At the same time, Mr. Charoen began diversifying, developing lucrative soda-water and iced-tea lines and building up a sizable property portfolio that included prominent Bangkok hotels.
Stoney Bank Nurseries took a more rural path with its version of Hidcote Manor, a property in the rural Cotswolds once owned by a prominent plant collector.
Located five minutes off the main I-95 highway, the property is next to Mead Point, a private association with some of Greenwich's most prominent estates.