Friday, January 30, 2015

Bangkok Chatuchak Flower Market

One of the the places that any gardener should visit when in Bangkok Thailand, is the Chatuchak Market. Whilst this market is more well-known for the weekend stalls that sells everything from clothes to nick-knacks, books and crockery, many do not know that the internal road that goes around the market is transformed into a humongous plant nursery cum garden center on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Waterlilies in all sorts of colours.

The sellers apparently come in on Tuesday night to set up the stalls, and the market goes into full swing on Wednesday. By Thursday afternoon, most of them would have packed up and cleared out. 
Lovely orchids and cheap too... Flowering Vandas as low as 50baht (~ RM5).

With the stalls there, the Chatuchak market area is transformed into a sea of colours and textures - from all sorts of common garden plants to the rare and exotic. Here you can find all sorts of trees for sale, in all sizes, with roots wrapped in burlap and ready to be transported to your garden. Waterlilies in all sorts of colours imaginable, roses and orchids that are so bright and cheerful that makes you think for a moment that they are not real to bulbs and seeds that you didn't believe existed. All sorts of garden decorations, pots and planter boxes, tools and even chemicals and fertilisers are on sale at this market.
Various types of slipper orchids on sale
What to see:

All the different types of flowering plants, herbs, fruiting trees and even large ornamental plants that can be transported to you if you are willing to pay the price. Waterlilies are astounding, and so are the various types of gingers and orchids on sale - they look like a supermarket shelve with lots of rhizomes/bulbs in containers.
The colours and scent from the waterlilies on sale will make your head spin.
All sorts of Hibiscus flowers in pots for only 50baht.

Bromeliads and various pot plants for sale.
Elatior begonias
More waterlilies
Golden Ficus deltoidea (Mas cotek emas).


Also do take a look at the various garden ornaments that are reasonably priced, as well as planter boxes, pots and vertical pot holders.
Cutesy garden ornaments and containers
All sorts of garden ornaments



How to get there:

You can easily get there via public transport (i.e. either one of the trains)

MRT
  •  Kamphaeng Phet Station
    • Exit Chatuchak Market (enter the market fenced area directly)
    • Exit Kamphaeng Phet - there are some curio stalls but have to walk across the pedestrian bridge and enter the fenced up market area (through the books section).
  • Chatuchak Park Station.
    • Exit ChatuchakPark - walk down the road

BTS Skytrain - Mo Chit Station
    • Cross the road to the MRT station side and walk down the road (facing the traffic).