Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay: A Nature Lover’s Paradise

They call Singapore the ‘Garden City’ and Gardens by the Bay is an initiative to transform it into a ‘City in a Garden’. For a generation growing up in the concrete jungle, that’s certainly a novel concept!

The Gardens was first conceptualized in 2006, when an international competition was held to invite design ideas that would capture the essence of Singapore. The master plans were then exhibited to the public for their feedback, after which work on the Gardens began.  Opened in 2011, the Gardens consist of parks sprawled over a hundred hectares, and is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Singapore.

Here are the places you must visit on your Gardens by the Bay tour:

Flower Dome

Enter the world of perennial spring at the Flower Dome. Awarded the title of ‘Largest Glass Greenhouse’ by Guinness World Record in 2015, this conservatory replicates the climate of the sub-tropical and Mediterranean region and is home to exotic flora from five continents across the world—Asia, Europe, American, Australia and Africa. These unique plants are displayed in nine different gardens, namely the Baobabs and Bottle Trees, the Succulent Garden, the Australian Garden, the South American Garden, the South Africa Garden, the Californian Garden, the Olive Grove, the Mediterranean Garden and the Changing Flower Field Display.

The Flower Dome houses vivid floral displays which are refreshed periodically to bring an ever-changing horticultural experience to visitors.  

Must-See: The thousand-year-old olive tree from Spain

Opening Time: 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM daily

Cloud Forest

Venture away from the cool-dry climate of the Flower Dome into the misty and lush greenery of the mountains at the Cloud Forest. The Cloud Forest is a mysterious world veiled in mist, surrounded by over 60,000 plants and floral gems from the Tropical Montane regions. Be amazed as you come face-to-face with the world’s tallest indoor waterfall at 35 metres!

Go on a trek behind the waterfall and enjoy the refreshing cool air and majestic views of the waterfall below. Descend through the surreal mist-filled Cloud Walk and explore the 7 discovery zones for an interactive educational adventure – Cloud Walk, Crystal Mountain, +5 Degrees, Treetop Walk, Earth Check, Secret Garden, Lost World.

Must-See:  The beautifully crafted artificial waterfall where you can refresh yourself before continuing on your tour.

Opening Time: 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM daily

Supertree Grove and OCBC Skyway

Stand in awe of the amazing Supertrees at the Supertree Grove. These uniquely designed vertical gardens are 25 to 50 metres tall and have large canopies that provide shade in the day and come alive with an exhilarating display of light and sound every evening.

Providing scale and dimension to the Gardens while marrying the form and function of mature trees, the Supertrees also create height to balance the tall developments in the Marina Bay area.

Don’t forget to take a stroll along the OCBC Skyway, a 128-metre long walkway with a height of 22 metres, that connects two Supertrees at the Supertree Grove. From here you get a spectacular aerial view of the Gardens.

Must-See: As night approaches, watch the Supertrees come alive with a glittering array of lights in an event that is aptly called the Garden Rhapsody. (At 7.45pm and 8.45pm daily).

Opening Time: 5:00 AM - 2:00 AM daily (Supertree Grove); 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM (OCBC Skyway)

Events at Gardens by the Bay

The Gardens hosts a number of interesting events throughout the year. Keep an eye out on the Gardens by the Bay website for a full schedule of the year’s events. Here are some of the events for this year:

• Nursery Rhymes Floral Display : 22 May-19 July 2015
• SG 50 Floral Display : From Tales to Legends - A Floral Tribute to Singapore's Stories:  31 July to 13 September 2015, at the Flower Dome  (Admission charge to the Flower Dome applies)
   

There’s so much more to the Gardens, the Heritage Gardens, the Sun Pavilion, the fine dining restaurants…the list is endless. Keep at least a day aside to roam the Gardens with your family and friends, and to see man and nature at its harmonious best. Head over here to book a trip!