Our History

Pha Tad Ke is located on the right bank of the Mekong River opposite of Luang Prabang, the former royal capital of the Lao Lan Xang kingdom. This river, the longest in Southeast Asia, forms an international border separating Laos from its neighbours Myanmar and Thailand. Prior to the introduction of trains and other types of mechanised vehicles, the waterways were the main mode of transportation. The Mekong and its tributaries continue to provide sustenance for the diverse populations of Laos and neighbouring countries. Rivers, especially the Mekong, and their surrounding natural environments are considered to be supernaturally potent, and the spirits that inhabit these places are revered in indigenous belief systems.

The country of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic consists of 236,800 km² of land with a population of 6.9 million. Steep mountains dominate the country’s geography, and the highest peak, Phou Bia, reaches 2820 meters. Approximately fifty percent of the land is covered by forests and woodlands and the forest types include deciduous, evergreen, pine, and subtropical. Over 8,000

plants species and approximately 1300 species of vertebrates have been recorded in Laos. Rhinoceros, saola, tiger, and the Asian elephant are some of the endangered animals that once inhabited the forests of Laos in abundance.

Karsts, which include slopes and steep cliffs, plateaus, and major mountain ridges primarily composed of limestone, cover 30,000 km² of the land mass of Laos, creating a spectacular topography. Caves were formed in karsts from the flow of underground streams eroding the bedrock for millions of years. The caves of Laos were places of habitation since prehistoric times (130,000 BCE until present). Caves provided shelter for people and traders travelling along the Mekong and its tributaries, such as the Ou River. Karst and its features continue to be part of present-day communities as the setting for economic and subsistence-based agriculture.

Pha Tad Ke, literally translates as “the cliff to untie and resolve”. Many natural landmarks play a role in local lore. A legend inspired by the shapes of mountain ranges adjacent to Pha Tad Ke recounts a story involving deception, love, struggle, and the victory of good intentions: Thao Phoutthasaen describes the formation of Phou Thao (male mountain) Phou Nang (female mountain).

“The poor parents of twelve beautiful daughters decided to abandon them in the forest since they were unable to care for their children. While in the forest, the young women met many trials. All twelve sisters married the same man, a king. This monarch later married an ogress who was disguised as a human. Out of jealousy, the ogress queen convinced her husband to exile his other wives. The twelve sisters were sent to live in a remote cave deep in the forest after having their eyes gauged out. One sister was pregnant, and she hid her son from her other sisters to prevent his death. As a young man, her son went on many adventures and eventually met his father or the king who had banished his mother and aunts. When the king discovered that this young man was his son, he named his son Phoutthasaen.

Phoutthasaen married the daughter of the ogress, and his wife taught him many magical skills. She also revealed the location of an orchard of magical lemons. His wife eventually showed Phoutthasaen where the eyes of his mother and aunts were stored, and he was determined to return their eyes and, thus, their eyesight to them. On his journey back to the cave where his mother and aunts lived, he threw the magical lemons to prevent his wife from preventing a successful outcome of his task. Broken-hearted, the wife of Phoutthasaen died. Phoutthasaen successfully restored the sight of his mother and aunts, and they returned to their positions as queens. When he discovered the news about his wife’s death, Phoutthasaen also died of heartache. The power of their love transformed their corpses into mountains, Phou Thao and Phou Nang, and the heads of Phoutthasaen and his wife in the form of mountains appear to touch.”

The forest where Phoutthasaen once met a hermit during his adventures is Pha Tad Ke. The orchard of magical lemons is located 6 kilometres upriver from Pha Tad Ke.

The government of Laos officially recognises 49 ethnic groups, and numerous subgroups exist. In Luang Prabang Province, Khmu is the most populous group. Lao and related Tai groups make up the political majority in the province and country, and their ancestors arrived in the region a few centuries before the founding of Lan Xang kingdom in 1353 CE. Members of the Hmong ethnic group settled in Laos during the nineteenth century. The indigenous belief systems of these different ethnic groups include the veneration of ancestors and nature spirits such as spirits of the land and rivers. Some spirits and guardian deities are considered to reside in caves. Naak and ngeuak are serpent deities that protect the communities and live in caves, on cliffs and mountains, and at the mouths of rivers. If a deity or spirit is not appeased with offerings and sacrifices, calamity may strike an individual, family, or community. Communities pay homage annually by holding boat races in honour of the serpent deities. In Laos, Luang Prabang is unique with its lai heua fai or lantern festival held the day after the end of Buddhist Lent. Villagers carry large and small lanterns in the form of serpent deities and other shapes in a procession that ends at Xieng Thong Temple pier where the lanterns are released to float down the Mekong River.

