HRH Princess Sirindhorn Herb Garden

HRH Princess Herb Garden is situated to the southeast of Bangkok, on the route from Chon Buri to Rayong, at a little distance from the Highway 36. The garden is a treasure trove of herbal plants. The wedge-shaped property has over 20,000 such plants and is divided into 20 sections. Each section contains plants grouped according to their use. Notably, the garden which is named after HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, grows many of the plants that form the ingredients of traditional Thai herbal preparations. The meandering pathways in the herb garden systematically lead visitors through the various sections allowing them to discover the uses of a variety of herbs.

The garden was planted by the state-owned PTT (Public Company Limited), Thailand’s oil and gas company and was the first garden for herbal plants in Thailand. The property that now houses the herb garden was originally used for staff residence and maintenance center. The company set up the herb garden, gathering and planting various herb plants, with the primary objective of conserving and developing these natural resources for the future generations. The development of the garden continued after it was presented around a year later to HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. An exhibition hall was constructed in the garden in the year 2006, to commemorate the 50th birthday of the Princess.

The special bus for touring the garden is ideal for familiarising yourself with the layout and the types of plants in the garden. Visitors can then walk around the garden to get a closer look at the plants that interest them the most.

Visitors must ensure that they see the nutmeg trees planted on April 18th, 1985 during the course of the inauguration of the garden. The nutmeg tree, whose scientific name is Myristica fragrans, has been adopted as the emblem of the garden. Two widely-used spices are obtained from the seed of this tree, nutmeg and mace. These nutmeg trees as well as all the other plants grown in the garden are carefully attended to and are well displayed. The signage contains a wealth of important facts and information about the herb plants in the garden.

Visitors who are interested in carrying away a few herbs can look through the products displayed in the gift shop which sells dried herbs, herb products, oils, tinctures, etc. The items in these shops make unique gifts and carry the local flavour of Thailand. Make sure you have sufficient time to browse through the many products sold here and for enjoying a cool drink in the café.