On a recent walk around the local historical site of Khao Wang (Hill Palace) in Petchaburi, Thailand, I was grateful for the shade thrown by the many frangipani trees, although, as they are not very leafy they only cut out about half of the sun's strong rays. This did mean they made some great shadows on the lovely brick pathways, full of crooked branches and knobbly trunks. I am used to seeing this plant as more of an attractive shrub but the ones at Khao Wang are proper trees, in places forming an unusually decorative kind of open woodland. Walking around their elegant shadows are constant companions and are as distinctive as the lovely architecture!
