Nong Nooch Tropical Gardens

....Thanks to Craig for posting our photos from Pittsburgh...

This morning I hired a driver to take me approximately 2 hours south to a coastal area called Pattaya. A driver is hired for approximately 4,000 baht per day. This fee includes driver, car, gas, etc. I met the driver in the lobby and headed south to see Nong Nooch Tropical Garden. Guide books list it as a cultural attraction (elephant, monkey, and cultural shows) though my horticultural contacts have told me that it is the place to see traditional architecture and millions of plants.

On the mile of approach roads palms were lined up in cement pots. Each pot was spaced about 3 feet from its neighbor; each pot had a drip irrigation emitter. I knew I was in for a treat when I saw this sort of formality. We pulled into the entrance; my driver paid my admission and got me a map. I knew I’d have some ground to cover. We decided I’d need at least 3 hours though I’d have his cell phone if I needed more time. I did need more time!

I ended up spending the whole day and didn’t get back to Bangkok till about 9:30pm. I took 286 photos! For those of you who know me well you’re probably nodding and remembering the time I took you to a garden with me.

I stayed away from the touristy core of the property and concentrated my efforts on the acres of gardens at the perimeter. There is an Orchid House, Bromeliad House, Garden Railroad, Butterfly House, Canna Field, French Garden, Topiary Garden, Bonsai Garden, Variety Garden, Cactus Garden, Palm Collection Garden, Heliconia Garden, and on and on…. The gardens are extremely well maintained. I kept thinking that it must take an army to clip all of the formal hedges and topiary forms. I did run into the army later on in the day when I heard feverish shear clipping (like sounds from the movie Edward Scissorhands) and came upon a group of 15 gardeners with hedge shears (2131).

2131

I loved seeing a field of cannas (2205) and the nursery areas. On my way out of exploring the nursery areas I found out that the shade houses are not open to the public (oops). The Adenium (2114) and back up bonsai (2095) go on as far as the eye can see. Also in my “Do Not Enter” adventure I enjoyed the Climbing Plants Garden. This garden is a collection of vines that are grown on posts resembling a portable clothesline. To my delight each of these plants had a display label and many were in flower. My favorites were the Beaumontia murtonii (large white flowers, thick vines), Xerosicyos perrieri (looks like succulent silver dollars on a vine), and the Porana volubilis (a flower resembling a crepe myrtle that hangs from the vine) (2118).

2205

2114

2095

2118


In looking at the plantings up close, I discovered that nearly all of the plants are staged in clay pots. The balls that I am standing in front of have a rebar frame which supports 6” clay pots of Celosia and Alternanthera (2019). In my ‘behind the scenes’ adventures I stumbled upon the Pottery Making Center. Three young men were forming the clay pots that are used for bonsai, display, and starter materials (2088). The pots are called iron pots, their color is much more brown than our standard terra cotta pots. Terra cotta is used here in Thailand and it was well displayed in the Pottery Display Garden (2028) where clay pots are used to create wall screens, lamp posts, a life sized tuk tuk and an elephant.

2019

2088

2028

I enjoyed all of the display gardens (palm, orchid, heliconia, bromeliad) because of the creative ways in which the plants are arranged. I was disappointed that very few of the plants have display labels. In the Bromeliad House, the Bromeliads are arranged by height and prominence is given to those in the bowls at the tops of the stone pedestals (2037). In the Orchid house Spanish moss is hung from clips. Many of the other Orchids are also grown in hanging pots (2056) though some are in pots on the patio that are changed out when they are no longer in bloom (2058).

2037

2056

2058

The garden is a bit difficult to navigate and the map is a bit deceiving but the vistas are worth the effort. (2005, 2135) Two great examples are the swirled garden that is viewed from the restaurant / vending area and the Thai pavilion in the distance just past the European Garden. I would consider the Thai Pavilion garden areas the highlight of my visit…and they aren’t even on the map! Artistic horticulture is seen everywhere including the “ball garden” (2145) and the “elephant exit” (2200) in parking lot 3.

2005

2135

2145

2200

I’ll leave you with a smile. Here are some cacti smiley faces from the Nong Nooch Garden Shop (2156). They are priced at 20 baht which is about 50 cents.

2156

We’re headed to Ayutthaya (the ancient city) in a few hours. KD

Tropical Heat (hm)

Bangkok is hot, really hot, 30 Celsius degrees hot. And it is winter to boot too. In the “real” summer the mercury climbs to 40 hellish degrees Celsius. The relativeness of just how hot it really is must depend on how close to the equator one was raised.

