For some, gardening is a hobby, for others, it's a passion. In the case of Harly Sabater, it’s definitely the latter.
The Abu Dhabi resident from the Philippines started his plant collection when he moved to the capital more than 10 years ago.
It all began with a humble cherry tomato plant, but his collection has since grown to more than 400 plants, and includes alocasias, begonias and a Chinese pepper tree.
After 10 years of living in an apartment and tending to an indoor jungle, Sabater decided to bite the bullet and move into a villa this year. Its primary attraction was the large garden, of course, and he says having an outdoor space is, for him, a "UAE goal achieved".
“I have always wanted to live somewhere where I could garden, really dig through the dirt. For me, having a garden connects me to nature. It keeps me grounded and sane, and is a form of meditation. It is what makes me feel at home and brings me joy,” he says.
“Especially now, since the pandemic, when we are all spending more time at home, we need these activities that keep us busy and engaged. Gardening is a very effective way of coping with the new normal, I think.”
Sabater moved at the beginning of July, with one truck required just to move his plants. He then took a few days off work to transform his garden into a Zen retreat, at minimal expense.
His garden buys include four wooden planks (Dh92), 23 concrete bricks (Dh46) and a wooden chest for storage that doubles up into a seat (Dh400).
While the majority of his plant collection is now outside – including many of his bonsai trees (Sabater has at 13 of them), many of his more delicate plants have had to be placed indoors to escape the heat.
His collection includes certain species that require tropical climates, and he has a humidifier to tend to them.
As soon as the sun sets, I spend all my time in the garden, tending to it and organising things
He’s already making headway on his new villa garden but, as he puts it, creating one is a never-ending process and this is just the beginning. His future plans include repotting some of his current plants, planting new fruit-bearing trees and creating a Japanese rock garden.
“I’m very excited. During the day, it’s too hot to be outside, but as soon as the sun sets, I spend all my time in the garden, tending to it and organising things."
Some of the plants found in Harly Sabater's garden:
- Pilea peperomioides or Chinese money plant
- Lithops, a succulent also known as 'living stone'
- Alocasia baginda, also known as dragon scale plant
- Bougainvillea pre-bonsai
- Madagascar palm
- Caladium humboldtii, also known as caladium mini white
- Variegatum monstrosum, also known as Micky Mouse taro
- Euphorbia lactea, a cactus also known as white ghost
if you go
The flights
Air France offer flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi to Cayenne, connecting in Paris from Dh7,300.
The tour
Cox & Kings (coxandkings.com) has a 14-night Hidden Guianas tour of Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. It includes accommodation, domestic flights, transfers, a local tour manager and guided sightseeing. Contact for price.
Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club race card
5pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic (PA) Prestige; Dh110,000; 1,400m
5.30pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic (PA) Prestige; Dh110,000; 1,400m
6pm: Maiden (PA); Dh80,000; 1,600m
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Championship (PA) Listed; Dh180,000; 1,600m
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Handicap; Dh70,000; 2,200m
7.30pm: Handicap (PA); Dh100,000; 2,400m
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
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SPECS
%3Cp%3EEngine%3A%20Twin-turbocharged%204-litre%20V8%3Cbr%3EPower%3A%20625%20bhp%3Cbr%3ETorque%3A%20630Nm%3Cbr%3EOn%20sale%3A%20Now%3Cbr%3EPrice%3A%20From%20Dh974%2C011%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Bio
Amal likes watching Japanese animation movies and Manga - her favourite is The Ancient Magus Bride
She is the eldest of 11 children, and has four brothers and six sisters.
Her dream is to meet with all of her friends online from around the world who supported her work throughout the years
Her favourite meal is pizza and stuffed vine leaves
She ams to improve her English and learn Japanese, which many animated programmes originate in
Pakistan v New Zealand Test series
Pakistan: Sarfraz (c), Hafeez, Imam, Azhar, Sohail, Shafiq, Azam, Saad, Yasir, Asif, Abbas, Hassan, Afridi, Ashraf, Hamza
New Zealand: Williamson (c), Blundell, Boult, De Grandhomme, Henry, Latham, Nicholls, Ajaz, Raval, Sodhi, Somerville, Southee, Taylor, Wagner
Umpires: Bruce Oxerford (AUS) and Ian Gould (ENG); TV umpire: Paul Reiffel (AUS); Match referee: David Boon (AUS)
Tickets and schedule: Entry is free for all spectators. Gates open at 9am. Play commences at 10am
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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South Korea
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Temple numbers
Expected completion: 2022
Height: 24 meters
Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people
Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people
First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time
First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres
Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres
Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The biog
Favourite film: The Notebook
Favourite book: What I know for sure by Oprah Winfrey
Favourite quote: “Social equality is the only basis of human happiness” Nelson Madela. Hometown: Emmen, The Netherlands
Favourite activities: Walking on the beach, eating at restaurants and spending time with friends
Job: Founder and Managing Director of Mawaheb from Beautiful Peopl
Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Safety 'top priority' for rival hyperloop company
The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.
He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.
“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.
“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.
HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon.
With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.
