Singapore Botanic Gardens is one of the city's most popular and recommended attractions. These amazingly beautiful gardens stretch over a relatively large area of almost 160 acres and feature a stunning variety of species: Plants, trees, flowers and shrubs... Most of which originated from the tropical region of Southeast Asia.
The garden was established by an Agri-Horticultural Society, back in 1859, and was planned for the well being of the residents. The society used to organize flower shows in the gardens but got into financial difficulties and, in 1874, the management of the gardens was handed over to the colonial government, which improved it even more...
Henry Nicholas Ridley, an English botanist and naturalist, became the gardens' first director in 1888 and contributed to its development more than anyone else.
During his 23 years as a director, Ridley worked vigorously to improve the gardens and researched hundreds of potentially usable plants, hoping to develop them as cash crops and introduce them to the markets of Southeast Asia.
He is best remembered for being the person who, against all odds, managed to introduce rubber trees to the region's planters, an idea that initially looked ridiculous and unrealistic to many of the colonial administrators (who gave him the unflattering nickname "mad Ridley"), but which proved to be genius.
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An insight from 'Metropolasia-Man':
Although his idea of introducing rubber trees to the markets of Southeast Asia was mocked and ridiculed (and earned him the unflattering title "mad Ridley"), Henry Nicholas Ridley, the Botanic gardens' first director, was the one who laughed last, as rubber became one of the region's best cash crops...
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The most convenient entry point to the gardens is, probably, through Tanglin Gate, at the junction of Napier (continuation of Orchard), Holland and Cluny Roads. Most bus stops can be found near this gate (although the newly opened MRT station is on the other side of the gardens).
From the gate you will enter the southern part of the gardens (known as the Tanglin Core). The Botany Centre, on the gate's right hand side, is where the gardens started its life, back in 1859, and a good place to start the tour from (or to finish). The renewed building boasts the botanic research & development labs, the Singapore Herbarium, an Orchid breeding unit and a historic library, as well as a food court, toilets, visitor's desk and other services...
Other interesting sites, worth visiting, around this part of the gardens include the Swan Lake, the Swiss Granite Fountain - with a massive granite ball, hand sculpted by a Swiss artist, The Bonsai Display, near the bandstand, the Sun Garden where various species of cactus and other plants of arid areas can be seen, the Passing of Knowledge sculpture, given to the gardens by the Rotary Club of Singapore, the Saraca Stream Walk, where you can walk along a small manmade stream, lined with Yellow Saraca trees (Saraca cauliflora) and Red Saraca (Saraca declinata), and the Vanda Miss Joaquim orchid, Singapore's national flower, that can be found not far from the sculpture (and the bandstand).
Click here for a map of this part of the gardens (Tanglin Core), including all the sightseeing spots.
Moving onwards, to the gardens Central Core. The main attraction around this section of the gardens is, by all means, The National Orchid Garden and the Orchidarium, where more than a thousand species and two thousand hybrids can be found, forming the world's largest display of tropical orchids. Other beautiful spots across the gardens' central core include the Ginger Garden, with more than 250 species of gingers, some of which with marvelous flowering. The Palm Valley boasts more than 200 species of palms, many of which are indigenous to Indochina and Southeast Asia.
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A small tip from 'Metropolasia-Man':
Singapore's National Orchid Garden boasts one of the world's most beautiful displays of orchids and is worth visiting, even if you can't find enough time to visit the whole Botanic Gardens (although you should really try...)
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The Rainforest area is also within the gardens' Central Core. Here you can see an actual "slice" of a genuine rainforest, just like the one that covered the region more than a hundred years ago... The Visitor Center is a good place to get some information about the various plants. The Casa Verde, right next to it, is a good place for a decent cup of coffee and a chillout (or even for a real meal). Another place, worth your time and attention, is the Evolution Garden where you can "travel through time" along the evolution of the plants world... from the time that earth started to cool down and life began, millions and millions of years ago, until our days.
Click here for a detailed map of the Central Core of Singapore Botanic Gardens
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In the northern section (known as the Bukit Timah Core), you should spare some time for the beautiful Eco lake, where plenty of fish, birds and water birds can be seen. Otherwise, there are some lovely themed gardens around this area, most of which comprise of plants used by men... Bougainvilleas, Beverage Crops (with plants that are used to make drinks), Fruit trees garden, Medicinal Plants, Herbs & Spices, Bamboos and more...
For a detailed map of this part of the gardens (Bukit Timah Core), please click here.
At the end of the gardens, a couple of minutes walk from the Eco Lake, there is an MRT station that is currently being built... It should be operational by or before the end of 2011.
The Botanic Gardens open daily, 5am - midnight and the entrance is free.
The National Orchid Garden open 8:30am - 7pm daily (no entry after 6pm), admission charges are SG$5 for an adult and SG$ 1 for students and over 60s. Kids (under 12s) can enter free.
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How to get to Singapore Botanic Gardens: As already mentioned, you can take the MRT to the new Botanic Gardens MRT Station, at the northern side of the gardens (It will probably be open by the time of your visit to Singapore), or you can take a bus from Orchard Road to the main gate...
A) From Somerset Road (Parallel to Orchard Road - Next to Somerset MRT Station and Phoenix) : Take bus Nos. SBS 7, 123 or174, or SMRT 77 or 106
B) From Orchard Boulevard (Next to Orchard MRT Station and ION Orchard): Take bus Nos. SBS 7, 123 or174, or SMRT 77 or 106
C) From Scotts Road (Near Far East Plaza and Goodwood Park) : Take SBS No. 105
The visit to Singapore Botanic Gardens can be combined with a cup of coffee or a meal and some good wine (or just a pleasant window shopping stroll) in Holland Village.
Holland Village, Singapore's expatriate enclave, is a trendy shopping and nightlife precinct, with many popular hangouts for both locals and expats...
Other than a good range of pleasant alfresco-cafés, restaurants and bars, it boasts some specialty shops, where you can find unique arts and crafts, brick-a-brack and so on... as well as a small market and a food centre.
Although it's not exactly the best place to look for "cheap bargains", it's certainly is a refreshing experience and you might also be surprised at some of the stuff you'll find in those "specialty shops"...
Most of the action takes place around Lorong Mambong and its offshoots, where a bunch of beautifully restored shophouses were converted to shopping and entertainment venues.
To get there: Holland Village MRT Station should be opened by or before the end of 2011 and will provide direct access to Holland Village. Until that happens, you can take SMRT bus Nos. 77 and 106, as well as SBS No. 7 from the city centre, via the Botanical Gardens. (Bus can be boarded along Somerset Road - next to MRT Somerset, or along Orchard Boulevard, near MRT Orchard).
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Read about other trips around Singapore Botanic Gardens
Orchard Road to the Singapore River
Bukit Timah Nature Reserve
