PROPERTY CLEAN UP PROJECT OF A COUPLE PROGRESSED INTO A PROLIFIC URBAN GARDEN
Agriculture|July - August 2021
A PARCEL OF LAND can mean countless opportunities, may it be for commercial or residential purposes. For a couple named Cristina and Carlo Guerrero, a biologist and visual artist respectively, an idle family property is something that they can transform into a beautiful creation.
VINA MEDENILLA
PROPERTY CLEAN UP PROJECT OF A COUPLE PROGRESSED INTO A PROLIFIC URBAN GARDEN

From an initial plan of cleaning up their neglected city lot, the Guerreros decided to turn it into an urban garden instead. “The house was not visible from the outside and had been in severe despair for over a decade before we took on a project of restoring it,” says the Guerreros.

They rehabilitated and transformed the untended land into a garden using fostering natural farming and environmental rehabilitation through bioremediation, a process of cleaning contaminated environments without the use of harmful chemicals and by utilizing microorganisms, plants, and other living organisms.

Athena’s Garden is a 1100sqm space found in San Juan City, Metro Manila that serves as “an urban renewal and botanical conservation project” of the Guerreros. In hopes of creating a beyond beautiful and creative garden concept, the couple named it after Athena, the Greek goddess of war, art, and practical reason. Since Athena is a goddess of war, and coincidentally, they are the Guerreros, which translates to warriors, they feel that they are taking up the cause of Mother Nature.

We [both] have been raised believing in the nourishing and healing power of nature so we always had fruit trees, vegetables, and medicinal plants around our home. We love beautiful landscapes and we dreamed of designing a garden and creating our little piece of paradise in the city,” says the duo. For them, Athena’s garden serves as an oasis from the hustle and bustle of city life. It is open for students and visitors who are looking for a green space in town. However, due to the pandemic, the garden is temporarily closed for safety reasons.

INSIDE ATHENA’S GARDEN

This story is from the July - August 2021 edition of Agriculture.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the July - August 2021 edition of Agriculture.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM AGRICULTUREView All
TAKING THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED PROMPTED A COUPLE TO BUY A LOT AND START THEIR OWN FILIPINO DREAM OF FARMING
Agriculture

TAKING THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED PROMPTED A COUPLE TO BUY A LOT AND START THEIR OWN FILIPINO DREAM OF FARMING

ED AND CECILE GABATAN have been working in the corporate world for years. Like many other Fllipinos who have spent their work days dealing with paperwork and facing a computer, they too, dream of retiring on a farm someday where they can enjoy the fresh breeze and grow their own food.

time-read
4 mins  |
November - December 2021
URBAN GARDENER GROWS FOOD IN PLASTIC DRUMS AMID THE QUARANTINE FOR THEIR FAMILY'S FOOD SECURITY
Agriculture

URBAN GARDENER GROWS FOOD IN PLASTIC DRUMS AMID THE QUARANTINE FOR THEIR FAMILY'S FOOD SECURITY

IN QUEZON CITY, Daisy Cu, 46, began growing vegetables in their residence as an attempt at food security and self-sufficiency. Cu has been tending ornamental plants and fruit-bearing trees for years now. Her free time during the quarantine allowed her not only to focus on cultivating her existing plants, but also to produce vegetables at home using plastic drums. Cu's goal to provide food for their family is what urged her to establish a decorative, yet an edible garden incorporating ornamental and food crops. "With the use of the blue drums, I was able to achieve my intention of creating an edible but decorative garden plus I was able to repurpose the drums as well,” Cu explained.

time-read
3 mins  |
November - December 2021
YOUNG SEAFARER GROWS GRAPES TO GET BACK ON HIS FEET
Agriculture

YOUNG SEAFARER GROWS GRAPES TO GET BACK ON HIS FEET

BEING A SEAFARER is one of the most arduous jobs that one can engage in. Not only does it require a good amount of physical strength and endurance, but it also calls for a sound mental and emotional capacity. These qualities help them survive for months on end at sea, far from their family and the usual comforts they are accustomed to.

time-read
4 mins  |
November - December 2021
SOFTWARE ENGINEERS ESTABLISH FARM TO EARN PROFIT AND FOSTER FOOD SECURITY
Agriculture

SOFTWARE ENGINEERS ESTABLISH FARM TO EARN PROFIT AND FOSTER FOOD SECURITY

PHILIPPINE AGRICULTURE has had its highs and lows over the years. Some examples of its low points include oversupply in farmers' crops, and land grabbing. Meanwhile, it has also seen some success through the rise of farm tourism destinations, the establishment of farm to market roads, and programs aimed to help out the Filipino farmer.

time-read
3 mins  |
November - December 2021
SENIOR CITIZEN'S QUEZON FARM IS THE PRODUCT OF HARD WORK
Agriculture

SENIOR CITIZEN'S QUEZON FARM IS THE PRODUCT OF HARD WORK

ROMULO B. AYAG , or Ka Mulong as he is fondly called, owner of Ka Mulong’s Farm, had to go through a tough life to obtain the hard-earned achievements that he and his family now savor.

time-read
4 mins  |
November - December 2021
RETIRED CORPORATE EMPLOYEE IS NOW A FULL-TIME FARMER
Agriculture

RETIRED CORPORATE EMPLOYEE IS NOW A FULL-TIME FARMER

A LOT OF PEOPLE become farmers in retirement. One of them is Thelma Murillo, a retiree who is now a full-time farmer after working in the corporate world for more than 30 years.

time-read
6 mins  |
November - December 2021
MANILENO FAMILY WHO MOVED TO ALBAY FINDS SUCCESS IN FARMING AND EARNS OVER P60,000 A MONTH
Agriculture

MANILENO FAMILY WHO MOVED TO ALBAY FINDS SUCCESS IN FARMING AND EARNS OVER P60,000 A MONTH

LIVING IN THE CITY means convenience and other benefits, but it also entails bearing with traffic, noise, and pollution. For this reason, others may find urban life exhausting, making them yearn for a peaceful and healthy environment.

time-read
7 mins  |
November - December 2021
REMOTE FOREST FARM IN RIZAL BOASTS AN  ALL-NATURAL FARM EXPERIENCE
Agriculture

REMOTE FOREST FARM IN RIZAL BOASTS AN ALL-NATURAL FARM EXPERIENCE

IN HINDUISM, Vaikuntha is the name of the celestial abode of Vishnu, one of the three main gods of the religion who is responsible for protecting and maintaining life on earth.

time-read
5 mins  |
November - December 2021
FORMER OFW RUNS INTEGRATED NATURAL FARM IN ORIENTAL MINDORO, DONATES FARM PRODUCTS AMID PANDEMIC
Agriculture

FORMER OFW RUNS INTEGRATED NATURAL FARM IN ORIENTAL MINDORO, DONATES FARM PRODUCTS AMID PANDEMIC

LOVE AND PASSION are the two things that spurred Ramona M. Pastor, owner of HN Organic Farm, to fully devote her time to farming after working in various fields abroad for over 10 years.

time-read
5 mins  |
November - December 2021
FARMERS' DAUGHTER DEVELOPS A FARM RESORT THAT EARNS PROFIT AND PRESERVES THE ENVIRONMENT
Agriculture

FARMERS' DAUGHTER DEVELOPS A FARM RESORT THAT EARNS PROFIT AND PRESERVES THE ENVIRONMENT

PEOPLE sometimes have the false notion that farmers would not wish for their children to follow in their footsteps, or that the youth have no interest in farming like their ancestors.

time-read
3 mins  |
November - December 2021