Garden shows have a wonderful way of promoting agriculture, too. Although garden shows mostly focus on ornamental horticulture crops, non-ornamentals are also promoted. Just like when you will attend the forthcoming garden show in Los Banos on October 9 to 18, you will most likely encounter the newly introduced banana of Dr. Benito S. Vergara.

We are referring to a new dwarf saba banana variety which was introduced from Thailand a few years back. Dr. Vergara did not release the variety right away. He had to plant it first in a demo farm of less than a thousand hills to observe its performance in the field. After the plants had produced fruits, he had to subject the ripe fruits to a taste test. Then he had to test if the fruits are suitable for processing into banana chips. This he had it done by a commercial banana chips maker.

As Mrs. Lina Vergara attests, the ripe fruit tastes somewhat like our latundan. The banana chip, on the other hand, tastes much like those made from other varieties. It is possible that you might be able to acquire some suckers for your own planting.

Of course, ornamental plants are very much a part of agriculture. And they could be a good source of livelihood for both the hobbyist, the small sideliner, or the big time commercial grower. And we are told that this year’s garden show under the auspices of the Los Banos Horticulture Society will have its focus on palms and philodendrons in the garden.

Marina Catipon, LBHS president, said that new varieties of palms and philodendrons will be featured at the center stage exhibits at the Seniors Social Garden. The new varieties will include a giant Xanadu philodendron.

Former First Lady Amelita “Ming” Ramos, a certified plant lover, will formally open the show in the afternoon of October 9. On the next day, October 10, Fred Salud will lecture on practical guide to landscaping while Vic Chin will talk on the culture of Vanda orchids on Oct. 11. On October 17, Danny Tiu will talk on the culture of Grammatophyllums while Tere Saniano will discuss organic gardening for healthy living on October 18. The lectures will be held at 3 o’clock in the afternoon.