Monstera deliciosa is one of the most coveted houseplants. With its Swiss cheese-like cuts and holes, this southern Mexico native is a sight to behold. Go on Instagram and you’ll easily find plant parents who post their monstera every Monday with the hashtag #MonsteraMonday.
Fun fact: the holes and cuts on the leaves grow in number as the plant grows. In their natural habitat, the plant grows attached to a tree. These cuts and holes allow sun to reach older leaves. They also prevent the leaves from getting damages when there are storms.
While it is ubiquitous on Instagram, it seems difficult to find this beautiful plant in the urban jungle. But we know where to find this beautiful monster and your other gardening needs (and wants).
Quezon City Memorial Circle (QCMC)
When Manila Seedling Bank closed in 2012, most of their tenants moved to the nearby QCMC. The park seems to have the widest plant selections among this list. There are two lanes of plant shops here. The first (inner lane) is along Circle of Fun. Here, you’ll find common tropical plants and shrubs for your landscaping needs. On the other hand, the outer lane may be accessed through the gate in front of the Department of Agriculture or the Commonwealth entrance. This lane has orchid stores. Here, you’ll also find houseplants like the monstera deliciosa (although it’s still rare) and the fiddle-leaf fig. QCMC is also the venue for orchid shows, which happen every February and August.
Open every day.
Located along Mother Ignacia St., Cedarhills has an array of gardening supplies. In fact, it feels like this garden center is an urban vegetable gardener’s wonderland. They carry an array of seeds suitable for growing in the city. Cedarhills also have a variety of both synthetic and organic fertilizers (try the fish amino acid on your vegetable seedlings and you’ll see fast growth). If you are starting your vegetable garden, you can also get containers and the ingredients of your growing media here.
At the back of Cedarhills, you’ll find Puentespina’s The Gift Farm, which sells waling-waling seedlings and Malagos chocolates.
Open from Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
While most of the plants that you may find at the garden centers along White Plains are available at QCMC, White Plains should be your go-to place for your overall garden landscape needs. At White Plains, you will find various shops selling rocks, wood, and other landscape accessories.
Open every day.
Primarily known as a pet hub, Cartimar also has a plant section. At their plant section, you’ll find common plants for landscaping purposes. However, if you plan to create an indoor water feature, the pet shops at Cartimar also carry basic needs for a planted fish tank: substrate, water test kit, driftwood, and plants. Here, you’ll find a variety of aquatic plants like java moss, anubias, and varieties of aquatic ferns. If you plan to visit Cartimar, make sure that you have basic knowledge of aquatic plants as every plant has different growing requirements.
Open every day.
General Merchandise at Hub Manila
Let’s be honest. Not everyone in the city has the luxury to keep a backyard garden. However, that’s not an excuse to neglect your desire to care for plants. At General Merchandise, you’ll find kokedamas by Basic Commodity and tiny aquatic plants by Alaala Sala. These plants are low-maintenance and can thrive indoors.
Open from Tuesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
At Centris Sunday Market, you’ll find fresh meat, vegetables, dry goods, and plants. Those who visit the Sunday market are often looking for native plants. Here, you’ll find common tropical plants and native orchid species like dendrobium anosmum, vanda lamellata, aerides species, and etc. If you plan to visit, go early in the morning since the Sunday market is only until early afternoon.
Open every Sunday, from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Writer: OLIVER EMOCLING
