Terrazas de Flores Botanical Garden Cebu: An Artist's Xanadu
There is a special kind of mystery and beauty that only flowers can give. While relaxation often conjures up images of first class resorts, lavish dining experience, and world-class spa, I believe that its purest form and essence can be found in nature.
Flourishing on one of the mountain slopes in Malubog, Cebu City, an oasis of local flowers beautifully exists as a terraces. What used to be a plain two-hectare land is now a botanical garden dubbed as Terrazas de Flores Botanical Garden (flower terraces botanical garden). The garden operates following a vision to let the general public experience the beauty of a pure Cebuano garden. With its over a hundred and twenty-seven foliage local flowers, the garden seeks to reflect Cebuano ingenuity.
Terrazas de Flores doesn't limit itself as a tourist destination. The garden is set to commit itself in supporting nascent Cebuano artists by providing them a venue where they can showcase their talents and share them to the wider audience. An art gallery will soon grace the place. For similar reason, the garden hired local flower farmers to plant and tend the flora growing all over the place.
For the owner, the lush garden means more than running a simple business. The owner sees the garden as a way of helping fellow Cebuanos. To inculcate the educational value of the botanical treasures, Terrazas de Flores brings in the academe with its quest. The garden collaborates with the University of San Carlos, Department of Biology who helped the management identify the names of the flora as well as some key information about botany and horticulture.Together with San Carlos, the garden will soon provide lectures about botany focusing on the local plants indigenous to the Cebuano land.
The garden has a cafe that serves food and beverages such as coffee, tea and home-baked products. However, they do not serve rice meals.
In the cafe, you can enjoy sitting on one of their chairs overlooking the picturesque mountains of Cebu or you may sit on one of their chairs next to a man-made mini falls.
The garden's colorful cabanas are an ideal place for guest to relax and feel united with nature.
Nature is definitely at its own pace in the Terrazas de Flores. I was able to capture few shots of flower dependent insects, but I was only able to get a couple of clear shots. It was hard to take photographs of the butterflies and the bees dancing on the garden's air simply because they move too fast. My digital camera which is what I used to capture all of the images here is not at par with their speed.
With its surfeit of flowers, Terrazas de Flores is definitely any artist's xanadu. Who wouldn't find an inspiration while staying at the place? Be it a poem or any artwork, the garden can surely fulfill an artist's need for beauty.
They have different variants of roses; my favorite flowers. Every single one of them are beautiful in their own color and size, which is how humans should also be. I do hope we grow comfortably with each other just like those roses.
How beautiful life could be when you spend it reading on top of a mountain surrounded by flowers and while being serenade by the birds? I couldn't ask for more.
Aside from the inspiring quotes, are copies of poems etched in wooden blocks. They even have Lord Byron's She Walks in Beauty which is one of my all-time favorite poems.
I think poems written by Cebuano poets would go well in the garden as well since they are promoting homegrown culture. It would be great to witness the literary prowess of the Cebuanos which is very much healthy.
Terrazas de Flores Cebu Botanical Garden...
- is vehicle friendly. Even wheelchairs are very much welcomed in the place because the owners designed the garden with concrete main road and paths which are not slippery even though the place is steep. I suggest you wear comfortable walking shoes going there because going around the terraces is more like hiking. I'm not kidding guys. It's like an instant cardio which is great.
- has public restrooms available. They have one for the males and one for the females. The restroom has a full-size mirror which is good for people who will be doing pictorials in the place.
- is pet-friendly. You can bring your pets inside the garden as long as you take care of them.
- provides a great setting for comfort and relaxation. If the flowers and the natural breeze aren't enough, you can stay in one of their homely cabanas for an affordable price.
- does not allow the picking of flowers. I didn't see any rules posted on the garden while I was there, but it's common sense not to pick the flowers and to keep the place clean. As guests. we should also do our part.
- accept reservations for photo shoots such as prenuptial, engagement, birthday and anniversary shoots. So yes, they do charge for photo shoots. I believe is priced at 1,500php for the first hour and 500php for the next succeeding hours.
- doesn't sell plants.
- apply discounts for senior citizens, students and pwds as mandated by the law.
- does have cabanas but doesn't have cottages for overnight stay. You can't stay at the garden overnight, but you can enjoy the garden's evening backdrop.
Getting to the Terrazas de Flores Botanical Garden is very easy. If you are going to the place via habal-habal or a private vehicle, all you have to do is to tell the driver to drop you at the Malubog Integrated School which is located parallel to the garden.
Here's what the school looks like:
The garden's entrance:
Terrazas de Flores Botanical Garden is located along Trans-Central Highway, Malubog, Cebu City (900 meters from La Tegola, Busay), fronting Malubog Elementary School.
Business hours:
The garden is open every day from 7am to 8pm.
Entrance fee:
You can enjoy staying at the garden for an unlimited time for only Php100.00/person. However, the price is subject for change as it is the garden's introductory price. The good news is that the price is bound to increase not more than 50php.
Locals and foreign guests can enjoy the garden for the same price. Entrance fee is 50.00php for children, and those who are aged below 4, can go inside for FREE.
As a handsome plus, your 100 peso fee includes a FREE choice of drink.
Contact details:
The garden doesn't have a website yet, but you can visit their official Facebook account for more details or contact them at 09088947825 (smart) or 09176534227 (globe).
Terrazas de Flores Botanical Garden is a fresh refuge for anyone who wish to unwind and escape the revelries of the modern city with its rich floral scenery. If you have spare time, relax and indulge yourself in the beauty of nature offered by the garden. Life is short. Go out. Smell the flowers. Learn a thing or two about your local culture. Carpe diem!
love lots,
Tin
