5 things to check out at Singapore Garden Festival before it ends

SINGAPORE — The Singapore Garden Festival may only be in its sixth edition, but the biennial event is already attracting international recognition.

Jointly organised by the National Parks Board (NParks) and Gardens by the Bay, the festival is widely considered to be among the top three garden shows in the world, alongside the prestigious Chelsea Flower Show and the Philadelphia Flower Show.

Festival director Dennis Lim attributed the show’s popularity to the eminence of its competitors.

“Our team visits the various flower shows around the world, and invite only the Gold and Best of Show winners to participate in our festival. This explains the high levels of talent at our shows,” he said.

First time at the festival or hoping to catch it before it ends on Sunday? Lim shares what to zoom in on.

1. World of Terrariums

This colossal exhibit is a collective effort of more than 150 community gardeners, hobbyists, students, and NParks staff. When you step into the exhibit, which is larger than a five-room HDB flat, it feels like a giant terrarium. And once inside, you’ll be greeted by more than 200 terrariums of various shapes and sizes.

2. Landscape Gardens

The Meadow is where you whip out your camera as it is the site of the show-stopping “The Treasure Box”. Conceived by Malaysian horticulturist-garden designer Inch Lim, this design — which features an 80sqm garden cocooned amid verdant rice plants — took home both the Gold and Best of Show awards in the landscape gardens category.

3. Fantasy Gardens

Over at the Fantasy Gardens showcase, be enthralled by Italian landscape designer Stefano Passerotti’s design, Nature’s Resolution, which won the Gold and Best of Show in the fantasy gardens category. Featuring 366 boxes painstakingly strung up amid tillandsia, each box includes a scene from human life — for example, a pregnant woman (symbolising the future of our world) or a man on his knees praying (as a nod to the global warming crisis).

4. Orchid Extravaganza

If you have young children, take them to the Flower Dome, which has been transformed into a whimsical world by garden landscape designer Alan Tan. See if they can spot the eight little mythical beings, called the Orchidians, hidden among the beautiful orchids. The Orchid Extravaganza features a staggering 12,000 orchid plants, many of which are rare and never-before-seen hybrids including the vampire orchid hybird (so called for its two long tendrils that resemble fangs). Orchid lovers might also want to make a beeline for the Secret Garden at The Meadow for the Aranda Lee Kuan Yew and the Vanda Kwa Geok Choo, named after Singapore’s founding prime minister and his wife. According to festival director Lim, it is uncommon for these flowers to bloom at the same time.

5. Free nightly performances

Apart from taking time to (literally) smell the flowers, do make time for the festival’s many fringe activities, including highly anticipated performances by top Singapore acts such as 53A, Gentle Bones and Shirlyn & The UnXpected.

The Singapore Garden Festival is on until Sunday (July 31). Tickets available at kiosks located at the entrance of Bayfront Plaza, The Meadow, The Meadow open-air car park, and near the entrance to the Flower Dome. 
Visitors may also buy tickets at https://ticketing.gardensbythebay.com.sg/SelectTicket.aspx.