To appease ancestors and other types of spirits, offerings composed of candles, food, and flowers presented on banana leaves are regularly placed at auspicious places. Shrines in the shape of a domicile are erected to pay homage to spirits of the land. Offerings are also made within Buddhist temple grounds, including inside a chapel. The Lao also place Buddha images in caves, revering the teachings of the Buddha by making offerings that include candles and incense. Ancient trees, including the species of tree that Gautama Buddha sat under while meditating, receive offerings. Elders are respected, and younger members of a family present offerings to older kin. Students also pay respect to their teachers by giving offerings to them. One type takes the form of a pagoda and requires over 1200 flowers (called dok sampi in Lao) in their composition.

Offerings come in different forms. Some resemble a mountain peak while others represent the tree of life that connects the mundane with the supernatural world. Relying of the fruits of the land, a laywoman traditionally constructs the base of an offering from banana leaves and trunk. Slices of dried areca nut are part of some type’s offerings, but flowers are the primary decoration. In the past, different species of flowers accented the various shapes; however, many species have ceased to be cultivated, and marigold is the primary flower decorating the offerings.

Fa Ngum is said to have introduced Theravada Buddhism to present-day Laos when he unified polities on both sides of the Mekong River to establish the first Lao kingdom Lan Xang in 1353. Indigenous beliefs were incorporated into the practice of Theravada Buddhism not only in Laos but also in neighbouring countries, including Cambodia and Thailand. Buddhists in Laos continued to use caves as places of worship. The cave at the mouth of the Ou River (called Tham Pak Ou or Tham Ting) located upriver from Luang Prabang received royal patronage from the 16^th century until the 20^th century, according to historic records. (However, patronage most likely occurred earlier.) Buddhists rites and pilgrimages existed at Tham Pak Ou and other caves located near Luang Prabang.

The Lao royalty sojourned at the caves and forests of Pha Tad Ke. Four royal houses governed the kingdom, and the Viceroy originated from the Vang Naa or Front Palace. Pha Tad Ke served as a retreat for the viceroy and other members of the royal family. The last Viceroy, Prince Phetsarat, utilised Pha Tad Ke, located opposite of his palace called Vang Xieng Keo, as a retreat and hunting grounds. Others carried out ceremonies and presented offerings at a spirit house and in a cave located on the cliff.

The inspiration for the Pha Tad Ke Botanical Garden bloomed in 2007. The idyllic town of Luang Prabang, often called the Shangri-la of Southeast Asia, has attracted visitors for centuries. The former royal capital was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995, distinguished for the different eras of architecture styles that have been preserved. The architecture ranges from Buddhist temples, domiciles of Chinese immigrants, and houses of the local elite and villagers of meagre means. Despite the ravages of war carried out in Laos for centuries, tranquillity has survived in Luang Prabang. Both locals and foreigners have been drawn to the allure of the former royal capital. On his visit to Laos in 2007, the garden’s founder and general director, Rik Gadella, was in awe of Luang Prabang’s cultural legacy and surrounding natural environment. This unique but fragile heritage compelled him to move to Luang Prabang and establish the first botanic garden dedicated to preserving the biodiversity and ethno-botany, or cultural traditions related to plants, of Laos.

The nature environment continues to play important roles in the lives of the citizens of Laos. Plants provide shelter and sustenance, and natural fibres are transformed into utilitarian and spiritual items. Plants heal individuals as medicine or as part of religious ceremonies. The rapid development of Laos threatens this century old traditional knowledge. Preservation is critical as modernization continues, and little has been recorded. Since 2008, the botanical garden has taken root in Ban Chan Village on the right bank of the Mekong River.

In collaboration with international institutions with similar missions, visiting scientists and the garden’s Lao staff have collected specimens and carried out research on the ethno-botany and plant diversity of Laos. Research and training as well as scientific collaboration is ongoing. Both students and professors continue to study and carry out research at the garden. They also assist in the training of the garden’s staff. Some staff are now studying advanced degrees abroad.

Some of the institutions collaborating with Pha Tad Ke Botanical Garden include: National University of Laos (Vientiane, Laos); Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden (Chiang Mai, Thailand); Singapore Botanic Gardens; and Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (Scotland, UK). Pha Tad Ke Botanical Garden has also hosted trainings and workshops with the aim to reconnect the local community to nature and their traditions related to plants. A team of advisors has guided the development of the layout of Pha Tad Ke Botanical Garden. Jean-Pierre Dovat (artistic advisor), Dr Tiao Somsanith Nithakhong (cultural) and Dr Bouakhaykhone Svengsuksa (scientific), they form the team that assists the garden’s founding director, Rik Gadella.

