Episode 6: The Worst Humiliation Date

The insane things a woman can do because of love! Amelia, for me, is the major subject of this episode. I was very hurt as a woman for the high-level treachery and ingratitude of Amelia to Pedro Perez. Her bitterness towards the poverty of Pedro makes her never to love him.
Amelia went to borrow a better dress from Lupe- her only friend, telling her she has a date with the only man she ever and would ever love. Lupe was surprised and asked her what of her husband Pedro. Amelia confided in Lupe that she only married him for convinience of accomodation at the church premisces after her father threw her out for being pregnant. She said that Pedro is not the father of Luisa and the real father of Luisa is the man she is now dating. She succeeded in decieving Pedro that morning of court appearance and she left home with Luisa purportedly for the 'hospital'.

Carlos overslept at Jennifer's house and had to rush out late to join Augusto and Luisa in the court. Jennifer was not happy that her man is involved in a case with Luisa. You can see uncertainty and fear of loosing Carlos to Luisa, written on her face.

On arrival at the court, Amelia told the young lawyer that she would take charge of the negotiation with L.A. (brevity for Luis Alejandro). When L.A. arrived Amelia confronted him and annouced to him that: "we need to talk in private." "Who are you?" replied L.A. Amelia was stunned...she asked him, "you mean you don't know me?" Alejandro replied "I don't know you, and I have never met you in my life." He walked past her and went to inside the court-room. Amelia almost collapsed with shame and astonishment. That Luis Alejandro could not remember or recognise her again after 18 years, was too much of a pain that she almost ran into a speeding car while floundering around in utter disbelief and shock. Luisa approached her to ask her the reason for her weeping, the burden was too much for her to explain the deep mystery to her daughter. She was too ashamed and uposet to return home, else Pedro might get suspicious, so she went to her friend's Lupe's office.

Luisa lambasted Carlos at the court premises for not telling his father to withdraw the case and called him a liar.

Don Elcantara suffered a sudden heart-attack and Carlos was called in for the emergency, he came immediately and treated Don- Amelia's enstranged father. The old man seem to have taken a liken to Dr. Carlos, he promised him that he would obey and take his medications as recommended by Carlos. As soon as Carlos left, Consuela rushed after him, wanting to explain the embarassing and amorous circumstances carlos found her with his step-father- Luis Alejandro yesterday. Carlos snubbed her by telling her: "I am not interested in your explanation, goodbye." and he walked away.

Luis Alejandro lost the first round of the case in court. The court ruled that it has the jurisdiction to hear the matter and gave a date for the next hearing. This was good news to the young shark- Augusto, this was his first case after graduating from law school, and against a wealthy popular giant attorney of L.A.'s stature and status for that matter, this, indeed is a great victory.

Alejandro came out angry and boiling out of the court-room to threaten Augusto and Luisa that he would not rest until they are destroyed. He even called Augusto a thief who wants to use legal means to take money from him.

L.A. later told Marissa his wife that he is going to investigate Luisa Fernanda's family and background in order to have evidence to destroy them in court.

Episode 5: "You're Playing With Fire!"

Consuela, the evil architect, planner and master-mind of the misfortunes of Amelia, lighted a match-stick of amorous fire with Luis Alejandro Montero, which? later exploded and consumed her in this Mexican telenovela. Yes it led to her death! But we would have to wait for quite some time before we get to that episode.

After Don Elcantara was rescued by firemen from the smoking elevator, he was attended to medically by Dr. Carlos Eduardo Gomez Ruiz who, coincidentally was just entering the buliding with a mission top come and talk Luis Alejandro Montero out of the suit filed by Luisa. The oldman was grateful to him and exchanged complimentary cards with each other. Carlos went thereafter and walked straight into Alejandro's office..., and what a heck...he caught Consuela with his step-father in an amorous kissing session.

The 'couple' quickly separated and Consuela went away while Carlos tongue-lashed Alejandro, calling him a coward that lacks the moral courage to divorce his mom- Marissa Gomez Ruiz, but rather prefer to sustain adulterous relationship with strings of women outside his matrimony. He walked out angrily and jammed the door on Alejandro's face.

Pedro Perez confesses his 18-year lie to his sister, the catholic nun. That he is not the true father of Luisa, and he had sacrificed his whole life, in the hope that Amelia would one day love him. That he had never shared any conjugal relationship of a husband-wife relationship with Amelia.

