Thread: Low Maintenance Garden in Khon Kean

Interesting thread, it looks amazing.

But I keep asking myself, what about mosquitos and the ponds?
Or is it simply not a problem?

Great effort and result, thanks for sharing.

Originally Posted by S Landreth

Originally Posted by cortinaman

Interesting thread, it looks amazing.

Thanks

Originally Posted by cortinaman

But I keep asking myself, what about mosquitos and the ponds?

Minnows
...
...

Top tip, tnx

S Landreth.. excellent thread. I'm just about to move into a rental that has a small garden (devastation at moment) and you have given some ideas on a low maintenance area.

One question the grey rock you put down first is that the same stuff they use for the concrete (i see it everywhere) or is it different, if different do you know the Thai name.. thanks Allan

Originally Posted by thaicbr

S Landreth.. excellent thread.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by thaicbr

I'm just about to move into a rental that has a small garden (devastation at moment) and you have given some ideas on a low maintenance area.

One question the grey rock you put down first is that the same stuff they use for the concrete (i see it everywhere) or is it different, if different do you know the Thai name.. thanks Allan

The ¾ inch washed rock you see throughout the thread is the same type of material some contractors use in their concrete mix.

The girlfriend gave me these words to use in Thai when asking about the material.

หินก่อสร้าง (Hin Gor Saang) = Rock for construction
or
หินผสมคอนกรีต (Hin Pa-som Concrete) = Rock for concrete mixing

After seeing the material you should know if it’s what you want. Just a reminder, try to avoid any material with too many fines in it (even the ¾ inch washed rock. It might contain more fines than you would like to see/have and if so you might consider a different supplier).

Good luck with your garden.

Originally Posted by S Landreth

Originally Posted by thaicbr

S Landreth.. excellent thread.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by thaicbr

I'm just about to move into a rental that has a small garden (devastation at moment) and you have given some ideas on a low maintenance area.

One question the grey rock you put down first is that the same stuff they use for the concrete (i see it everywhere) or is it different, if different do you know the Thai name.. thanks Allan

The ¾ inch washed rock you see throughout the thread is the same type of material some contractors use in their concrete mix.

The girlfriend gave me these words to use in Thai when asking about the material.

หินก่อสร้าง (Hin Gor Saang) = Rock for construction
or
หินผสมคอนกรีต (Hin Pa-som Concrete) = Rock for concrete mixing

After seeing the material you should know if it’s what you want. Just a reminder, try to avoid any material with too many fines in it (even the ¾ inch washed rock. It might contain more fines than you would like to see/have and if so you might consider a different supplier).

Good luck with your garden.

Thanks for that.

Great design, great workmanship, great results ! Very informative thread, thanks for sharing !

One quick question about the ponds.. do you have to change the water out , if yes how often and how do you aerate the water for the fish . thanks Al

Originally Posted by Thai Lao Garden

Great design, great workmanship, great results ! Very informative thread, thanks for sharing !

Thank you

Originally Posted by thaicbr

One quick question about the ponds.. do you have to change the water out , if yes how often and how do you aerate the water for the fish . thanks Al

Never have had to change out the water, but will have to constantly add to it because of evaporation during the dry months.

Originally Posted by S Landreth

Originally Posted by cortinaman

But I keep asking myself, what about mosquitos and the ponds?

Minnows

Below is just a picture of one I grabbed off the net. The next time I visit I’ll post a picture of the minnows in the pond/s. When I started I tossed about a dozen in each pond. Soon after the ponds were full of them.

Not as many now, because of the 6 cats that live there.

We had a chance to visit the garden today and I got a couple shots of the minnows in one of the ponds. In the picture (I apologize ) it looks as if a few of the minnows are swimming upside down. They are not. It is just a reflection.

Couple shots of the garden this morning.

That garden starts looking better and better...before too long, you'll have to replace the word garden by jungle!

Oh, and your guppies (Poecilia reticulata) are related to the common mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) but much more colorful....

Originally Posted by S Landreth

This is the nursery we have been purchasing plants from on our way to Khon Kaen from Bangkok. It’s about an hour and a half outside of Bangkok on Highway 2. There is a landmark,…an orange and white building across the street from the nursery. You can’t miss it. You can see it in one of the pictures I posted below. The telephone number of the nursery is in the next photo.







We thought the plants we were purchasing there were inexpensive. However when we asked to purchase eight plants of a certain type, they could only provide us with two so we went two shops up and found one (same size) for a little more than half the price of the shop we were buying them from (we purchased the only one they had). We ordered 5 more that we will need the next time we visit Khon Kaen. We also ordered two banana fans (Gluay Phad,.in Thai and Ravenala madagascariensis/Traveller’s Palm in English) that were over ten feet tall (?) for about 300 baht each (to be placed behind the bathroom, to help shade against the late afternoon setting sun into the Gazebo). Seemed like a good price.

We also requested 4 of these plants that will be placed next to each of the four columns in the gazebo. We are hoping they will take to the columns (maybe with a little help from some chicken wire).




We’ll be making less purchases along Highway 2 because we will not be traveling that route as much and we will try to visit the nursery that Propagator suggested, soon.

Below is a picture of some of the plants we purchased this past weekend.

Landreth, is this nursery still at the same location? I am planning a trip down to the Bangkok area and would like to pick up some plants on my way back. Great thread, by the way.

Any better than others, to your knowledge? You don't need to bother your girlfriend, I can keep an eye out when I am returning from BKK. I am also planning a trip over to Chiang Mai and visit a large nursery over there.

Just when it was starting to look good,……….maturing some.

Look what they did to the garden. Seriously? A coffee shop? Like there’s a lack of them now?

Hope they are happy with it (and good luck). I’m/we’re done maintaining it (last update). It needs a good four to five hours work in it now.

They did place some goldfish in one of the ponds which looks nice.

Originally Posted by S Landreth

They did place some goldfish

koi ?

Originally Posted by baldrick

Originally Posted by S Landreth

They did place some goldfish

koi ?

Yes. Thank you, Rick.