I do miss those colourful photos of horses and flowers in posts by 
@dswigle. I found out that there’s a special week for plant market at my favourite shopping mall. So, this gave me the opportunity to do #marketfriday post, created by @dswigle, on the plant market. Although there were less number of vendors in this small market, the collections of pot plants were very interesting and attractive. I was probably the only person taking photos of plants at this market. Luckily, all vendors allowed me to take photos of their stalls.
As it was the last day, the market wasn’t busy or crowded as most people have already bought all their favourite plants. Later, there were some customers looking for roses. I had given up on growing roses as my roses were eaten up by insects and small snails in my garden. I have been attracted by plants with awkward shapes and dramatic leaves. But these kinds of pot plants have become very popular and expensive. So, I could only look around and take photos.
I could never remember all the long scientific names of plants. Most Thai names of these plants varied from vendors to vendors as they often conjured up exotic Thai names with meanings to do with wealth, good luck and success. In this way, customers would be impressed by the ability of plants to attract money and bring them riches.
Some people could be so superstitious that a banana tree with spotted leaves could be as expensive as a motorcycle. This crazy fad lasted about four years and the prices had come tumbling down quite a lot. I was glad I would never buy plants on ground of superstitious belief.
More people have taken up growing cacti during the last few years. You could find many new shops selling cacti online. A famous country singer has become crazy about cacti and he built big green houses in his garden. He has hundreds of cacti within a few years. I noticed that prices of cacti weren’t as expensive as three years ago.
These days, people have become crazy about imported plants and trees such as olive, cypress and bonsai plants. I would rather have medicinal plants in my garden. But we wouldn’t see a weekend market for medicinal plants or herbal plants. Once in a while, there would be an annual meeting of the traditional Thai herbalists and there would be a market full of herbs and medicinal plants. I have been waiting for such a market for ages.
But it was very enjoyable and entertaining walking around this weekend market. I wished I could afford to get a few plants with nice patterns on their leaves. These plants required lots of attention and I was sure they would be quickly eaten up by small snails and greedy insects in my garden.
I admired the patience and dedication of these vendors who looked after their plants with much effort and time. I wouldn’t be able to perform their tasks dutifully, and the plants wouldn’t be very happy.
I forgot to chat up some vendors about their business prospects at the mall. Regular customers at this mall were usually very well off, judging by the cars in the car park. So, I expected that they should have sold many plants during the first few days of the market. But it did seem rather too quiet during the last day of the market.
This time there was only one vendor selling orchids. Usually in winter months, there would be lots of orchid vendors as that was the blooming time for orchids. I really look forewards to seeing lots of orchids in December’s plant market. Perhaps I would find nice orchids at a discount. Usually unsold orchids would br much cheaper during the final day of the market.
I was very impressed by the rich green leaves of these healthy plants on display. I wished I could have been able to look after my pot plants to this standard. So, I enjoyed walking around these stalls and admiring the beauty of nature in the shopping mall. At least I could get in touch with some nice vibes and immerse my attention on the shapes and colours of various leaves.
The collection of roses looked rather worn out. I guessed all the best looking roses were sold ealier during weekdays. Prices of roses would always be very expensive as most roses were imported and they required lots of time and attention to thrive in hot climate full of insects. However, I did buy six roses two months ago. Only five rose pots survived the insect and snail attacks, but they weren’t looking very healthy. I have been waiting for the weather to get colder so there would be less insects.
There was a food fair on the basement floor. People were busy buying vegetarian food. This whole week, for about ten days, the annual vegetarian festival has been practiced throughout the country. It’s part of a religious ceremony to make personal sacrifice and to accumulate good karma by being vegetarians for ten days. Most of my friends would take this vegetarian vow for ten days seriously.
I have been very lucky as my friend has her driver delivered two bags full of boxes of vegetarian food. She had ordered too much food but she forgot that she had to leave the city that afternoon. She knew I was half-vegetarian so she forwarded lots of Chinese vegetarian food to me. So, I wouldn’t have to cook for at least three days.
Wishing you peace, good health and prosperity.
Stay strong and cheerful.