A bouquet of flowers in your living room in Thailand
Earlier this week I read a story about an Australian woman who cherished a succulent plant in her living room in the hope that it would bloom one day. For three years she took care of the plant, gave it the necessary water and flower food, but when she wanted to repot it she discovered that the plant was made of plastic. What do you need an artificial flower or plant?
I had to smile, but here in my home in Pattaya, the same thing is actually happening. For many years there has been a bouquet of colorful tulips in a vase, which are also not real, but made of wood. The difference with the succulent is that it is a colorful whole and represents a small reminder of the Netherlands. The bouquet was bought by my Thai wife on the floating flower market in Amsterdam. She also takes good care of the tulips by regularly brushing and washing them.
Flowers in the living room
It has always been a matter of course for me in the Netherlands to have flowers in the living room. Sure, the windowsills were full of all kinds of plants, but the tables in the living and dining areas were always decorated with fresh cut flowers. Sometimes I bought them on my way home from work, sometimes my wife and she bought them together at the market. But it was not always necessary to buy the flowers, because our own garden also produced beautiful flowers for a bouquet. I should not forget to mention that I regularly brought orchids from Thailand.
Why flowers in the living room?
Nowadays you will find numerous websites on the internet that can tell you why flowers in the house are healthy and what mental effect they have on people. I am now surprised by some aspects, but for me it is certain that flowers add something to the wonderful feeling of being at home, a bouquet of flowers enhances a cozy atmosphere in the room. Flowers on the occasion of special events such as birthdays, anniversaries and visits from friends is also a beautiful tradition.
Flowers in Thailand
Of course there are plenty of flowers and plants in Thailand. There are beautiful parks, which are reminiscent of Keukenhof, and there are also beautiful flowerbeds on a smaller scale. There are also many plants and shrubs around our house, preferably with edible fruits growing on them. However, my experience is that a bouquet of flowers at home in Thailand is a rarity. My wife thinks it's a waste of money, because (cut) flowers never have a long life.
Reader question
What about you as a (long-term) resident of Thailand? Do you occasionally buy flowers or do you find it too hot to have a nice bouquet of flowers in the living room?
In Belgium, indoor plants are cut flowers and live indoor plants, including orchids in pots.
In Thailand she sometimes brings a sprig of living green into the house, usually cut from a garden plant, but indoors they are artificial flowers. She regularly buys new, usually flowering or colorful ornamental foliage plants for the Thai garden.
Vegetables and fruit-bearing plants are my department, more at the back of the garden.
No banana plant or mango tree comes in front. In her world order of plants, only poor people put these things in plain view of the street
In the Netherlands, a few vases of flowers were a regular fixture every week and, especially in the dark months of September to March, they brought some cheer to the otherwise gray outdoor scene.
In Bangkok I have a garden and I don't have bouquets at home and don't miss the flowers in the warmer and greener conditions. I do have a coconut tree in the house of which the mother of the house wonders what its use is, because imagine that it grows through the ceiling, which is not even possible according to the laws of biology.
Flowers in the house are not really getting along in Thailand. Maybe on the porch, but better in the garden itself.
In many Thai houses it is quite dark and that is not directly conducive to flowers.
My ex usually took a bunch of chrysanthemum-like flowers home and they were left to rot on the porch for 2 weeks. Well, give fresh water every now and then??
I have nothing against beautiful fakes and sometimes I have to look closely to see if it's 'fake'.
“… In its world order of plants, only poor people put these things in plain view of the street”
A rich garden, yes, but a poor way of thinking… Right?
That is your value judgment dear Ronny.
I learned over the years that Thai society is highly stratified. In sociology class I learned a long time ago that this concerns social stratification.
In India the manifesto is visible, in Thailand it also plays, but less visible.
My wife grew up in Thai sourdough and escapes that stick.
She would undoubtedly strongly contest your qualification "poor", with the familiar smile of course.
I'm not going to tell her about your treatment. A matter of keeping your reputation spotless
I know Thai society well. I don't need to have taken sociology classes for that. Life lessons are worth more to me.
You can tell your wife, by the way. I wouldn't know why not.
Maybe you should explain to her what an orangery is, or especially was in Belgium, among others. In addition to protecting cold-sensitive plants in winter, it was also primarily a show garden where the wealthy exhibited their exotic plants to their visitors. And yes, that also included banana plants. Having a job plant was a sign of wealth. In terms of power anyway...
But don't worry about my reputation.
I would worry myself if it stood or fell with a banana or mango plant in my front yard.
Dear Ronny, I never claimed that you didn't know Thai society. I don't know if you know that one. So what does your response mean then? To wealthy Belgian plant enthusiasts who own an orangery with a Musa musa?
By the way, sociology is a fascinating field 🙂
And I really appreciate your knowledge sharing about immigration on this blog.
No, you never actually see that, but with the exception of shops that make grave wreaths, you rarely or never see a shop that sells fresh cut flowers.
Certainly more than 20 years ago we were on vacation. My father-in-law did the mail and plants.
He also gave the silk flowers some water, surprised that they remained so beautiful. He told my mother-in-law who helped him out of his dream that silk is just real. We also brought her a beautiful bouquet from Thailand. But my father-in-law did not make that connection, we just laughed about it.
When I lived in Bangkok, I almost always had flowers. I went to the flower market every week to buy beautiful orchids and lotus flowers.
In NL I almost always have flowers in a vase. Never here in Thailand and that's because we mainly live outside here. That is why the terrace is decorated with all kinds of flowering plants, but also beautiful foliage plants. Where in the Netherlands you have to do your best to keep them alive indoors, they grow lush here in the garden, what more could a person want? Oh yes, a few more fragrant orchids.
We go to Thailand every year for about 3 months. The girl who keeps the room clean gives me a large bunch of orchids in a vase every time. Never told her they are my favorite flowers. She just knew. Always very happy with it. Looks so cozy in a hotel room.