Before all of my western PA friends, family and colleagues start to turn green, let’s discuss how this “latitude attitude” translates to the human body. This girl was born and raised, and sill currently resides at about 42 degrees north latitude. This is a land of the temperate deciduous forest, a climate with four distinct seasons. Those who dwell in this spot on earth know that the human body can withstand an astonishing range of temperatures. From negative wind chill temperatures to highs around 90 degrees Fahrenheit with humidity that curls your hair.

It is this high end of the mercury that we are currently battling in Thailand. The mission to stay hydrated has achieved even footing with our quest for exotic plants.

The locals know that it is winter, so despite the tropical heat, winter fashions prevail. Blue-jeans, light sweaters and corduroy jackets make up the uniform of choice amongst college students and young adults. Business wear is very popular, with black and navy suits at the top. The Thai are so elegant and neatly coiffed that there is never a hair out of place or a forehead beaded with perspiration.

What helps in this heat, much to my delight, is a plethora of salt and sugar. The freshest stir-fry is finished with a handful of sugar. Fruit juice and sodas are salted. This initially caused concern because my “healthy” diet at home eschews both ingredients as unhealthy when used in quantity. Happily for my taste-buds, salt and sugar, when taken with liquid, are essential to keeping a body hydrated in the tropical climate.

My educated guess as to how this culture functions so efficiently despite the heat is an endowment with an internal air conditioning mechanism. Mai pen rai is the term for this internal device that allows for unfailing friendliness, smiles and helpfulness in this beautiful and hot land.

Making Merit, Vinmanmek Mansion Gardens, and the Night Market

Between our travels at the Grand Palace and Wat Po, Heather and I discovered that there are several ways for us to make merit. For 20 bht you can purchase a small bundle containing a candle, incense and a square of gold leaf. There are small stands in front of the Buddha which hold the candle and buckets of sand to hold the incense. You can apply the gold to the smaller Buddha images off to the side. Here is a photo of the smaller Buddha which has received many offerings of gold.
















When Heather and I walked into Wat Po we were in awe of the size of the reclining Buddha. We entered near his face, walked along his body, then saw his feet and walked around his back and left near his hair. Upon entering we could hear a constant, rhythmic clanking. When we got around to his back we found out that there was another opportunity for us to make our offering. We purchased small bowls of coins for 20 baht (about 50cents) and followed a single file line of people making offerings into a line of bowls on stands. Each bowl would get one coin dropped into it until you reached the end of the line.

The Vimanmek Mansion was also horticulturally rich. We saw Quisqualis vine (my favorite…smells like Hubba Bubba gum), Florida flame vine (not sure of the genus but has bright orange flowers), Gomphrena (which is dyed and used in many flower arrangements), Jack Fruit, and a pom pom with a sign telling me that it is Streblus asper Lour. We also saw some great formal hedges. The first photo has a small intricately clipped hedge to warn us not to walk on the grass and the next has Alternanthera and Ixora as the center stripes. Many trees were labeled at the mansion. Some of these included Desmos chinensis Lour., Terminalis chebula Retz., Schoutenia glomerata King subsb., and Diospyros decandra.
















Streblus asper Lour
















Intricately clipped hedge (photo damaged)
















Alternanthera and Ixora as the center stripes

We rested up for a little while after our day of sightseeing and headed out to the night market which runs from 7pm till ?. I can only compare this to one of the flea markets that I’ve been to in Florida but it is much larger and there isn’t much duplication of items between booths. There are hundreds of 5’ x 7’ stalls overflowing with merchandise. Silk wraps, scarves, pillow covers, celadon pottery, carved wood screens, purses, shoes, dishes, silverware, jewelry…and on and on. We stayed for 3 hours and probably only covered about 10% of the area. We got some great bargains at the night market. I won’t go into more detail because it may give away the surprise of the treats that we are bringing back for everyone. KD

Plants and Water Gardens at the Grand Palace

When we talk about water gardens in the US we think about excavating a pond in the back yard, cutting a liner, adding a waterfall, etc. From what I have seen so far, water is included in most gardens though not on as grand of a scale. The most simple water features are the water jars and troughs. Even this mai dut (Thai topiary/bonsai/whimsy) includes a small area of water.






























