Singapore is a destination well worth a visit just to see The Gardens By The Bay. The gardens showcase plants and flowers from across the world. Singaporeans are proud of their gardens which are a fantastic drawcard for tourism but also for education and aim to be a model for sustainable development and conservation. Their vision is
Our world of gardens for all to own, enjoy and cherish.
Gardens by the Bay has several sections that span 101 hectares of reclaimed land. The highlights are The Cloud Forest, The Flower Dome and the Super Trees, although the surrounding parklands and gardens are splendid.
You can stroll on a giant suspended walkway between two Supertrees and enjoy a bird’s eye view of the whole gardens. Or catch the shuttle train for a quick trip through the vast lawns, sculptures and palm forests.
The two conservatories that sit like giant glass boulders on the landscape are The Forest Cloud and The Flower Dome. They are designed with glass that sits on a steel grid and acts like an eggshell. The views from inside amongst the flowers and foliage are truly unique. These two Conservatories are the world’s largest column less greenhouses.
The Forest Cloud is a cooled massive conservatory replicating a tropical mountain paradise filled with plants from across the world. Inside is a 35-metre tall mountain that is covered in lush and varied vegetation. As you ascend towards the top on the walkways past a giant waterfall that circles the mountain, you are veiled in mist.
The walkway is called the Cloud Walk, where there are masses of exotic plants ranging from delicate moss and soft ferns through to large-leafed tropical alocasia, philodendrons, cycads, bromeliads and many epiphytes plant species ( plants that rely on the support of other plants and do not live on soil), growing that completely cover the mountain.
Once at the highest point, called the Lost World, you will find cloud forest vegetation that usually grows and thrives at 2000 metres above sea level. There are some unique and rare plants and a thick layer of various mosses and ferns galore. From here, one also can enjoy a view outside over the Marina Bay waterfront.
The temperature within the Cloud Forest is around 23 -25 degrees with 80-90% humidity so it is comfortable to wander along the walkways and enjoy not only the vegetation but the views.
There are more areas to explore within the Cloud Forest including The Crystal Mountain Cave, The Tree Top Walk and The Secret Garden where you will find many species of begonias, gesneriads, orchids, ferns and other plant life that are typical of a limestone cave and forest environment.
The Flower Dome is located in the other large conservatory and hosts exhibitions and permanent floral displays from Mediterranean and semi-arid regions as well as event exhibitions and cafes and restaurants.
When I visited the Gardens by the Bay in 2018 there was a spectacular exhibition on Begonias in the Flower Dome packed with vibrant colours.
Within the flower dome are gardens from Australia, California, South Africa The Mediterranean and South America. As well a succulent garden, an olive grove and some baobabs and bottle trees.
The magnitude and magnificence of the indoor conservatory garden is incredible as are the parklands surrounding the domes and supertrees.
The Picture above is a view of the gardens from the Marina Bay Sands Hotel.
