Singapore by Kim Inglis

Author:Kim Inglis
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-8048-4335-5
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing

The two glass domes at the Gardens by the Bay horticultural extravaganza line the river just above the Marina Barrage.

Described by its creator, Dr Tan Wee Kiat, as "a botanic garden masquerading as a theme park", the first section of the Gardens by the Bay is now open. Comprising the 54-hectare Bay South (the other two will be east and north-east of the Marina Bay reservoir), it is a waterfront garden that stretches to the Marina Barrage. Without doubt, Dr Tan has transformed a polluted piece of reclaimed land into a magical garden. The water features, massive horticultural displays, open spaces for performances, two conservatories and a futuristic collection of "Supertrees" are all superlative.

Part of the National Parks’ scheme to establish Singapore as the world’s premier tropical garden city, the park is both sustainable and educational. At its heart is a mass of high-tech "Supertrees" (see back endpaper)—spectacular vertical tropical gardens dripping with ferns, orchids, bromeliads and climbers, that double up as solar thermal collectors, rainwater harvesting devices and the like. The tallest even has a bistro at its top, accessible to diners by a lift. They also act as the engine room for two spectacular cooled conservatories—the 1.2-hectare Flower Dome and the 0.8-hectare Cloud Forest.

Central to the Gardens’ design concept, the former is an iconic, clam-shaped structure that replicates the cool-dry climate of the Mediterranean and semi-arid subtropical regions. Featuring an uncommon range of flowers and plants such as baobabs, olive trees and date palms, its primary purpose is to tell the story of plants and their intimate relationship with man and the ecosystem. Serving a similar purpose, the Cloud Forest conservatory mimics the cool-moist climate of Tropical Montane regions, with cutting-edge technologies providing the energy-efficient cooling systems, and a 130-foot cascading waterfall amidst an extraordinary collection of wild orchids from Borneo, wild begonias and fuchsias, tropical rhododendrons, and a variety of pitcher plants.

The Horticultural Show Gardens are another highlight: Each of these intricately landscaped gardens is themed to evoke a local style and period and showcase both tropical plants and the history and culture of Singapore’s three main ethnic groups, as well as the city-state’s colonial heritage. Malay-, Indian- and Chinese-themed gardens, along with displays of lucrative crops and spices, tell the story of Singapore’s relationship with its inhabitants and trading partners—and the types of plants, trees and crops they nurtured.

In the first seven months of opening, Bay South has received three million visitors, most of whom seem to leave the area with their jaws on the ground. When Bay East and Bay Central come on board, they will double the area of these unique gardens.

USEFUL INFORMATION

MAP REF: E4

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