an oasis in the middle of manila

In search for places where we could buy medicinal plants for re-planting, my groupmates and I found ourselves walking past Nakpil and Remedios to the Bureau of Plant Industry in Manila. When we got there, no one could believe that such a place exists in Manila. It didn't look, smell and feel like Manila! And as my groupmates kept on saying "Para tayong wala sa Maynila. Para tayong nasa probinsya."

Except that there's a building in the background...

This nursery was full of herbs and it smelled really good inside!

Malunggay in the City

And then the skyscraper in the background would remind you that you are still in Manila.

The largest siling labuyo (Capsicum frutescens). It was about five inches long.

I'm excited to go back there on Monday to purchase the plants. Most seedlings cost Php10 each, others are Php100 for 3 seedlings (rosemary, basil, etc.). They also have a personnel who's willing to lecture on medicinal plants (the 10 approved by the DOH).

I already wanted to buy plants for our QC home but that would have to wait because aside from the fact that we didn't have a car when we went there today, some renovations are about to take place at home so working on the garden would have to wait (but I'm going to be a clerk soon, and then an intern thereafter, and then would have to take the boards so I wonder when I will be able to do some gardening again.)