Water jars and troughs
















Mai dut


The pom pom bushes are very cool. They range in size and number of pom poms. They are included in nearly every garden planting. At the Grand Palace, the pom poms are large and well tended. 3 Gardeners are taking care of this one garden plot. These potted plants are taller than me! Several areas of the Grand Palace feature smaller pom pom bushes and a small scale landscape around statuary, plants include Evolvulus, Cuphea, and Pedilanthes. This border features Alternanthera and water jars that are sunken into the ground. I did see many gardeners at the Royal Palace, most were watering or refilling the water jars. KD
















Pom pom bushes












Statuary
















Alternanthera and water jars border

Karen the plant geek explores the Orchid Company and Rose Garden

We're having trouble posting photos so we are emailing them home to be posted from the US. Thanks Craig!

Here is one good picture from the night cruise. It is nice to see the wats from the river rather than from the city / street side.

It was great to visit the Thai Orchids Company because we were able to walk through the landscaped grounds with a plant lover. Many of the plants that are grown throughout Bangkok and our roadtrips were featured in the garden. We saw Bismarkia palm, Allamanda and a cool vine with aerial roots that were trimmed to look like bangs. We were also able to see the production end of Orchid growing from micropropagation, orchid cross test beds and foliage plant production of many cultivars that I’ve never seen. We have photos of everything but I’ll share a few photos below. The coolest plants I saw were a small Syngonium (tiny), crinkle leaved Ixora, fun new Aglaonema, orchids I’ve never seen, grafted Euphorbia lactea, all sorts of colors of Adenium, and Ficus that were foreign to me (new leaf shapes, sizes and variegation patterns).
















Vine with aerial roots
















Bismarkia palm
















Crinkle leaved Ixora













Syngonium












Aglaonema

At the Rose Garden there were large scale displays of Orchids. Vanda orchids were planted all along this hillside. In the patio area, they were used as groundcover below palm trees. In the parking lot Orchids were grown on trees (2 needle Pine) and the trees lined the drive, almost like parking lot islands. If you look closely you'll see that the orchids are planted in coconut shells and the shells are just kind of arranged on the surface of the soil.
















Vanda orchids groundcover
















Parking lot orchids


Also at the Rose Garden we saw Petrea vine, Cockroach berry Solanum aculeatissimum, which looks like a jumbo green pea, Citrus hysterix – Kaffir Lime, Mango tree and Papaya trees and Bouganvilla everywhere.
















Papaya trees


General thoughts and observations:
English is on nearly all signs inside Bangkok and nearly none of the signs in the outlying areas. At one point we thought about obtaining an international drivers license but now we see just how ridiculous that would have been. The traffic is horrible. We’ve been lucky enough to have private drivers for 2 days. It is nice to sit in a roomy, air conditioned van and eat snacks. Looking around, everyone else is crammed into the backs of pickup trucks, crammed into small Toyota cars, or piled 3 deep on a scooter.

In all of our readings we learned that the King is revered. Everyone speaks highly of the King and his family. I didn’t expect to see pictures of the King everywhere, the bigger the better. Just about every traffic intersection and large business has a life size or larger photo of the king. The King’s birthday is on December 5 and we’ve found out that the country will come to a halt on that day. Workers have begun to put up decorations in celebration of his birthday. KD

Curcuma Article

http://www.bangkokpost.com/en/271105_Outlook/27Nov2005_out05.php KD

The VIP Treatment

The value of “face” is an important trait in Thai culture. This does not have any western connotations of superficiality, but rather respect for oneself and others.

We were shown such hospitality today by our host Mr. Chuphan Chivaratanond and his wonderful assistant Phun of Thai Orchids Co. (www.thaiorchids.co.th).

With just a day’s notice arrangements were made to take us to see several important botanical destinations. First we went to the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, an hour south of Bangkok. As we headed towards the coast, the city gave way to more modest dwellings and eventually the countryside. Along the way there were examples of agriculture and hectares of flooded areas we assumed were rice cultivation, but were really for salt farming.

Pictures of Thailand’s floating markets are easy to find, but nothing like the experience of being there. We ate our first food stall food and threw caution to the wind and sampled fruits that don’t exist at home. Durian, dragon fruit, mountain apple, pummelo, longan and rambutan. We also tried some bite-sized morsels that were made from tasty yet mysterious ingredients.

Next our hosts took us on to see part of their orchid farm. Working at a botanical garden could never have prepared me for the utter delight of seeing 50 hectares of orchids. All 50 hectares were covered in shade cloth. There were knee-high piles of cut Dendrobium blossoms being prepped for shipment to Europe.