Augusto, the lawyer friend of Carlos was went to visit Rigobert- the old house-keeper of Don Elcantara, who happens to be his god-mother and who sponsored him through university. He told her of his gratitude and promised to take care of her as soon as he begins to earn money. He told her of his first case which he filed on behalf of a 'rich' young lady whom he intends to marry. He mentioned her name as Luisa Fernanda Perez. the old house-keeper mused over the name and thought it to be Amelia's daughter, but she dismissed it because she knew Amelia and Pedro aren't rich anyway.

Now Amelia scolded Luisa after she confessed the detail of the scam against L.A. and warned her not to tell her father about it, at that point Pedro came in and heard them, so he challenged Amelia on what she was hiding from him. Amelia lied to him that it is about Luisa's escapades in school. She later taught Amelia to lie to Pedro that she was sick and want Amelia to take her to the hospital. This would be a perfect excuse for Amelia to encounter her old flame Luis Alejandro Montero at the court-room tomorrow. her plan was to rekindle her flame with L.A. and tell him to forget about the case and that Luisa was his daughter whom he abandoned the pergancy of 18 years ago. That was her plan, but we would wait to see if it works out in tomorrow's episode.

Nana, as the old house keeper of Marissa was fondly called by Carlos, warned Carlos not to reveal the infidelity of Alejandro to marissa asit would cause her untold pain, he agreed with the old woman.

Pedro confided in Juancho- an old gardener colleague, that he suspected Amelia of infidelity, citing the example of secret phonecall she received. Pedro was very saaaad. He explained to Juancho that Luisa was not his true daughter and there has never been any conjugal affair between him and Amelia. Juancho advised him to employ the services of private detective to trail Amelia's movement if he wants to prove her infidelity.

Rigobert- the old house-keeper in Don Elcantara's house had a confrontation with Consuela over the draging of Don to L.A. for counsel. she wondered aloud why L.A. of all lawyers in the city. Consuela simply told her that she doesn't know any other lawyer in the city and besides, it is an oppourtunity to find true happiness with the man whom she had always loved. At that point Rigobert warned her that she is playing with fire. Consuela also warned Rigobert that she should not interfere in her love life and should never tell her husband and father.

Episode 4: If Our Path Crosses Again, Then, Its Pay-Back Time- 2

It appears that the law of karma has begun to catch up with every wrong-doer in this telenovela, so early, (we are just in episode 4 out of 180!). Last episode, it was Consuela's reaping of barreness; Alexandro also got into trouble for running over Luisa Fernanda with his car, this time it is Don Elcantara who was almost choked up to death with smoke in an elevator, after his meeting with Alexandro in the lawyer's office.

Marissa begun a desperate but futile lobby for the reconciliation of Luis Alexandro and her son Carlos Eduardo, by elisting the support of Rosario, the old house keeper, who nursed Carlos from infancy to adulthood and also the alliance of Jennifer his fiance.

Since Don Elcantara seemed confused and unconvinced to sell the family house at Hacienda, Consuela persuaded him to follow her to meet with 'one of the best lawyers' in the country for proper advise. This lawyer happens to be Luis Alexandro. Don Elcantara was reassured by Alexandro that he would get in touch with the Constrution company (the buyers) to ascertain the true cost and determine if their offer was right and best. The old man left but Consuela refused to follow him back lying that she wants to go visit another friend of hers. The truth however was that she waited behind to chat up with Alexandro to see if she could catch up or rekindle on her old love for him.

When Alexandro asked her again about what became of Amelia's pregnancy, she re-affirmed her wicked deception of episode 3 that Amelia aborted the pregnancy. Alexandro concealed his disappointment. Consuela blamed him for 'dumping' her for Amelia two decades ago, but Alexandro replied that what he had for her then was 'puppy love' and that it was Amelia whom he really loved, but for the 'untimely' pregnancy which almost distrupt his academic career.

Amelia and Pedro had a disagreement: while Pedro wants Luisa to go on the graduating class cruise organised by the childrenof rich families, even if she had to be sponsored by her rich best friend- Vanessa. Amelia was opposed to it for dignity sake.

Luis Alexandro asked his secretary to call again the house of Luisa Fernanda, this time it was Amelia that picked the phone and was astonished and breathless to hear that her ex lover that jilted her Luis Alexandro would like to speak to her about her daughter Luisa Fernanda. At this point, her thoughts went wild, thinking that the man is now ready to reconcile with her and accept the responsibilty of true fatherhood of Luisa Fernanda. She harsly commanded Pedro to leave the palour because the call is a discrete and doesn't want him to hear it. Iiut was Pedro's turn to be shocked- to be ordered out of his own house because of a discreet call? In the 18 years of their hopeless and fruitless 'arrangee-marriage' this is the first time his 'wife' Amelia would be recieveing secret phone calls. he foolishly obeyed her and went out without even eavesdropping.

