It was a sunny Thursday morning on the way to Makati Business District’s Hotel Intercon Manila. This was our meeting place for the shuttle van ride to IslandRose‘s flower farm in Tagaytay.
The IslandRose.net website has been around for quite a while and we know them as the pioneer in locally bred online cut flower business with delivery. Care to know how that dozen of flowers ended up from your PC to your doorstep?
IslandRose Flower Farm Tour
A right turn on the street corner of Sonya’s Garden in Tagaytay, a huge sliding green gate guards the 5 hectare rolling hills of IslandRose’s flower farm.
First, we saw the water tank which serves as their reservoir that can also collect rain water.
2 hectares of the land area, at the maximum of 3, is dedicated to three sets of Greenhouses – the highest, middle and lower level. Each of the levels has 3 green houses which holds different groups of flower varieties including Dutch and French.
We went to the 2nd and third levels where small budding flowers greeted us.
The first one is a Glass Greenhouse which means the overhead panels covering the green house farm is made of glass. Most of the facilities are automated from the overhead panels which control the amout of heat and rain that comes into the green house.
There are also huge industrial fans which regulates the heat from the inside. Temperature is also maintained by automated spray of mist.
Water and fertilizer is injected directly to the soil through distributed irrigation for efficiency and effectiveness.
The second one we visited is the Dutch varieties which include the pink flower Cool Water variety. A name based on the commercial Cool Water perfume. But no, these flowers are not used in the essence of Cool Water perfume. It’s for marketing purposes only. 🙂
They have mainly three rose variants: the thornless and thick-stemmed Grand Galla rose wih dark red buds, the long straight-stemmed Red Giant rose, and the Red France rose with vibrant red petals. Grand Galla rose is Island Rose’s best selling rose.
On the other hand, the Osiana Rose features peach-colored buds while the Noseblesse rose has salmon pink petals while Vivaldi Rose and Texas Rose grows with light pink and golden-yellow buds, respectively.
After the flowers are harvested, the cut flowers are brought to the warehouse for selection, trimming, intial packing, and cold storage. These are then sent to Manila to the wholesalers, partners, and retailers.
Aside from the regular traditional sale system, IslandRose also sells directly to customers online with IslandRose.net.
Producing over 2 million European roses a year and delivering almost 5 thousand of the 12 rose varietues everyday, they have also exppnded their busniess recently to include other items paired with flowers such as teddy bears, and of ourse, chocolates (Belgian Chocolates).
You could directly order all of this from within their website complete with e-commerce payment transaction and doorstep delivery with partner LBC.
“Roses have all the beauty and meaning to express a range of human emotion, idea or thought,” says Dustin Andaya Chief Executive Officer of Island Rose. “More commonly. we know that red roses signify love and passion; but there are also yellow roses which celebrate friendship and joy.”
i am proud that we get to have this flower farm in our country.
Cool! Malapit pala sila sa may Sonya’s Garden.
@eripples – I believe we have more flower farms around specially in the provinces.
I think what’s somehow unique to Island Rose would be their use of computer/automated systems in contrast to manual care. 🙂
Hi can we also visit the farm? Are they open for visitors? Thanks
Yes they are. Call Island Rose Farm first
Prob is we dont have landline here in the farm is there any other contact number?
@Sebs, yeah, on the highway (from Manila), turn right on the corner before you pass Sonya’s Garden. The large green gate is the Island Rose flower farm
hello poh i just want to know if may kulay blue poh kayo ng roses
Hi, how much niyo nabili yung roses? and pwede ba na troops lang kayo na bibisita? thanks!
Hi Den – pls check http://www.islandrose.net/ for the blue rose availability.
Bukz – you have to get permission before visiting. This is usually allowed only for school trips (educational institutions).
hi would like to ask if island rose is open to public? can one just drop by and see the flower farm ? thanks 🙂
@Cha
I think it’s not readily public to the public. There’s a gate though. 🙂
Hi,
Me and my family want to visit Island Rose this coming sunday.
Saan at paano magpasched?
Thanks, Rose
hehehe.. napadaan lang po.. Maganda talaga ang farm.. 🙂
hello, may i know if we could visit the farm? if we can gain access?
Can i buy a plant rose from your company
Do you still allowed Day Tour in your farm? Possible Nov 19 po sana