Late last year I was able to explore a new attraction in
Singapore, Gardens by the Bay. I
actually just learned that it has now been ranked as the 4th
most-shared attraction in the world, next to the Eiffel Tower, The Colosseum,
and Central Park. I have been anxiously
waiting to visit this park since it opened to the public, June 29, 2012, which
was right about the time we arrived in Singapore. I was happy to come across a tour being
offered by the group I belong to, the American Women’s Association, so I
quickly signed up. I was the youngest in
the group but ready to bear the heat with my camera in hand.
Gardens by the Bay was first announced in 2005 on National
Day by the Prime Minister. The project
officially broke ground in 2007. This
place was created in hopes to become an outdoor recreational area in Singapore
and national icon. I was even able to
attend J Lo’s concert here! This
development also plays a vital role in the government trying to transform
Singapore from a ‘Garden City’ to a ‘City in a Garden’. It is conveniently located right by an MRT
station so getting there is very easy and affordable.
The tour first stopped through the Heritage Gardens which
displays how plants from Singapore’s main ethnic groups (Chinese, Indian, and
Malay) play a part in the different cultures.
We did get to see the Supertrees from a distance. You can’t really miss them standing at a whopping
82-160 feet. The Supertrees hold a
variety of functions such as planting, shading, and working as an environmental
backbone for the gardens. I learned they
are more than just tall structures that look pretty at night. They have technology that replicates the function
of trees. They use solar energy for
lighting and collect rainwater for use in irrigation and fountain displays. The Supertrees also assist in cooling the
conservatories. Pretty neat! There is even a skywalk through the two
larger Supertrees that provide amazing views of the Gardens. We did not spend too much time amongst the
Supertrees because it was getting very hot.
Next on the trip were the cooled conservatories.
The first conservatory we visited was the Flower Dome which
is 3 acres in size. It mimics cool dry
conditions and offers a variety of plants found in the Mediterranean and
subtropical regions. There is even an
area in this conservatory that offers seasonal displays. I was actually able to see pumpkins,
scarecrows, and mums. Now I know where
to go next year to get fall seasonal pictures similar to being at a pumpkin
patch! They did a very nice job!
The Cloud Forest is the second conservatory and is 2
acres. It replicates the cool moist
tropical mountain regions between 3,300 ft. and 9088 ft. about sea level. It also showcases a ‘Cloud Mountain’ where you can follow a circular path all the way down to the bottom.
There is even a 115 ft. man-made waterfall.
Overall my experience here was very interesting and
informative. I wish to go back at night
and tour the grounds as everything is pretty spectacular with all the lights
and color displays. Well done Singapore! You never cease to amaze me! I forgot to mention as with anything in
Singapore there are numerous dining options as well.
I took over 100 pictures but have been having trouble uploading them to blogger for over a week now. I am not sure what is going on but I will post the pictures when I can figure everything out. Sorry!
