The Passionate Life of a Pervy Mom

In my family, it is my Da who likes to care for plants and pets. My Ma and I have always thought that gardening and caring for a pet are tedious tasks. So I have never really experienced what it feels like to have a garden and take proper care of it.

After my Da left for the US last year, our once beautiful garden had turned into one muddy, murky mess. I had all the carabao grass and shrubs pulled out. Why? Because I did not want the extra effort of gardening.

As months passed, I began to have a change of heart. My son had no place to run around and just be a carefree boy. I don’t want him to leave the confines of our property to play in the streets with the other children. So he’s always inside the house, miserable. And when in our muddy yard he’s always just so…. dugyot (dirty).

I resolved to have the patch of land improved by turning it into a beautiful garden. No more carabao grass, though. I never could walk around barefoot on carabao grass. So I thought to have Bermuda grass sodded into the soil.

But first I had the Guava tree, Balete tree, Papaya tree and the Bougainvillea uprooted. Those large trees I know I will never be able to maintain. This took about one whole day.

Then I went to a nearby nursery (Jocelia’s in Pacita Complex Phase 7) and ordered 35 sacks of garden soil and Bermuda grass sod enough to cover my front yard. One sack of garden soil costs Php 50 and one square meter of Bermuda grass sod costs Php 75. I wouldn’t be able to get the soil and the grass until after two days. I was told they would be ordering from somewhere else. Fine.

On the day the garden soil and the grass arrived and while the workers were busy planting the sod, I went with my helper to another garden (Bong-Bong’s garden along the Binan National Highway). I only wanted to buy some flowering plants to line the entrance path.

I bought Butones and Cosmos (Cosmos sulphureus). Php 20 per pot. I bought 11 of each kind. Then I used the Sanseveria (Espada plant) at the end of each row.

I thought of using the purple Butones plant and the orange/yellow Cosmos because of their contrasting colours. Besides the Butones is higher than the Cosmos, which makes for a dramatic “layering” or something like that.

But before I left Bong-Bong’s Garden, the fountain caught my eye. I wanted it. So I bought it. For Php 2,500. I also bought six stepping stones (designed like a flower), which matches the colour of the fountain. The stepping stones cost Php 100 each.

Then another thing grabbed my attention. The garden set. I thought it would be a nice addition to the garden. So I bought it, too. At Php 4,500.

I also bought other plants to liven up the place. But that is for another post. I didn’t really plan on spending on the fountain and the garden set. I originally planned on just the Bermuda grass laid out.

But you know, I think the end product is worth it. I love hanging out in the garden now. I eat my breakfast outside and it’s just so soothing. It’s like having my own magical place.