Relaxing shades of green dotted with colorful flowers amid the misty coolness of the tropical rainforest in a Zen-inspired garden. Such is the dreamy garden of Chokchai Ratanaparadorn.
/// Thailand ///
Story : Apasri Meemana /// Photos : Rithirong Chanthongsuk /// Landscape : Warawut Kaewsuk
“We lived in a condo for decades and missed being close to nature. Meeting Warawut Kaewsuk I got to see the kind of tropical garden design I loved, with a forest, waterfall and stream. After buying the house, he even helped to organize it according to feng shui principles. The property we bought already had nearly an acre of the garden already, but the framework needed a lot of adaptation. My wife liked it as it was, but agreed we could make the changes we wanted.”
Warawut described his design concept for the front area as “a peaceful, open modern Zen garden, coordinating shade and cool water to create a tropical jungle, and continued, “we dropped support pilings to create a framework above. We avoided having a lot of weight to support by using artificial rocks and tree roots. The filtration system was efficiently hidden under the wood deck. The concepts came from my experience with natural ecology.
“Choosing the right plants was very important. Types, colors, forms, and leaf shapes create the moods. We used varietals with simple forms, detailed surfaces, and peaceful colors. Lichens, monkey grass, whites of crepe gardenia. For the tropical zone, we used varieties with glossy leaves: mango pine and brush cherry. Glochidion and water croton gave a lush damp look. Free form lines added elegance. Around the carport, we used plants of different heights. Plant selection and placement take a lot of expertise. A lot of care is needed, including weeding and raking. There’s a sprinkler system for moisturization.”
The nighttime lighting design creates intriguing dimensions and moods. Before we leave, Chohkchai tells us how pleased he is with the end result:
“This is just what the whole family wanted. Here we can read, work, have parties, or just relax, feed the fish, relax and enjoy nature. This fulfills a ten-year happy dream.”
