by Telly Gonzaga-Ocampo
When it is Summer
We are approaching summer time and it is in this season when kalachuchis are in bloom.
My Lola Danday’s kalachuchis were totally blown away by Odette except for a single big branch. And my daughter cut that single branch hoping to develop a beautiful crown in the future so that it will bloom again for the Sto. Entierro on Good Friday.
It’s been the tradition of the keeper of the Sto. Entierro to adorn the carro with white flowers of the kalachuchi.
There is another white kalachuchi in the Birhen De Los Remedios chapel in Baliaut but not big enough to supply with flowers for the Sto. Entierro. I hope the encargados led by the family of Nong Didoy will find bigger trees for their need. In less than a month, it will already be Holy Week.
By that time, the creep myrtles are already in bloom, too. Crepe myrtles in our time were the melendres. Most gardens, then, had their melendres. It’s in dark pink mostly, but my neighbour, Lel, has three colors of melendres from Thailand
One time, on my way to Tagbilaran, I chanced upon a blooming pink kalachuchi tree at the entrance of Guiwanon chapel. Same variety exists at the Tagbilaran park fronting the cathedral. They are all gwapa even after the storm. I wish I could have this kind of pink in my garden. I have four varieties with little flowers: 2 in white, 1 in yellow, and 1 in red. They are all in bloom – all ready to be plucked for Holy Week and during the Flores de Maria.
But alas, the younger generation does not look forward to the flores. They have so many activities to look forward to in summer
The victory flowers in red were so abundant in those times – my younger days. Those then were part of my Lola Danday’s collection. She tended her flowers for us to bring as offerings to the Blessed Virgin.