Wherever it takes root, Ayala Malls always blooms where it’s planted. In addition to raising the bar in terms of innovative mall concepts, Ayala Malls is well becoming known for its great, open spaces and breathtaking landscapes. This season, Ayala Malls brings a fresh touch to its grounds with its unique organic gardens—its newest green initiative.
Following its highly successful Blooms campaign last summer that enlivened the malls’ garden spaces with beautiful orchids, native ferns and vibrant evergreens, Ayala Malls continues on to the next phase of its green campaign by growing organic herb and vegetables in its gardens.
A simple, yet beautiful addition to the Ayala Malls landscape, these gardens were built from recycled materials, and boast a variety of green produce including bokchoi, lettuce, sweet pepper, tomato, red lettuce, arugula, romaine, mustard, patola, chili pepper, upo, okra, pechay, kangkong, Baguio beans, sitaw, cucumber; and herbs such as basil, rosemary, mint, tarragon and oregano. These will not only help beautify the Ayala Malls open grounds, but will serve a higher purpose of educating the public about being more conscientious consumers.
“Ayala Malls has been actively and continuously improving its immediate environment by growing and enriching its gardens and parks, while encouraging its communities to adopt an environmentally focused mindset,” shares Myrna Fernandez, vice president and head of Leasing and Operations of the Ayala Malls Group.
“Our primary objective is to educate the community and inspire them to start their own organic gardens at home. We are changing the concept of ‘farming,’ which is no longer limited to suburban areas or farmland. People can grow their own herbs and vegetables by converting their unused spaces into one productive and edible garden.”
Through this unique initiative, Ayala Malls strengthens its commitment to preserve the natural flora of a place, and help build a greener, cleaner and more responsible community. Upon harvest, some of the crops grown at the malls will be sold to employees; the proceeds of which will then be used for the upkeep and maintenance of the mini farms.
“Shopping malls are no longer simply retail and dining destinations, but communal resources and platforms for environmental education. We aim to enhance our surroundings in a way that offers both social and health benefits beyond the traditional role of malls,” explains Fernandez. As part of its campaign, Ayala Malls will be organizing field trips in partnership with various schools, as well as host cooking demos, talks and feeding programs that will support NGOs.
This new green campaign is not a mere gimmick, but a true game-changing initiative that sets the example for other builders and developers who are looking to create more eco-friendly and sustainable communities. By the end of this year, edible gardens will become a permanent feature in all Ayala Malls.
To date, Market! Market!, Alabang Town Center, Fairview Terraces, and TriNoma have built their vegetables gardens on their rooftop. In Greenbelt, these organic gardens are already blooming gloriously, delighting all passersby. In addition to improving the aesthetics of the space, these gardens absorb heat and reduce energy consumption needed to cool down mall complexes.
Ayala Malls, indeed, fulfills its duty as a leader in the industry, encouraging its consumers and stakeholders to go green by breathing in a fresh concept to healthy, sustainable living.