A Trip To Gardens By The Bay In Singapore Deserves Its Own Post

   

     When we had a chance to spend a night in Singapore coming from Kuala Lumpur, I really didn't want to miss going to Gardens By The Bay. Good thing my brother is a gardening enthusiast so we agreed to spend our first afternoon exploring this massive property with a baby in tow.

     Gardens By The Bay is a gardener's dream come to life.  It is a vast nature park nestled in a little over 100 hectare sanctuary of reclaimed land by Singapore's marina.

      The cool temperature inside the Cloud Forest greets you as you enter. Here you will be welcomed by a 5-storey (35 meters) waterfall that makes you feel like you're in the Amazon. It is a welcome respite from a humid afternoon roaming the garden grounds. Housed in the cloud forest are dozens of species of  anthuriums, bromeliads, ferns, orchids and other high-altitude plants. 

     The exotic plants LEGO® display was so detailed it makes you wonder how many manhours went into making them.

     There are elevators to ascend  for people like us with babies in strollers or for  PWDs on wheelchairs but it is accessible too via stairs. The descent is via a circular path the gives you a magnificent view of the waterfall.

 
      Beautiful blooms from around the world are on display  at The Flower Dome. This structure holds the record for The Largest Glass Greenhouse In The World. There are specific gardens representing the different continents like an Australian Garden, a Mediterranean garden, a South American Garden to name a few.  In their website, this area is called "a world of perpetual spring. At The Flower Field, there is a changing flower exhibition that is the highlight of the Flower Dome. When we were there, the exhibit theme was blue. An English Garden display featured arbors and mini patches with blue flowers like snapdragons, hydrangeas and lavender.

      Also at the Flower Dome, you will see hundreds of species of semi-arid plants like cacti and succulents. Also housed here are the seemingly mystical boabab trees of Madagascar and Africa.  I think the visit here is what opened my eyes and made me start a mini succulent garden at home.

   
    The entrance fee of SGD28 was worth every penny. There is still so much more I didn't get to see. I could have stayed there till closing time to see the spectacular music and light show at The Supertree Grove which is staged twice in the evening. Sadly, next on the agenda was exploring Marina Bay Sands which is just across and accessible via a foot bridge.

     If I lived in Singapore, I would gladly pay the annual membership fee of SGD140 for unlimited access to this attraction. Who doesn't want to be surrounded by plant life? The oxygen is good for you. You learn about the environment and get acquainted with as many different plant species as you wish. Plus the displays keep changing depending on the season. And for a photography enthusiast like me, you'll never run out of subjects.

     I would recommend spending the whole day here if your schedule permits. There are restaurants and a McDonald's on the premises so affordable meals are not a problem. I can't wait for another opportunity to spend a day here.