Blooms of the Past: How Nostalgia Gardening Is Taking Root

Amid the hum of high-speed living and ever-shifting trends, certain things quietly endure. For garden lovers, that constancy often blooms in heirloom flowers passed down through generations – petaled memories nurtured in soil tilled by grandmother’s hands. There’s comfort in seeing the same vibrant blooms that Lola once cherished now thriving in one’s own garden.

At the Negros Occidental Garden Club’s (NOGC) July general assembly, held recently at the Acacia Hotel in Bacolod City, Club president Lope Nonoy Napao shed light on a growing movement dubbed nostalgia gardening. This revival celebrates old-fashioned floral favorites – varieties once lovingly tended in family plots – now finding fresh life in modern gardens.

“These blooms resonate,” Napao told members. “There’s something deeply connective about watching the very same flowers from your childhood garden blossom again each season.”

The charm of nostalgia gardening lies not just in beauty, but in memory. Even those without green thumbs recognize the timeless appeal of a rose or hydrangea – and often carry gentle associations with the gardens of their youth. Varieties like hibiscus, adelfa, zinnia, melandres, clerodendrum and plumeria are returning in full bloom, bridging generations in living color.

As Napao said: “Gardens, after all, are more than hobbies – they’re tributes to love, legacy and the quiet rituals of remembrance.”

Following his talk, the room bloomed with spirit. The Calachuchi group, gracious hosts of the July assembly, delivered a vibrant performance of song and dance that echoed the joy of the occasion. It was an afternoon steeped in color, connection, and shared tradition – a celebration where memory took root and community flourished.* (Robert Harland)