Just south of Pattaya, around two hours drive from Bangkok, a huge botanic garden is located, the Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden.
The garden has 16.000 plants – Including more than 2.000 orchids. All of them are spread out in different thematic parks. There is a house of orchids; there is the cactus garden, a section with palm trees – and also more than 40 elephants ready for a ride.
These are the working conditions for Anders Lindstrom, 34 and chief botanic at Nong Nooch Tropical Garden. He is responsible for the scientific research.
So far has he discovered three completely new plants. Now they are named after him and the visitors can see them in the park.
“One of them, a gingerplant called Glubba Lindstromii, I discovered at the beach between Cambodia and Thailand. It is a completely new specie,” Anders Lindstrom proudly tells.
Several times a year Anders Lindstrom travels around the world. Especially South America and to Africa to look after new species he can bring back to the park and its visitors.
Today the park has the world largest collection of tropical plants.
“The park is designed so you can touch almost every plant. We want people to come close to nature,” Anders Lindstrom reveals.
Another interesting plant is the Cycas Debaoenses. This palm only grew in a remote part of China and was threatened to be exterminated until Anders Lindstrom discovered it. Today it is lightning up in the park.
“There were only 124 of them left. Collectors had stolen many and others had been digging the palm up because it is a beautiful palm.”
When the number decreased to 50 he set up a “rescue campaign” in order to save the plant. He managed to make the local people in China understand the magnitude of the problem.
At the same time he moved some of the plants to Nong Nooch tropical garden, where the beauty have the best conditions to generate it selves. The plant is no longer under threat of extermination.
“Now we proudly present this beautiful palm for our guests,” Anders Lindström tells.
The Nong Nooch Park is indeed very beautiful and you can walk around for hours looking at flowers – and animals.
Besides the elephants there is an animal park and a show with traditional Thai dance.
To pay a visit is very exciting. Especially for those who not are very interested in botanic.
Every day 4000 visitors come to Nong Nooch tropical garden. But hardly any Europeans are visiting. It is mostly Asians and locals that show up at the entry gates.
You can even sleep in the gardens hotel or bungalow, and there are several restaurants.
