I actually planned to visit Singapore Botanic Gardens yesterday but it did not materialize. In fact, I had already arrived outside the Gardens on yesterday’s afternoon and then heavy rain started. It was raining cats and dogs and went on for hours. After waiting for over an hour, I decided to head back home and visit the place today instead.
I’m smarter today; I checked the weather forecast and heavy rain is expected again this afternoon. Hence, I got myself up early in the morning and made my way straight to the Gardens which took almost an hour from my home by public transport. The gardens is very large (82 hectares in total area) and I once explored the northern and part of the central section several years ago. This time, I’m visiting the remaining central section, southern section and the gallop extension section on the west side for a complete visit of the gardens.
I arrived at 9.30am and it was quite sunny. I entered the gardens via the Tanglin Gate entrance. By the way, did you know that Singapore Botanic Gardens (SBG) which is founded in 1859 by the Agri-horticultural Society is inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015 and remains the only one such site in the country. It is also one of three gardens, and the only tropical garden worldwide, to be honoured as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
I first went to visit the SBG Heritage Museum. It is a small 2-storey museum featuring exhibits and panels detailing the gardens’ rich heritage and milestones over the years. Opposite the museum is the CDL Green Gallery which acts as an extension of the museum. However, it is currently closed for exhibition turnover.
Then, I continued my walk across the park and saw the Bandstand, a gazebo structure that has become an icon of the gardens. I then arrived at the National Orchid Garden. This place requires ticket for admission (SGD5 for adult local residents or SGD15 for adult foreigners). I went in and was quite amazed with huge variety of orchids of different colours, patterns and sizes on display here. This garden within a garden is also very huge and consists of several themed areas. The most interesting is the indoor Cool House which is designed to emulate a high elevation montane forest with a number of enchanting orchid species inside.
After that, I went over to visit the newer Gallop Extension section. Here I visited the Botanical Art Gallery. The 2-storey indoor gallery highlights the vital role that art plays in the scientific documentation of plants in Singapore and the region, as well as how art can inspire renewed appreciation of the natural world around us. Located besides the gallery is the Forest Discovery Centre, another gallery that showcases Singapore’s forest ecosystems, and highlights the importance of conserving them through a series of interpretive and interactive displays. These two galleries are housed in surviving colonial era black and white bungalow respectively and are pretty cool architecturally.
The sky began to turn dark and I then immediately walked back over to Tanglin Gate, the entrance where I first got into the gardens this morning. I passed through the huge Swan Lake (didn’t see any swan) and ended my trip of the gardens at exactly 1pm (spent three and a half hours there today). Then, the downpour came as expected but that’s fine as I was already on my way home. Had an enjoyable trip to the Singapore Botanic Gardens today which in my opinion deserves multiple visits.