Mr. Kampon's mother bought the land in 1954 with plans to grow mangoes, coconuts and oranges. After travelling abroad and seeing what others were doing with the full potential of their land, she changed course entirely.
72 years later, Nong Nooch spans 640 acres of rolling hills and valleys. It holds over 1,500 palm species, a world-class cycad gene bank that conservation agencies rely on for preserving one of the planet's most endangered plant groups, an extraordinary bromeliad collection, orchids, bonsai, and themed gardens inspired by Versailles that draw researchers, tourists and botanists from across the world.
There is a dedicated research center, a resort, and millions of visitors walking through every year, contributing actively to the preservation of plant species that exist almost nowhere else on earth.
All grown from land that was supposed to be an orange farm.