parents' home is in full bloom. The flowers are bunched into what looks like pom-poms. My mother gave us melendres on a pot as a housewarming gift and we transferred it to a larger pot so it can grow bigger.

Melendres in full bloom with my parents' home where I grew up in the background.

Close-up of the flowers

Flowers just starting to bloom at our home. This came from the same tree at my parents' home.

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Mama's garden

Mama's garden

I was featuring my mother's garden but have not shown it in perspective. Following is a photo of the 'larger' part of her humble garden, which basically goes around my parents' home. You can see the orchids here that are the main attractions. Most of the plants are relatively low maintenance and our kasambahay Ate Ellen helps her care for the plants. As the wet season has arrived, they won't really have to water the plants that much.

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Orchids at Mama's Garden

Orchids at Mama's Garden

I had written about my mother's fondness for plants, especially orchids. I recall that she was so delighted by the waling-waling I had brought from Davao from my first trip there. It took some time before that orchid flowered and when it did, it was so impressive. Unfortunately and mysteriously, the orchid died after flowering. Mama and Tatay believed that the waling-waling was indeed for Davao only. That was over 15 years ago and perhaps I need to go back and get some samples of the orchid again to prove that it will grow here. Anyhow, following are two falenopsis orchids currently in full bloom at my mother's garden in Cainta.

These falenopsis orchids are the latest in her collection

It seemed a coincidence that the orchids we gave her a few years ago are currently in full bloom

She also has dendrobiums and vandas but these have no flowers now. I noticed this afternoon though that one dendrobium just started to grow the stem from which flowers will come out of. Mama no longer uses fertilizers to induce the orchids and just let them be. I will take some more photos next time I visit my parents' home.

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