The call actually turned out to be an exposee of the accident and suit filed by Luisa against Luis Alexandro. Her heart was beating rapidly and just before the call was transfered to Alexandro she cut the phone for fear of what to say and not wanting Alexandro to discovere her identity. she went straight to Luisa school only find out that the teacher had not seen her in class since the day started. This infuriated her the more and she later went to accuse Pedro for spoiling Luisa.

Vanessa' Dad who happens to be the husband of Consuela visted the school to see his daughter, it was a great opportunity for presentation of the trip and Luisa's case. The man agreed to sponsor Luisa.


Luisa Fernana got frightened and desperate because of phonecall to her house by Luis Alexandro's secretary last episode. She didn't want to let her parents to know about the scam she and vanessa were planning to get money out of Alexandro for the cruise, using the car accident as excuse. So she collected the address of the Physician- Dr. Carlos Eduardo Gomez from Vanessa, and went srtaight to his house to plead with him to ask his 'father' -Luis Alexandro to forget the case and not to call her phone number again. While they were still talking in Carlos's car, Jennifer, Carlos' fiancee appeared and she immediately became jealous with suspicion that carlos is having an affair withis young school girl Luisa Fernanda.

Carlos was captivated and facinated with the supersonic beauty, confidence and the impeccable intelligence of this young school girl- Luisa Fernanda Perez and had uncosciously fallen in love with her. He carried her in his car to school and met Vanessa there too.

Week 1: Weekend Review of The Gardener's Daughter

Wow, 3 episodes from wednesday 23rd August till date. Get ready for excitements and disappointments. Be reminded that we have 177 episodes to go. that translates to about 36 weeks or approximately nine months. Barring hitches, like major world sports fiesta like the FIFA world cup or Afrcan Nations Cup, this telenovela should end with the month of May 2007. God willing, Nigeria should also be changing baton of political leadership by that period too, to a newly elected officers of state from the Presidency down to the local government levels.

Ghana started airing the Gardener's daughter, lahija del Jardinero some 5 weeks ago they should be in episode 25 to 30 by now. anybody with Ghanaian friends could easily get the summaries of 1 to 30 from their friends if you want. Our Blog has been bombarded by Ghanaians, Kenyans, and Malaysians. visitors from these countries have landed on our pages from the search engines, particularly Google Search Engine 'The giant we love', like my hubby would normally say.

Episode 3: If Our Path Crosses Again, Then, Its Pay-Back Time- (1)

This telenovela began rather too early to recompense the evil doers- Consuela Elcantara, Luis Alexandro, Don Fernando Elcantara.

Luis Alexandro hit Luisa Fernanda while driving on high speed and she was taken to the hospital where Dr. Carlos Eduardo Gomez attended to her. Neither of them (biological father and daughter) knew that they were blood relatives. Carlos' best friend, Augusto, a fresh graduate attorney suggested that Luisa should file a suit in court for injury and damages against Luis Alexandro, so that the court can make him to pay her...this was a fertile idea that both Liusa and her best friend Vanessa agreed to, even though her injury was minor. They thought that the compensatory money would be enough to finance Luisa Fernanda's trip with the rich girls for their graduating class crise to the carribeans.

Consuela was conscripted by her father, into a 'marriage of convinience' with a rich man whom she does not love and after 18 years of marriage, the marriage has been fruitless, as Consuela was certified barren. Thank God, the man already had a daughter (Vanessa), by another woman before he married Consuela. what a harvest of the evil she had sown by scheming her elder sister Amelia, out of her heritage from their father.

Don Fernanda Elcantara became worried and anxious at old age of not having any grand-child to inherit his great fortune. He asked Consuela if it is still possible for her to have a child. She replied her father harshly, that he should not remind her of her impossible case and thereby insulting her. She said that her husband is happy with her in her condition. Don Fernanda kept quiet and with a sad countenance...secretly must have been regreting sending Amelia with his grand-child out of his life some 18 years ago.

Consuela accidentally met with Luis Alexandro at a fast-food restaurant where they exchanged greetings and addresses. When Alexandro asked after Amelia and what became of the prgnancy, Consuela lied by telling him that Amelia aborted the pregnancy.

