He used to be president of a leading Filipino seed company. But about three years ago, he gave up his top executive job to be on his own as a full-time flower farmer in his hometown, Lucban, Quezon.

The fellow is Michael Caballes, former president of Allied Botanical Corporation who put up his Bukid Amara, a flower farm in Brgy. Malupak, Lucban. In just a couple of years, he has transformed a 2.7-hectare property into a floral paradise now frequented by local and foreign lovers of flowers.

Mike has a bright business strategy. To attract people to his place, he grows gorgeous flowering annuals that are mostly in hanging pots or  baskets although some are also grown in pots full of floriferous annuals that include petunias, trailing vinca, geranium and others.

Another smart strategy is introducing the unusual, the varieties that are not yet found in the country. One example is the white sunflower. He has also the common yellow varieties but the white one is practically unknown to many. He said he also plans to introduce a magenta sunflower. Surely, that will attract a lot of millennials as well as baby boomers who would like to take selfies in the garden.

One other novelty is Cosmos that comes in colors of pink, white, and red. Most people in the Philippines only know the yellow cosmos.

And there is the blue sage which looks like lavender. It makes a spectacular bedding plant. Another is the gomphrena with red round flowers.

Mike can be contacted at 0998-731-2339.