As far as the eye could see there were orchids. Another special Euphorbia variety was very colorful and eye-catching. The company has a guesthouse with a dock overlooking the irrigation lagoon, and these structures were surrounded by Thai bonsai and epiphytic vines whose aerial roots were trimmed into aerial hedges. Needless to say, this area was a goldmine of ideas for the new exhibit.

We left the orchid farm and traveled on to an important botanical and cultural site named ‘The Rose Garden’. Our hosts treated us to a feast of Thai dishes that balanced flavors and textures so artfully. Garlic, ginger, basil, coconut, shrimp, fish, and all things we have at home in the states, but prepared in such a way that the tastes of salty, sweet and sour were all represented.

After lunch we viewed a cultural show that incorporated a Thai wedding, Buddhist monk ordination, Muy Thai boxing, martial arts demonstration and traditional dance.

The gardens were a mixture of formal, edible and woodland. Some interesting combinations were orchids growing off of pine trunks, aloe companion planted with banana and an interesting vegetable named “Cockroach Blossom”. Fortunately we learned the name of the vegetable AFTER we ate it!

Thailand has been amazing so far; in no small part because of the hospitality we have been shown.

Tomorrow should yield some exciting photos from the Royal Palace complex.

Orchid Articles - Bangkok Post

Links to two great orchid articles that were on the cover of the Outlook section of yesterday's paper. KD

http://www.bangkokpost.com/en/261105_Outlook/26Nov2005_out01.php

http://www.bangkokpost.com/en/261105_Outlook/26Nov2005_out02.php

Out and About

The gardens at the Jim Thompson House are fantastic. I saw many types of flowers in bloom including many colors of Ixora, Jasmine, Tacca, Lotus, Heliconia, and Ginger. Many orchids and ferns hung from trees. I especially liked the baskets of Bear’s Paw Fern and Rhipsalis potted into towers along the pathways. I was lucky enough to spy a gardener working on a rooftop garden. Check out the photo! By the way, Heather and I think that this would be a great setup for the entrance to the Tropical Forest Conservatory. Paul, you can build us something like this, right?


We decided to walk through the neighborhood near the Jim Thompson House instead of jumping back into a taxi. We came across some elephant topiaries (in daylight) so I was able to photograph them. Also, check out the photo of this parking garage with every color of Bouganvilla cascading over each railing. Amy, I can see you sitting there reading the blog with the 5 volume RHS library in your lap trying to standardize my latin naming. Without you here I’ll have to switch back and forth from Latin to common…sorry.


Between the Jim Thompson House and our local hotel I was able to make several book purchases. Unfortunately, I’ll have to schlep the books across the country but I am thrilled to have my own copies of A Field Guide to the Wild Orchids of Thailand and Flowering Plants of Thailand: A Field Guide. I also bought some books for the project research including books about cooking, popular culture, spiritual abodes, and silk production.

I think my favorite contrast to life in the US was spotted when we were on our way back to the hotel. Women sweep the streets of the city with a large broom and dustpan. Curt, I have 10 of these ‘Sweepy Things’ on order for you. I never expected these bunches of twigs to accomplish much in the sweeping department but I can admit that I was wrong. There are potted plants everywhere. I am not sure but I think they are akin to the lawn chairs that are used as parking spot place holders in Pittsburgh. When we arrived at the hotel, we were greeted by a group of Scots in Kilts serenading us with their bagpipe tunes. Definitely a contrast to the plucky tunes of the Thai stringed instruments we’ve heard. Marnie, I’ve got some great signage ideas for you. My favorite sign text so far includes “Mind your Head” and “Mind your Step”. Though I’ve never tried coffee I am curious to try the local favorite, a Pepsi Latte. I’ve also found out that if you multiply a Celsius temperature by 9/5 and add 32 you’ll get the temperature in Fahrenheit. I’ll let you know how that works out for me.


The river cruise http://www.pearlrivercruise.com/ was an ‘interesting’ evening event. It wasn’t really what I expected. We boarded the ship with about 100 other people and sat down at our window side table. The boat took off for a 2 hour cruise down the Chao Phayra River. A dinner buffet was quickly set up and it included a variety of foods (it didn’t really seem to be authentic cuisine). jOsh, you would have loved to hear the Thai live band play your favorite “Fly Me to the Moon” followed by their rendition of “Islands in the Stream”. After a short break they came back to play “Play that Funky Music (White Boy)”. As a bonus, we did see many of the Wats lit up for the evening.

I’d better get some sleep. We’re headed to the floating markets tomorrow. We’ll be leaving the hotel by 6:30am.

