A tulip garden, created from nearly 30,000 plastic bottles shaped into flowers, has opened in a Southern Phillipines city in order to raise environmental awareness.

The tulip garden, which opened in September, was built from 26,877 bottles collected from 45 villages around Lamitan City in Basilan, an island province on the southwestern tip of the archipelago.

Plastic bottles were cut into the shape of tulips and painted red, yellow, pink and blue, while others were blended into sand and cement and used to make pathways in the garden.

The Philippines is a major source of ocean plastics and only a small amount of its waste is recycled. Plastic bottles are a major source of waste in Lamitan.

Mayor Rose Furigay believes that by turning plastic waste into a “tourist attraction”, it can help combat plastic pollution. She added: “Let us be mindful of how to minimise the use of plastic.”

Rosa Medea is Life & Soul Magazine’s Chief. She writes about lifestyles including sustainable and green living. She also offers content services to businesses and individuals at Rosamedea.com