The time has come for nature-inspired developments

Green is in—and out. “In” means inside one’s house, room, or work-from-home space. “Out” means all the spaces outside of the house, such as the porch, balcony, or rooftop terrace. Even a person like me, who has absolutely no idea about indoor plants, was “tempted” one day to finally put that “green thing” on top of my work desk. A friend had it delivered to my house and made me promise to put it beside my laptop. He says that indoor plants would help me in two ways—to purify the toxins in the air and to serve as a “green patch” to look at to rest my eyes every now and then. 

After a few days of co-existing with another “living thing,” I’m now hooked with “it.” I don’t want to give it a name though, as I’m afraid I might suddenly talk to “it” and that’s not a good sign. But I’m thinking of putting plants in my bedroom, aside from putting more plants in my WFH space.

I’m now looking at plants and planters, and on tips to raise these green creations properly. It turns out I’m not the only one as across social media, it’s impossible to miss a post relating to a plant parent, or whom we call “plantitos/ plantitas”—people who have realized the importance (both aesthetically and physically) of these plants during the pandemic while stuck at home. While yearning for the outdoors, they have realized that they can bring the outdoors in through these potted plants.   

Space is not the issue. Those living in high-rise condominiums have created vertical gardens at their balconies or repurposed corners as home for their potted plants inside their living room. While those who have enough space outside their houses, meanwhile, have turned unused plots into gardens, planting colorful blooms or herbs they can use for cooking. 

Health experts can attest to the benefits of having plants, whether indoor or outdoor. Being surrounded with nature is a benefit that all health experts can agree on. As such, many individuals and families are now looking for homes that can afford them with such spaces and proximity to nature.

“We have seen how critical it is to have enough space to move around. Social distancing isn’t something we see as temporary. I think this will now become the norm and thus, it is important to live and reside in an area where there’s more than enough space for people to move around, have access to nature, and have good air quality to breathe in,” says Exequiel Robles, president of Sta. Lucia Land Inc.

“Never have nature and greeneries been more valuable than now. In fact, nature or the simple idea of creating your own green space has become a perfect therapy for many individuals while on quarantine. This is something that we have long advocated for.”

Robles has reached out to Manila Bulletin Lifestyle to present his company’s projects that would allow residents to commune with nature and, to some extent, realize their dream of becoming a full-fledged gardener or farmer. These projects include farm lots and lake communities that have proven to be valuable in today’s new normal. 

For example, one of the company’s projects is The Lake at St. Charbel in Cavite. It inspires an easy, laidback lifestyle with its lake, a picturesque lighthouse, and picnic area nestled in verdant greenery. Residents can enjoy the comfort and healing benefits of nature. On the other hand, leisure farm lots at La Huerta Farms and Residences in Laguna allow you to live sustainably as you enjoy a healthy harvest right from your backyard.

“We put a premium on wellbeing. We understand that homes are investments made to provide security and comfort to residents. So we continue to develop projects to help individuals achieve this objective. These projects allow future owners to achieve a certain level of convenience and serenity—something that we all need in these uncertain times,” Robles says. “Simply put, our lake developments and farm lots are projects that are built for and beyond the new normal. Here, one is afforded the luxury of space, the abundance of nature, and the valuable bounty of the earth at the same time.”