Additional Photos from Bangkok

Tacca flower

Fern Towers

Jim Thompson House garden

Water jar with lotus

Heather's First Impressions

Today was our first day in Bangkok. We arrived in the middle of the night and it was wonderful to wake up this morning and see the city that had only existed on a map come to life. Our hotel sits on a bend of the Chao Phayra River whose river taxis and barges create their own life and activity that is completely different from the interior of the city.

My first impression of Bangkok is one of life...everything is happening, all at the same time...street vendors selling any kind of food, beautiful flower leis made from jasmine and the "love" flower, alters with incense and offerings next to skyscrapers, tuk tuks, taxi's and people playing soccer in a cloud of exhaust emanating from Bangkok's legendary traffic.

Our wonderful tour guide, Charin showed us on our first expedition to the Jim Thompson House (http://www.jimthompsonhouse.com/). We learned how aspects of religion and culture are woven into daily life and architecture. For example, spirit houses are built before a house is constructed in order to appease the spirit that protects that piece of land. These are beautifully carved and hold fresh flowers as offerings. Another example is buildings built on platforms for the dual purpose of protecting inhabitants from snakes and scorpions while respecting mother earth.

Traditional Thai houses have raised doorjambs between rooms, once again illustrating belief and practicality. It is believed that bad spirits can only enter along the floor. Our guide told us that the ledges stop the bad spirits as well as scorpions, snakes and babies.

The gardens were wonderful, lush and jungle-like. Orchids abounded not only at Jim Thompson's but also along the street, hanging from parking garages and every space imaginable.

This is an amazing place to be, stay posted...tomorrow we will be visiting a floating market and an orchid farm.

Arrival

We made it! It was a long trip. We left our homes early Thursday morning. Our flight out of Pittsburgh was delayed but we ended up making all of our connections (Detroit. Tokyo). We arrived in Bangkok at about 11:30pm local time. After exchanging money, going through customs, and waiting in the taxi que we were able to get a taxi to take us to our hotel. We rode in a tiny car with our bags bungeed to the trunk. It is now 2am and we’re finally checked into the hotel and ready to take a shower to get rid of all the airplane grime. Except for a few cat naps, we’ve been up for 35 hours!

We saw a lovely Orchid exhibit in the Bangkok airport. A vignette was set up near the customs line – it included many tropical plants and purple Vanda Orchids. On the ride from the airport to the hotel we saw median plantings with Crinum Lily and many plantings with topiary elephants. It was dark and we were probably traveling 50mph but I was indeed teased by the horticulture thus far. I’m looking forward to heading out later today to get started on our site seeing. KD

Last Minute Preparations

We are in the final hours before liftoff. The snow is falling here in Pittsburgh and it's hard to believe we'll be in the "hottest city in the world soon". Here's to safe travels!

New conservatory to focus on Thailand

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/search/s_396132.html

Trip Itinerary

Thailand Itinerary – 16 days in Thailand

Day 1 (11/25): Land at Bangkok at midnight, find hotel.

Day 2 (11/26): Arrive Bangkok, rest and orientation.
Jim Thompson House, Gardens and Factory
Night: Dinner Cruise w/ Cultural event on Chao Phayra

Day 3 (11/27): Bangkok
Explore the Old City section of Bangkok.
Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaeo
Wat Pho
Wat Mahathat
These structures are highlights in the Royal Palace complex, and include the royal palace, gardens, the emerald Buddha. Wat Po houses the Budhhist monk massage school while Wat Mahathat is the Buddhist University and has public meditation 3 times daily.. Across the street from this complex is the Sanum Laung park. If there is time/energy left the National Museum with the Buddhai Sawan Chapel is in this neighborhood too.

Day 4 (11/28): Bangkok
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

Day 5 (11/29): Bangkok
Nong Nooch Gardens

Day 6 (11/30): Bangkok
Rama IX Flower show

Day 7 (12/1): Bangkok to Ayyuthaya
See ruins

Day 8 (12/2): Ayyuthaya
Sightsee Ayyuthaya
Catch midnight express for Chiang Mai


Day 9 (12/3): Chiang Mai
Arrive in Chiang Mai, early am.
Check into hotel
See major sights

Day 10 (12/4):: Chiang Mai–
Queen Sirikit Gardens

Day 11 (12/5):: Chiang Mai -
Elephant tour and river expedition of the forest.