Rik Gadella left the world of arts and publishing to move to Luang Prabang in 2008, sowing the seeds of the establishment of Pha Tad Ke Botanical Garden. Born in Aruba in 1964, Gadella is a citizen of the Netherlands. He started Picaron Editions, a publishing house dedicated to the arts, philosophy, and poetry, in 1986. Two years later, he opened a gallery with the same name in collaboration with Peter Happel. After relocating to Paris in 1992, Gadella continued to publish artists’ books with international artists and in the mid-1990s, he created his first art fair: ArtistBook International (1994-2007), later followed by Paris Photo (1997-2005), XX^e Siecle (2005-2007), and KAOS-Parcours des Mondes (2002-2007). He organized and curated exhibitions amongst others ‘Design d’en France’ a large retrospective dedicated to 20^th century industrial design, fashion and decorative arts for the National Museum of Beijing, (2004); ‘ceci n’est pas une coiffe’ (Paris 2005) and ‘Identity, Beauty, Rank and Prestige’ (Paris 2006).

About taking the initiative to start the first botanical garden in Laos, Gadella remarks:

“Who would have thought that a week’s stay in Laos would have turned my life around so much that I’d end up moving to the other side of the world, into a country and a culture that I knew nothing about, to launch myself on a completely new path and a huge adventure. Here I am in Luang Prabang, where I have the privilege of working with amazing people on the discovering and classifying of an exceptional flora for the creation of the first botanical garden in Laos.”

Swiss-born Jean-Pierre Dovat serves as the artistic advisor to the Pha Tad Ke Botanical Garden. Jean-Pierre Dovat trained in Lausanne and at the Royal Academy of Art in London. After joining the Swiss Design movement in 1968, he worked as Teo Jakob’s assistant in Bern for three years. With the exception of several short visits to Switzerland, he spent most of the period from 1971 to 1973 in the United States, working with the Paris Collection, Industrial Designers in Paris and New York. In 1975 he set up his own company in Zurich, and launched his lines of perfumes and natural care products. In 1980 he took part in the 2000 years of perfumery event in Grasse (France), and continued creating lines of furniture in the United States and Europe, where he worked with David Hicks in London. In 1991 he went on to create Dovastyle, a New York-based interior architecture and furniture design company, which he ran until 2002. A regular visitor to China and Southeast Asia since 1976, he has developed a keen interest in Asian culture. In 2004, a trip down the Mekong River took him to Luang Prabang. He immediately fell under the spell of this ancient town and decided to move there. With his associate Khamphanh Inthavong, he set up a company, with the aim of building a collection of long-term rental houses in a style that respects the town’s UNESCO-protected Lao colonial architecture.

Tiao Somsanith Nithakhong serves as the garden’s cultural consultant. Born in Luang Prabang in 1958, Tiao Nithakhong is a member of the Vang Naa or one of the royal lineages of Laos. Members of Vang Naa line sojourned at the site of Pha Tad Ke Botanical Garden in the days before the abolition of the Lao monarchy in 1975. As a child, he spent time with his grandmother or the Queen Mother who taught him arts associated with the Lao court. He became a medical doctor after the founding of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic in 1975 and immigrated to France in 1985. He received a doctorate in psychology from Paris-Sorbonne University. Preservation of Lao arts, dance, and other customs was his focus when he returned to Luang Prabang twenty years later. Tiao Nithakhong is an artist who still practices the court arts that include couching and embroidery using gold and other metal threads, drawing, flower offerings, and stencilling using gold leaf or pigment. He has exhibited internationally, and his works are part of important museum and private collections.

Dr Bouakhaykhone Svengsuksa is Pha Tad Ke's scientific advisor and was born in Savannakhet in 1948, a town located in the south of Laos. She received a Bachelor’s of Science degree in France, studying under Professor Jules Vidal, before becoming a lecturer at the Pedagogical Institute of Vientiane in 1975. Continuing to research and publish, she received a master’s degree in 1998 and doctorate in 2003 from the Museum of Natural History, France. Her book on orchids in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam from English to Lao was published in 2000. Dr Bouakhaykhone established an orchid nursery at the National University of Laos where she worked from 1995 until 2007. Although she retired in 2007, she continues to teach and head research projects and dedicates a great amount of her time to Pha Tad Ke Botanical Garden, advising, conducting research, and training staff.

