DMCI Homes to showcase landscaping expertise in Japanese garden-inspired Mandaluyong condo

Kai Garden Residences | October 12, 2018

Artist’s illustration of Kai Garden Residences’ lap pool adorned with flowering trees reminiscent of Japan’s iconic Cherry Blossom trees.

Unknown to many, the Philippines hosts a variety of beautiful flowering trees that could rival Japan's iconic Cherry Blossom and Japanese maple trees.

There's the radiant Pink Tabebuia (Tabebuia rosea) that produces light pink to purplish pink blooms and the flamboyant Palawan Cherry or “Balayong” (Cassia nodosa) whose lovely pale pink to white flowers help draw tourists to Puerto Princesa during summer. 

Others are more popular for their natural healing effects like the Salingbobog (Crateva religiosa) and Banaba (Lagerstroemia speciosa), but radiate a distinct splendor that is reminiscent of the admired Sakura tree. 


Artist’s illustration of Kai Garden Residences’ landscape resembling a typical Japanese Garden.

Known for its verdant landscapes in its resort-inspired condominium communities, DMCI Homes aims to utilize these varieties to create an impression of a typical Japanese garden in its Kai Garden Residences development in M. Vicente Street in Mandaluyong City.

"Since we have Japanese garden as the theme, we have to ensure that the setting seen in the property is similar to a typical Japanese garden.  To make our landscape distinctive and authentic, we will have the Philippine equivalent of these known Japanese flowering trees in Kai Garden Residences," DMCI Homes Landscape Manager Alexis Valiente disclosed.

"Like the Cherry Blossom tree, for example, we have candidates of the same form such as the flower-bearing Palawan Cherry and Banaba tree. Another is the Salingbobog which is a big attraction in UP (Diliman, Quezon City) during summer. We are already testing out saplings in our nursery," he continued.

Aside from endemic Japanese trees, Kai Garden Residences will also feature accessories and decorative stones fit for its Japanese Garden theme (artist’s illustration).

Apart from Philippine “Cherry Blossom” trees, DMCI Homes is also looking at the local counterparts of the elegant Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum) like the Fire tree (Delonix regia) and Palo Santo (Triplaris cumingiana Polygonaceae) to further inject color to the three-tower resort-inspired development's expansive open spaces and atrium gardens. 

Also being considered are the African Talisay (Terminalia mantaly), Katmon (Dillenia philippinensis), Narra (Pterocarpus indicus), Dita (Alstonia scholaris), Maki (Podocarpus macrophyllus), Ylang-Ylang (Caanga odorata), Lemon top (Ficus microcarpa), and Magnolia Tree (Magnolia grandiflora) which resemble the Black Japanese pine tree (Pinus thunbergii) as well as other gorgeous Japanese trees.

Meanwhile, among those being explored to provide structure and points of interest like the Japanese evergreen shrubs are the sweet-smelling Kamuning tree (Murraya paniculata), the fruit-bearing Camachile (Pithecellobium dulce), and the prolific bloomer Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea spectabilis).

Valiente said DMCI Homes aspires to maximize the potential of these flower-bearing trees to enliven Kai Garden Residences’ open space designed to be a dynamic garden sanctuary in the city—changing in appearance and ambiance throughout the year.

“Kai Garden Residences will be a unique development even by DMCI Homes standards as it will be the first project to use these trees en masse, showcasing a feast of colors when the garden is in full vigor,” he shared.

Nonetheless, Valiente said the landscape aspect is just one facet of the popular garden style.

“The basic principles of the style should be observed like borrowed scenery, nature miniaturization and symbolisms in order to produce an ambience that closely resembles that of the original,” he stressed.

Kai Garden Residences is one of the developments of DMCI Homes, known for building quality resort-inspired communities in Mega Manila, Baguio, Boracay and Davao City. Each of its properties is built with world-standard craftsmanship borne from D.M. Consunji Inc.'s over 60 years of expertise in the construction and development industry. 

To learn more about Kai Garden Residences and other DMCI Homes projects, call (632) 324-8888.  News and other updates are also posted on the company's official social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.