Today Vladimir Putin started his war against Ukraine. At Discovery Garden Pattaya we released thousands of fish.

Nutmeg or Myristica fragrans is an evergreen tropical plant that grows very well in your Thai or Lao garden. It actually produces two very distinct spices: Nutmeg and Mace. Meet the two spices from the Nutmeg tree that were once worth their weight in gold.

Our new solar system is in place and works. Tonight we are using solar energy that was harvested from our roof and stored in three batteries during the day. Today the last six solar panels were installed. Then the 36 solar panels on our roof were properly wired, the whole system connected and tested. It works.

Today our engineers from Bangkok installed 30 solar panels at the roof of our house at Discovery Garden Pattaya. We made a lot of progress, but need an other day for the completion of the project. The workers did a tremendous job on our very hot roof.

Today the engineers arrived from Bangkok and installed the first batch of our new solar system at Discovery Garden Pattaya. Inverters, powerful batteries were installed and connected and an elevator brought in: Tomorrow the elevator will carry the 36 heave panels on the roof, they will be properly installed and connected and then we should be energy independent to a high degree.

We have six “pepper” varieties at Discovery Graden Pattaya and Nong Khai. White, green, red and black pepper all come from a single plant called Piper nigrum or Black pepper. Long pepper or Piper longum is a different plant from the pepper family. Whereas Brazilian or Pink pepper grows on a plant called Schinus terebinthifolia which is not related to the Piper family, but produces pepper-like seeds.

Cinnamon can easily be grown in Thailand. At Discovery Garden Pattaya and Nong Khai we have several Cinnamon trees thriving and such fascinating plants for sale. Are the Cinnamon sticks like fruits growing on the trees?

Confederate rose, Hibiscus mutabilis or “dog putan”: There are several names for the unique flower that changes its color during one day. It is white in the morning, pink around noon time and red in the evening.

Westerners are called farangs in Thailand. But there is also a popular fruit called farang in Thai: Guava or Psidium guajava which originated in South America and was a stranger here initially. Hans Fritschi grows many types of Guavas at Discovery Garden Pattaya and Nong Khai, but his favorites are the bird shit farangs. A tale of living cannibalism….

European olive trees are available in Thailand, but at high prices and it is dubious that they ever will bear fruits. Chinese olives (Canarium album) are much easier and very well suited to grow in tropical countries. But do those large black Chinese olives taste like the real stuff? Yes and no. But you can create a tasty meal with them.