Postcard from Nai Lert Flower Fair, Bangkok

January and February are some of the best months to visit Bangkok. The weather is less oppressive, less Sweaty Betty. The slightly cooler conditions, with lower humidity, make it a great time to wander around the gardens at Nai Lert Park and to enjoy their amazing Flower and Garden Art Show.

The flowers in the tropics are always bright and bold and a joy to look at, don’t you think? This was a mighty fine collection of some of the best floral artwork you’ll ever see and not a wilted bloom amongst them.

After last year when the whole country was in official mourning, and people everywhere were dressed in black with all celebrations canceled, it is fun to people watch the crowds out enjoying themselves amidst the riotous colours that have now erupted everywhere.

The Thai people love their flowers, they form a big part of their lives and celebrations. It is always interesting to see how they are arranged, and the amazing skills they demonstrate to make displays out of the leaves elaborately crafted.

Just look at this tabletop display all crafted out of flowers and plants. Its a painstakingly tedious job working with flowers here in Thailand for sure. I wish you could also smell the beautiful scent of the jasmine flowers.

This garden fair was set in the stunning grounds of 100-year-old Nai Lert Heritage House. The house is actually two old teak houses combined as one. It was originally owned by Nai Lert, one of Bangkok’s prominent developers and is now a museum containing many of his original artifacts

Everything about the old teak houses is luxurious and lavish. We all must remove our shoes to walk inside, the wood feels cool, silky smooth and beautiful on our bare feet, we look out over the pond full of oversized lily pads. All around high rise new developments overshadow the old house.

Next door is the British Embassy, recently sold as the most expensive real estate deal in Thai history ever. It’s rather sad, to see another glorious old city landmark go under the hammer to become yet another commercial development, Bangkok is not short of shopping malls for sure. Nai Lert Park was always special and will become increasingly unique, an oasis to be preserved.

It is great to see that the flower fair is well attended, it is virtually impossible to get a photo without someone enjoying the spectacular floral backdrop for a gorgeous family picture.

Bangkok is such a city of contrasts, above the traditional landscaped gardens the boot-shaped modern Central Embassy development which has at its peak one of the newest luxury hotels, the Park Hyatt, Bangkok

In the gardens below, another over the top display with a giant carpet of flowers display, the biggest in Asia they claim. Each petal individually laid out in a stunning design.

This colour and an enthusiasm for putting on a good show are appearing in all aspects of Thai life. It’s Valentines Day and Chinese New Year this week and we are all red, red, red here for sure. There is nothing that escapes some floral decoration.

It was a great opportunity to look inside the Nai Lert museum which certainly provides a fantastic backdrop for the flowers amongst Nai Lert’s personal heritage collection, from a by-gone era.

The landscaped gardens were pretty impressive even before the flower designers from various different companies showed their arrangements. I loved some of these quotes:

Don’t think too much, just do what makes you happy!

I think this visit confirms my official favourite flower as the Thai orchid, although it’s a tough choice between this and the Bird of Paradise flower! Orchids never look out of place whether as a simple bunch of flowers on offer at a temple or in ornate displays as we found here.

The orchid family is the largest in the flower kingdom with over 35,000 wild species and they are well suited to Thailand’s tropical conditions. We certainly got to appreciate them in their thousand here at Nai Lert Park. I hope you did too!

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