Day 12 (12/6):: Chiang Mai
Cooking school

Day 13 (12/7):: Hua Hin and area
Fly from Chiang Mai to BKK, early am, catch train to Hua Hin

Day 14 (12/8):: Hua Hin and area
Explore Hua Hin

Day 15 (12/9):: Hua Hin and area
Explore Nat’l Park

Day 16 (12/10):: Hua Hin
Explore area, limestone caves and Buddhas

Day 17 (12/11):: Hua Hin to Bangkok

Day 18 (12/12):: Flight home leaves Bangkok 6 am

Trip Goals

Thailand Trip
Goals

To immerse ourselves in the culture of Thailand by experiencing various regions handicrafts, art, dance, food, music, flora, fauna, architecture, and daily life.

Areas of interest:

Handicraft production
Silk
Flower arranging
Wood, stone carving
Bamboo products
Others

Food
Herbs, Spices
Fruits, Vegetables
Fruit Carving
Cooking School
Markets (floating and night)
Preparation

Horticultural
Rama IX Flower Show
Royal Gardens
Botanical Gardens
Public Gardens / Parks
Nurseries, Garden Centers

Cultural
Wats
Jim Thompson and neighborhood
National Theater (traditional dance, music)
Bookstores
Architecture
Klong tour
Ayutthaya

Bioregions
Urban (Bangkok)
Upland Forest (Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and the North)
Coastal / Beach (Hua Hin, Cha-am and surrounding area)

Tropical Forest Exhibit Fact Sheet

Phipps Conservatory Tropical Forest Conservatory Fact Sheet

· The new 12,000-square-foot multilevel Tropical Forest Exhibit, scheduled to open in fall 2006, will be the most unique in the country and feature a cluster of eco-technologies unlike any other conservatory.

· This new exhibit space will be 60 feet in height and will feature cascading indoor waterfalls spanned by a dramatic overhead catwalk.

· Phipps’ new Tropical Forest will utilize a new venting system on its double-pane insulated glass roof which will allow maximum air flow that will conserve energy.

· The Tropical Forest will have an 8,000-square-foot single-pane, ground-to-roof glass wall that will allow the maximum sunlight to reach exhibit plants.

· A special fabric blanket-curtain system will be operated at night to retain heat in the Tropical Forest.

· All climate control will be monitored continuously to ensure the Conservatory is achieving maximum efficiency and energy savings while improving plant quality.

· The Tropical Forest’s eco-friendly advances will make it the model of passive, solar climate control and a model for “green” conservatory construction and operation.

· In keeping with Phipps’ unique rotating-exhibit strategy, the forest will feature a different country’s tropical region every two years. This will keep the exhibit vibrant and timely, and permit supplemental Phipps-wide programs. The forest will open with a focus on the forests of Thailand.

· The new exhibit will feature hands-on educational areas that allow visitors to learn more about the fascinating world of botanic research, featuring field work from Botany In Action researchers.

· The Tropical Forest will feature a Healer’s Hut where visitors may explore how indigenous cultures have used native plants to produce healing teas, poultices and other remedies.

· Central to the Tropical Forest will be the Palm Circle, where up to 40 visitors may gather to hear presentations, sample tropical foods, weave baskets, pot plants and participate in other learning experiences surrounding the Tropical Forest.

· To enhance the educational experience of the Tropical Forest, docents will lead in-depth tours, and teachers will be provided with activity kits to support lessons in the classroom.

About Karen

Karen Daubmann has been the director of horticulture for Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens since June 2003. She is responsible for a crew of horticulturists that oversee 13 display houses, 36,000 ft2 of greenhouse space, and acres of outdoor flower gardens. In addition to the daily aesthetic at Phipps, Karen has been responsible for the design of several flower shows, exhibits, and garden beds. Charged with coordinating the horticultural efforts for the new Tropical Forest Conservatory, Karen has been developing the conceptual designs into planting plans and researching, sourcing, and purchasing each plant that is to be installed. She is excited that this trip to Thailand will allow her to observe the plants in their native landscapes, decorations, ceremonies, and foods.

About Heather

Heather Mikulas has been an Education Specialist for Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens since August 2004. She has been developing curriculum and teaching environmental education for several years. She has worked with the LEED certification process, waste reduction, energy efficiency program and has operated a small organic farm and greenhouse. She holds a Master of Science in Sustainable Systems.

Heather has taken on the role of Tropical Forest Specialist for the new Phipps exhibit which will open Fall 2006. Her role will be to tease out the secrets of the plants in the new greenhouse. This will help visitors find connections between themselves and the natural world.