Episode 2: Rejected daughter, Rejected baby

Immediately after the "arrangee wedding" between Pedro and Amelia at the Marriage Registry, it became clear that the new 'couple' would be two parallel poles that would never meet, no, not even on the 'matrimonial bed" (they never slept on the same bed together),...till death do them part! The next eight months till Amelia put to bed were months of excruciating poverty. She lived with unpacifiable bitterness, a bitterness that tore her to shreds and pushed her into unforgiveness...unforgiving Luis Alaexandro, for jilting and dumping her. This overflowed unto Pedro too...unforgiving Pedro for loving her while she felt nothing for him...The rage of this bitterness almost swept the innocent, new-born child, Luisa Fernanda into adoption at a motherless babies Home. But for Pedro's love and strong counsel, tempestous Amelia would gave given the new-born baby the same treatment she received from her own father- REJECTION!

After the honeymoon and return from Spain by Luis and Marisa, Luis summoned Marisa's attorney to draft document that would make him an executive Board member of his wife's chain of conglomerate, but the lawyer(who never hid his disdain for Luis), told him that the pre-marital aggreement signed by Luis forbid him to join his wife's businesses except in the case that she become handicapped by illness or infirmity. This revelation was a crushing disappointment for Luis. the second one followed in succession when he demanded of his wife to bear a child for him as a fruit of their marriage. Marisa simply told him that she had no cervix or womb, as thiese had been cut off after the birth of Carlos Eduardo, her son and only child, because of complications during child-birth. hahahah...a case of "cunning man die, cunning woman bury him".

Hope resurged for Amelia when Pedro suggested that she goes to visit her father, thinking that the man would forgive her because of his new grand daughter. they went and were disappointed. they were insulted and thrown out by the insolent Fernando Elcantara. The man declared with a boiling passion, saying: "...Amelia is dead in my life and dead women don't give birth to babies..."

...18 Years Later...
the baby girl has now become a most facinating and most beautiful and most brilliant damsel
in her Mission school. She became best of friends to a rich girl in her class. the rich girl later turned out to be her step cousin- i.e. the step daughter of Consuela, Amelia's younger sister...both of them did not know this until the tail end of soap.

Carlos Eduardo, the only son of Marisa was also graduating fom medical college by this time. marisa decided to throw a big gradution party for her son and sought the sevices of an expert gardener to prepare and ready the lawn for the party. This 'expert' happes to Pedro...what happens at the next episode? I grip my tables to watch how the mystery would unravel.

Episode 1: When Misfortune Knocks

The soap began with a wealthy family of a father (Fernando Elcantara) and two sisters (Amelia and Consuela), who had the misfortune of death of their mother at tender age. They were raised by an elderly nanny into adolescent. Amelia, the older sister fell in love with a fellow undergraduate- Luis Alexandro Montero (but from a poor family background) in the same University. The younger sister was envious of Amelia in all things, including the choice of boyfriend. She confessed to the old nanny that she hated her sister and that her sister was her enemy! She however never let Amelia know of this smoldering hate.

Amelia second misfortune, after her mother's death was to become pregnant for Luis Alexandro, who denied both love and responsibility for the pregnancy. This guy was a schemer who only preteded to love her because she came from a wealthy family. He dumped her immediately he met another 'sugar-mummy' rich 'sucker', an older but widow lady Marisa Gómez Ruíz (a single mother of a 6-year old boy), who inherited a banking conglomerate fortune from her parents. The young lad- Carlos Eduardo never liked Luis Alexandro and never regarded him as a worthy replacement for his late dad.

Marisa proposed sudden marriage to Luis A. and he agreed, obviously because of her wealth. They signed the dotted lines and went for 6 months honeymoon in Spain. Amelia's father- Fernando, who was a disciplinarian kicked her out, upon learning of the pregnancy. He wrongly thought that Pedro, the house gardener was responsible and therefore sacked him too. Amelia insisted that Pedro should take her to Luis A's house. When they got there, they were told that Luis just got married that day, and has just travelled to Spain for his honeymoon. Amelia was stunned and crushed by this unfortunate news, but Pedro assured her not to worry and that he loved her and would protect her.

Pedro and Amelia proceeded to the church cathedral to meet Pedro's elder sister who is a catholic nun, for refuge. She offered Pedro the job of church gardener, but told them it is impossible to live in the church premises except as husband and wife. So they agreed to the "marriage of convinience" and went to the nearest registry to formalise the marriage.

A Good Movie Sells Itself

Nigeria, through MYTV and African Independent Television, AIT, began showing a television serial two days ago that, no doubt would be a block-burster. The just concluded Cuando Seas Mia (When You Are Mine) graduated from being just a soap into a spellbound household addiction after about six months. Now with the start of La Hija del Jardinero- The Gardener's Daughter, I promised myself that I would help those that miss or want to read summaries of each episode daily with snippets to help them to follow the trail, of course with my blog specially dedicated to the gardener's daughter- Mariana Ochoa.