Well, I got into it, and so far not too bad. I cut the culms about 3 feet up to get rid of the interferring foliage. Re this, I gather there is no problem in disposing of the culms, as they do not propogate from the nodes, or the like. I dug outside of the root area and dug out the stumps and main root mass. I'll let this dry out and burn it. I cleaned out the area of all of the soil and did not find any great amount of spreading rhizomes. I suppose if I put this soil into my secondary compost pile, which is made up of soil stripped from the lawn to remove dead grass and weed infestation, any remaining small pieces of rhizomes will easily compost in time. If any shoots come out while cooking, I'll carefully strip this back. I will be re-using this soil, after a long cooking, as lawn topdressing in future, and therefore any tough pieces that survive the cooking would not survive on top of the lawn. I found that the back of the clump was restricted from spreading by a brick border and asphalt pavement which ran across to the neighbour's house wall. There is about five feet from the pavement to my house wall and I do not see any spread, although I will keep vigilant and eradicate any new young shoots, now I know what to look for. The clump was also in the middle of a cedar hedge and was competing with the roots of the mature cedars. I appreciate the help all of you have given me, and prevented what would have been a larger cleanup in future. Now I have to decide on a nice plant for that area to replace the empty spot, as I need something to screen my side window from the neighbour's side door and driveway. The knotweed was really a nice looking plant, and ideally filled that purpose, with the elegant stalks and the broad leaves, which provided as kind of airey screening. It also thrived in a somewhat demanding and semi-shaded environment, so that speaks for it's noted hardiness. It had the ideal height and spread. Oh well>. Ted

Harry...if they listened to Warren and I, the canals would be blocked and filled in. I would also try and raise as much of the interior as I could...with good soil. The outer perimeter is about 6' above that level. Warren and I cannot understand how the mangos have survived down there with their roots in muck/water. Every single one needed propped up with bamboo because the roots just have nothing tangible to support them. I forgot to label one of the pics but there is one that shows nearly an entire row with obvious "empty" mounds. Those mounds were all of the jackfruit that did not survive because of the muck. They got to a certain size and once the roots reached far enough into that slop, they couldn't take it. Notice that the mangrove is growing like a weed though!!!! I'm afraid there is a lot of time and effort to be put into this and the folks are not going to do it. They have nearly as many mangos out there as you do!! What the he!! they will do with that many I don't know. At least they now get that shorter, more compact plants are much easier to care for.

You say 'of course' but to me the plant in photo 1 looks entirely different to the plant in photos 3 & 4. For a start it's variegated and the way the leaves are growing at the base looks nothing like a Spathiphyllum. And Spathiphyllums do not grow a 120 cm trunk. If you could just provide a picture of the entire plant from photo 1 rather than just the base of the leaves it would be much easier to id it.

Given that 95% of the population of Thailand is Buddhist, it's no surprise that there are an estimated 40,000 temples in Thailand. Thai temple complexes usually include a temple or wat, feature a tall bell-shaped stupa which is a place for relics and the ashes of monks, ordination and sermon halls, a space for shrines and Buddha images and a residence for the monks. The public is welcome at most temples. When visiting the temples, please show respect by observing the following guidelines: Take your shoes off before entering the temple. Make sure shoulders are covered and wear long pants (or long skirts for women). Remove hats and sunglasses, don't chew gum or smoke and speak quietly. After entering the temple, sit on the floor with your feet under you and try not to put yourself in a position where you are higher than any Buddha statues or Buddhist monks. It's ok to take photographs unless there are signs forbidding it, but don't use a flash. With their ornate appearance, the temples are easily recognizable: These are peaceful places, and even if not Buddhist, one may feel the urge to reflect or meditate while visiting. Beautiful arrangements of fresh flowers adorn the interior of the temples and they are spectacular: The interior of the temples are dominated by Buddha statues. Buddha statues are made out of many different materials from gold plate to stone to wood to clay. One famous statue, the Golden Buddha, was thought to be made of plaster until it was being moved to a new location in 1954. Ropes supporting the statue snapped causing the statue to fall to the floor and resulting in some of the plaster chipping off allowing the gold surface underneath to be seen. After carefully removing the plaster it was discovered that the statue was solid gold. It is believed that it was covered over with plaster in the 1700's to prevent theft, although at 5.5 tons stealing it would be a daunting task! The interior of the temples include beautifully embellished shutters and ceilings. And, detailed murals cover the walls: