I’m still suffering from extreme sleep deprivation and killer jet lag from hell, and have decided to roll out the Thailand trip coverage slowly with this Polaroid I took at the Mae Sa Orchid Farm just outside Chiang Mai. Thanks so much to Heather Champ who kindly gifted me with three packs of 600 film for the trip.
This was our first stop in Chiang Mai, visited directly after leaving the airport and on our way out into the countryside to have lunch and visit the Botanical Garden (which I will post about later). It was exciting to see so many orchids in one place and I was surprised by how enthusiastic I was to see more since we’d already been in Thailand for a while by this point and had seen our fair share. Orchids are everywhere in Thailand. Literally everywhere, including street plantings and highway underpasses.
Most of the orchids grown on the farm were vandas, which are extremely difficult to grow here in Toronto as they require a consistently humid environment. It was probably their extra specialness that contributed to my enthusiasm.
The farm presented each of us with a fresh orchid corsage on the way in, and I got another one when I flew Thai Airlines to Beijing. I even got one as a garnish when I ordered coconut water at in a cafe.
Welcome home Gayla! Glad your trip was so awesome. I enjoyed the pics you posted on flicker while you were there and sooo looking forward to seeing more pics and hearing more about it. Beautiful Orchid picture! :)
It definitely gives you a different perspective on orchids when you see them growing on highway underpasses. They’re tougher plants than most people think, although you’re right when you say growing Vandas in Toronto would be a hassle. I’m looking forward to seeing more orchids in your upcoming posts.
It’s funny how something that seems so exotic to us is so very commonplace to other people!
My friend, Michel, lives in Chiang Mai. We did our Masters degrees together at McGill University in Montreal. I stayed in Canada and he went to the Arab states to work and now lives in Chiang Mai. I love orchids. I bet that he is not aware of this orchid farm. I certainly will ask him to check it out.
Hey Gayla, I heard you on DNTO today!
I really enjoy your “grow great grub” book I have learned so much about plants that I shared with my friends all the great ideas that you give us for our little house spaces.