Open daily from 5 a.m to midnight, a visit to Singapore Botanical Gardens is the ideal way to spend a morning in Singapore. Established in 1859 by an Agri-Horticultural society, the sprawling 74 hectare park is considered to be one of the world’s best botanic gardens nestled among many Luxury Hotels Singapore. Designed by Lawrence Niven, Singapore’s Colonial past is reflected in the Park’s quaint gardens, lakes, alleyways, statues and buildings.
Enter the park through the ornate Tanglin or Bukit Timah gates to explore all that this 155 year-old botanic garden has to offer. The St. Regis Singapore, located near Tanglin Gate, offers convenient access to the picturesque Swan Lake which derives its name from the gigantic Swan sculpture in its midst. Venturing to the centre of the Garden will bring visitors past the iconic Bandstand where military band performances were once held and the Ginger Garden which is home to 250 species of ginger. Near the Ginger Garden lies the world-renown National Orchid Garden. A legacy of an orchid breeding programme that began in 1928, the National Orchid Garden is home to 1000 orchid varieties and 2000 hybrid orchids in its 3 hectare garden which can be viewed from 8.30 a.m to 7 p.m by paying an admission fee.
Predating the Garden itself is 6 hectares of lush rainforest that is home to over 300 plant species including many endemic plants and is accessible through a boardwalk that runs through the rainforest. The Park’s recent attractions including the Healing, Fragrant, Foliage and Trellis Gardens lie across the rainforest alongside botanical and horticultural research facilities that continue the Park’s legacy as leading centre for plant research and conservation. The Park’s Heritage Museum and Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden educate the Park’s visitors of the Garden’s history and plant-life. Other must-visit sights in the Garden include the 150 year-old Tembusu tree (one of 40 heritage trees found in the park), Eco Lake and Symphony Lake where the oyster shell-shaped platform hosts orchestral performances. With so much to offer, Singapore Botanical Gardens is hopeful of UNESCO World Heritage status in 2015.
Thanuja Silva is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Auburn Silver. She has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
