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?’

Tags: gardens, plant nursery, plants, Thailand

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