Located about 90 minutes west of Bangkok is Udom’s Plant and Garden Nursery. Located on a vast tract of land in the province of Ratchaburi, this nursery specializes in decorative and foliage plants for export – to the outlying provinces in Thailand and overseas. If you are a horticultural enthusiast and a plant lover, it is a must see! The owner of the nursery, Khum Udom, an avid horticulturalist and environmentalist, has quite a fascinating history of which I would like to share with you.

Khun Udom graduated from Kasetsart University with a degree in Agricultural Education. In 1996, while working in Thailand for an Austrian agricultural chemistry company, there was a serious nationwide economic crisis and he was laid off. Frustrated in looking for a new job, he decided to do his own business by selling some plants – the majority were cultivated from seed - at community markets. Moving from place to place with his collection of plants in back of his flatbed truck, his mobile shop was always welcomed by plant lovers as most of the plants he cultivated were hard to find. During his visits to the plant markets, he made many friends.

Khun Udom enjoyed finding new and rare plants while traveling throughout Thailand and to foreign countries. One day after enduring many hours traveling by bus to visit a particular plants nursery, he had a very unusual experience. Upon arriving at the front gate, he was not allowed to enter - the owner did not open the gate to outside world because he was afraid that someone would steal his secrets. This particular incident played a pivotal role in Khun Udom’s life and career as he promised to himself that he would open up his own plants nursery and make it big, bigger than this one. He would welcome everyone, provide an education to plant enthusiasts and encourage everyone to plant and make the world green. Eventually his dream came true.

While nurturing his new plants nursery business, he also worked part time as a gardening consultant and landscaper to some rather wealthy home owners. After his job was completed, he found himself often cheated so he decided to give up this practice and focus on Udom Garden.

He received the Best Agriculturalist Award (horticulture) in 2006 and was appointed to the Honorary Committee in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

Can we say ‘Hardtimes creates a Hero?’

Not too long ago, I heard about this middle-aged schoolteacher by the name of Khru Waan who maintained a 2 acre garden in the Yannawa district of Bangkok, about 20 kilometers from the center of the city. She had become a quasi-celebrity of sorts, as she was the subject of a featured story on a local TV program and the Royal Family had officially recognized her efforts towards conservation. According to many people, her plot of land is considered a genuine oasis as it represented the last vestige of greenery in Greater Bangkok, excluding the public parks of course.

As someone who loves plants, flowers and all things green, I decided to pay Khru Waan a visit. Her garden is slightly over two acres and is surrounded by skyscrapers and other manifestations of urbanization. She teaches music at a nearby school and her garden has become a playground for children living in the community, as their homes do not have much space. Fortunately the children were absent on the day I visited Khru Waan - that was fine by me as I truly enjoyed the peace and quiet.

Talking to this lady, I was impressed by her integrity and her desire to hold on to the land despite mounting pressures from the outside. Apparently some land developer recently offered to buy her land for 400 million baht (1.76 million in US dollars), but Khru Waan held her ground and refused the offer. Another thing that troubled her was the polluted water that was coming into her land via a nearby drainage ditch; it seems that the people in the surrounding community throw garbage into the ditch. She has complained to the local authorities but they are cannot do anything about the situation. One thing that she can do now is to plant more trees along the ditch in order to hide the filth and ugliness.

Khru Waan and her family do not have plans to sell the land anytime soon. However when she passes on, the land will revert to her nieces and nephews. I am wondering how long they will honor their ancestor’s wishes before they succumb to the enormous amount of monies being offered to them by real estate speculators and land developers. Unfortunately this is the way of the world. Let’s hope for the best.

Over the years, I have seen Bangkok become a sprawling Concrete Jungle gobbling up the landscape with modern office complexes and highrise buildings. However, thank G_D there are people like Khru Waan who are trying before to preserve this Green Earth