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CASA DE NIPA

Canlubang, Laguna

Designed by Cecilia Yulo Locsin

Narra, frangipani and Bismark fan palms cast dappled shade over groupings of Acalyphas, Crotons, Cordylines, Heliconias, Rhapis palms, Fukien tea and Osmoxylon geelvinkianum in the exquisite and richly planted borders of Casa de Nipa.

You get to Casa de Nipa down one of those narrow, dusty country roads (meant to be a shortcut!) that pass through a subdivision under construction, via an industrial zone, uphill and down until you get deeper and deeper into the Canlubang countryside. Just when you conclude you are on the road to nowhere, you reach a wooden gate with a guard who assures you that you have arrived at your intended destination.

The gate opens onto a heavily wooded entrance drive. Ahead is a large house, perched on a platform of lawn surrounded by lavishly planted borders of the most exquisite tropical plants you have ever seen. Originally built in 1915 and renovated in 1999, the dwelling was designed along the lines of a modern bahay kubo, sometimes referred to as a nipa hut, after the leaves that are used for the roofs of this kind of abode. The house was the result of a collaboration between Andy Locsin of LV Locsin Partners and Noel Saratan. The garden, except for a new water garden added recently, was the creation of Cecilia Yulo Locsin.

The shaded front entrance with a checkerboard floor also serves as a dining area and viewing spot from where one can admire the garden.

The garden is divided stylistically into three parts: The first part, around the house, is all gentle curves following the perimeter of the property. There is an abundant profusion of copper Acalyphas, thick, leathery Crotons and green and variously-tinged Cordylines backed by stands of Heliconia caribaea ‘Pupurea’ and Rhapis palms. Beneath an impressive kamuning tree (Muraya paniculata) by a natural pond is a giant clump of Osmoxylon geelvinkianum underplanted with purple elephant ears, Chrysothemis pulchella and maroon-colored Aerva sanguinolenta.

Away from the house, the middle part comprises a swimming pool and a patio laid out in piedra China pavers. Structured plantings of Ficus, palms and Dracaena work well with sculptural stone seats; both indicate the presence of the owner’s controlling hand. Garden and water meet and merge here in a new manmade pond designed by Ponce Veridiano. Complementing the design, the shapes become more organic and the planting more natural. Different varieties of bamboo are juxtaposed against boxed forms of Eugenia, Miagos, grasses and aquatic plants; all provide a contrasting play of light and shadows in this delightful area.

The third part of the garden is a large stone patio with a vine-laden stone and wooden arbor and a pond alive with koi. This space, designed by Noel Saratan, was intended as a dining pavilion as well as a reception area.

The abundance of well-established trees— Ficus balete, Saraca, narra (timber trees in the genus Pterocarpus), sea hibiscus, frangipani or Plumeria, as well as mango and santol fruit trees and a wide variety of palms (Bismark, Corypha elata, Areca sp), gives this garden an integral unity and lasting bond with the landscape.

Wide, capiz framed windows look out onto a border teeming with pink ginger or Alpinia purpurata.

A pair of stone benches invites visitors to pause and take a break.

Luscious tropicals are skillfully arranged in beds beneath an old tree.

Thick plantings of green Miagos, Osmoxylon geelvinkianum, contrast with the yellow-green foliage of Philodendrons, maroon ti plants and Acalyphas.

The silver-purple tints of a patch of Strobilanthes dyerianus add subtle color in a bed.

A narra tree, Pterocarpus indicus, commands the landscape. Narra hardwood is purplish and rose-scented; as it is termite resistant, it is a popular wood for furniture and flooring.

A thatched gazebo overlooks a new man-made pond (seen on right from above). Designed by landscaper Ponce Veridiano, it is planted with several varieties of bamboo, clipped Eugenia shrubs, grasses, Osmoxylon geelvinkianum, Sanseviera trifasciata, irises and lotus.

The large stone pavilion with a vine-laden arbor and adjacent koi pond.

A stairway leading to the house is given special treatment with selected ornamental plantings.

A swimming pool with a Jacuzzi is nestled against a backdrop of luxuriant tropical vegetation.