The opening of Pha Tad Ke Botanical Garden to the public in 2016 enabled visitors, both local and international, to learn about the country’s plant diversity and the central roles it plays in the lives of the country’s population. The garden will continue to document and research the biodiversity and ethno-botany of Laos with the aim to preserve this heritage for future generations.

Located at the base of the Tad Ke Cliff two kilometres downriver from Luang Prabang town centre, Pha Tad Ke is the first botanical garden devoted to the flora and ethno-botany of Laos. The garden’s core mission focuses on education and research as well as the preservation of plant diversity and the cultural traditions related to plants of the diverse population of Laos. The garden’s activities branch out to the physical and social wellbeing of members of the local community.

Opened in November 2016, the general area of the 10-hectare botanical garden consists of a reception, shop and restaurant. The section devoted to education and research features the gardens, an herbarium, a research centre, and a plant nursery. Cultural events and workshops are held at a sala built on the former location of Prince Phetsarat’s retreat. The garden supports the arts and education by publishing books, sponsoring cultural events in the garden and hosting an Artists in Residency program.

The launch of Pha Tad Ke Botanical Garden would not have been possible without the dedication of its 50 plus Lao staff members. Garden staff have acquired advanced skills in education, gardening, hospitality, responsible tourism, and science and have passed on their knowledge via publications and workshops held for the community.

The Gardens
At its launch, nine areas highlighting key traits of ethno-botany and plant diversity of Laos are open to the public. The garden is preparing to open an herbarium that will store specimens for reference and research purposes. The gardens include eight specialised gardens:

Limestone Habitat (20.000 m²).
While wandering through the Limestone Habitat, visitors can get a closer look at plants, such as cycads and tree ferns, and animals of the karsts in Laos. A trail leads to a cave at the base of the Pha Tad Ke Cliff, allowing for deeper exploration of this distinct habitat.

Ethno-botanic Garden (3.000 m²).
Organised into ten themes, the Ethno-botanic Garden reflects the importance of plant diversity in the daily lives of the people of Laos. Plants used as medicine for humans and elephants, as ingredients and materials manipulated to create dyes and handicrafts, and as offerings for ancestors and others spirits are some of the themes exhibited in this garden.

Ginger Garden (1.200 m²).
The Ginger Garden presents over 100 different ginger species, including edible species and Luang Prabang natives. This garden was developed in collaboration with Jana Škornickovà from the Singapore Botanic Garden.

Arboretum (25.000 m²).
The Arboretum contains more than 200 species of trees found in the region of Southeast Asia. Visitors will be able to learn more about the natural habitat and the importance of specific species in local communities.

Palm Garden (6.000 m²).
Over 30 species of palm, including rattan, where visitors can observe the various shapes of palm fronds.

Bamboo Garden (4.000 m²
The people of Lao utilise bamboo as food, as material for weaving baskets and walls, and as scaffolding. The Bamboo Garden features over 30 species found in Laos.

Orchid Nursery (500 m²).
To learn more about the activities of the Pha Tad Ke Botanical Garden, the Public Nursery exhibits some of the garden’s scientific collections, including more than 280 orchid species and over 150 fern species.

Permaculture Research and Demonstration Farm (2.000 m²)
Permaculture provides a sustainable farming alternative. Farmers can play a part in conserving the natural environment by giving up unsustainable practices such as slash and burn agriculture. We offer workshops about permaculture and other sustainable farming methods to visitors and members of the local community at the Permaculture Demonstration Farm.

In 2020 we installed here our Insect Food Farm that provides trainings for local farmers as well as organically produced crickets for our restaurant and the local restaurants in town.

A café and a shop, provide numerous avenues to enhance the wellbeing of visitors. The shop sells condiments, handicrafts, seeds, teas and herbal infusions with ingredients cultivated at the garden. Lectures and workshops held at the garden will explain their uses as well as production of these handicrafts and other products.

A lotus pond provides a tranquil setting, a place for contemplation, for the café and library. Here, visitors have a chance to peruse books published by the garden. Healthy food using high-quality ingredients that nurtures visitor’s physical wellbeing is the focus of the café.

Its innovative menu of creative cuisine is based on seasonal produce that was developed in collaboration with Chef Seng Luangrath of Thip Khao, a celebrated restaurant in Washington, DC, USA. Born in Laos, Chef Seng immigrated to the United States as a refugee. After running other restaurants and catering businesses, she opened Thip Khao to share her passion about Lao food.