Smallholder Tree Growing in Philippine Back Yards: Homegarden Characteristics in Different Environmental Settings - Smallholder Tree Growing for Rural Development and Environmental Services - page 43

2.4.1 Homegarden Components

Residential area: A homegarden covers a residential lot with adjacent garden
field(s) cultivated by a family composed of one, or sometimes two or three (e.g.,
parents and grown-up children), households. Except for a few trees (particularly
Mangifera indica ) providing shade, the yard just around the bamboo or concrete
house is kept bare and serves as a play ground and place for relaxation, handicraft,
processing of crops, and other activities. Aside from a house and bare yard, the
homegardens in all villages contain one or more of the following components: store
house (on poles where close to river), water pump, bath area, toilet, shed(s) for
livestock, concrete platform for drying corn and rice, fishpond, compost pit, fences,
cultivated field, and orchard.
Tree and non-tree crop components: A diversity of trees, shrubs and herbaceous
plants providing food, medicine, fodder, fuelwood, fence material and timber are
found in and around the residential area with yard and houses, as will be discussed
in detail at a later stage in this paper.
Livestock component: Households often keep some livestock (Table 2.2) for
consumption during special occasions and selling during times of shortage or
whenever cash is needed for medicinal or other expenditures. Carabao is kept for
plowing wet rice fields and transporting goods and, in the upland village, for haul-
ing of (illegal) logs. Cattle is used for plowing dry fields and, like carabao, sold for
meat when needed. Few households have a fish pond in their garden. Meat, eggs
and fish are only consumed once a week or on special occasions when money is
available.
Ornamental plants: A border with common ornamental plants, including
orchids, can be found in almost every garden. In addition, ornamentals are often
used in hedgerow fencing, such as, Hibiscus rosa sinensis , Ixora sp., Dracena sp.,
Codiaeum sp., and Duranta repens . The most common ornamental plants encoun-
tered in this study are described by Madulid (2000).

2.4.2 Tree and Non-tree Crops: Species Diversity and Structure

A total of 155 different plant species (see Table 2.3) are identified, including 71
different tree species, all of which are being used - in one way or the other - by the
homegarden cultivators. If including ornamental plants, the total number of species
will increase up to at least 312.
The most abundant tree crop species are fruit trees such as mango ( Mangifera
indica ) and guava ( Psidium guajava ), leafy vegetable trees like horse raddish
( Moringa oleifera ) and Broussonetia luzonica , multipurpose trees like coconut
( Cocos nucifera ) and the timber tree Gmelina arborea (see also Table 2.6). Favorite
food and vegetable crops are banana ( Musa sp.), eggplant ( Solanum melongena ),
tuber crops like taro ( Colocasia esculenta ) and sweet potato ( Ipomea batata ), and