Tranquility at the Singapore Botanic Gardens

A short 20-minute taxi ride from our place here in Singapore and one comes across one of the best botanical gardens in the world named, what else, but the Singapore Botanic Gardens.

Singapore Botanic Gardens

Occupying a massive 74-hectare area, the Singapore Botanic Gardens was originally established as an area for the cultivation of crops that were of potential economic importance to the country. Achievements of note include the planting of rubber seedlings and the pioneering of orchid hydribisation.  It also boasts of having the largest collection of tropical plant specimens.

Various flowers inside

Attractions include a small rainforest (Singapore is only one of 2 major cities in the world that has a tropical rainforest located within its city limits), the Evolution Garden (which tells the evolutionary story of plant life on Earth), and the Jacob Ballas Children's Garden, among others (view the full list of attractions at the Singapore Botanic Gardens website.)

The park also has 3 lakes, but my favorite is perhaps the Swan Lake located in the Tanglin Core area of the garden.  This particular body of water has a wonderful sculpture of swans about to take flight in the middle.

Swan Lake

But it isn't just called such because of the statue.  The lake is also home to these graceful creatures who even swim near enough to people.

Swan close-up

The park's most famous attraction would be the National Orchid Garden, a 3-hectare area that displays over 1,000 species and 2,000 hybrids of orchids.  (FACT: the Vanda Miss Joaquim, a type of orchid hybrid, is Singapore's national flower and is also the very first plant hydrid registered from the Lion City.)

National Orchid Garden

The botanical garden is free to enter; but a small fee is required for those wishing to visit the National Orchid Garden area.

Orchids and other flora

It really is nice to have a place like this so close to home.  J

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Singapore Botanic Gardens
1 Cluny Rd, Singapore 259569
T     +65 6471 7361
W   http://www.sbg.org.sg



Please visit the Singapore Botanic Gardens website (click here for the site) for more information on operating hours and ticketing prices.

Planning to visit?  Drop by my "Getting Around Singapore" post (click here) for more details on how to get around the Lion City.