HRH Princess Chulabhorn opened the CRI Herb Garden (Wanarom Garden) (22 March 2009)
Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn graciously presided at an exhibition on Thai medicinal herbs with displays mounted in the newly landscaped garden that is located in front of the administration building next to the CRI convention center on 22 March 2009.
The creation of this tastefully secluded garden provides a unique educational resource that highlights both the natural beauty and medicinal benefits of Thai herbs and other plants. The tropical plants reveal the botanical diversity to be found in Thailand including rare species of fern and orchid. Moreover, the garden bears testimony to Her Royal Highness own scientific research into the identification of herbs with medicinal properties of benefit in the treatment of different types of cancer.
This landscaped garden in which water cascades over rocks into shallow pools where goldfish can be seen swimming in underwater grottos contains 678 plants of 138 different species. Many of these species feature in the research carried out in the laboratory of Natural Products at the Chulabhorn Research Institute including, for example, Iron Wood, which provides protection against some types of cancer; Eurycoma Lingifolia Jack, which protects against the growth of buccal sores; Albizia Myriophylla Benth, which has been found to control white blood cells in the rat; and Bauhinia, used in the treatment of inflammation.
The garden is appropriately named Wanarom in Thai since it is a botanic paradise of spectacular plant species.