22 Jul 2025 – National Orchid Garden@SBG
Tue: early yesterday@SingaporeBontanicGardens/SBG to escape the heat and the crowds but many also had the same idea! Direct MRT TEL MT to NapierSta,nice ceiling and shaded walkway to traffic lights
but without any shade crossing the junction of Napier&ClunyRoad to SBG/MainGate.
Heading via the Main/TanglinGate towards the BotanyCentre.
One of the Heritage Trees – Calophyllum inophyllum/PenagaLaut, impossible for me to get a good shot of the whole tree where it is growing.
Prisoners-of-wall brick steps – they bear the memory of those who were imprisoned during WWII in SIN under Japanese occupation. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/prisoner-of-war-steps
Unlike the Girl on the Bicycle/1987 and the Bandstand/1930, the Girl on the Swing/1984 is not so easy to spot if not aware of it.
You can wander onto any path and will not be disappointed.
SIN-National Flower since 1981 – Vanda Miss Joaquim
Images and pix do not do justice to this spectacular Heritage Tree – Ceiba Pentandra/Kapok or SilkCotton, you need to be there to see it.
Enjoyed the Heritage Museum/first time. In 1861 LawrenceNiven planted these Grammatophyllum speciosum/TigerOrchids and they are still at the same spot today – for real and I do try to be there to see them in bloom when possible.
By the time I got here, the sky opened up and the rains came pouring down in buckets, best to be indoors to check our this new Planting Memories. To my surprise, saw this pix with Albert in it, and strangely enough its his Bday today which he does not celebrate!
Like the idea that this CDL-GreenGallery has orchids blooming on the roof. Hope that they can keep this despite looking portable!
SIN-GardenFestival2025 starts with Orchid Society of South-East-Asia/OSSEA’sOrchidShow from 19-27Jul@NationalOrchidGarden.
SBG – one of the best gardens in the world listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Founded by the Agri Horticulture society in 1859 and covers an area of 183 acres. This 150 years old botanic garden has a history of horticulture attractions and one of the worlds best plant collections and the only botanic gardens in the world that opens from 5am to 12am midnight. Botanical gardens are the sanctuaries where we can immerse ourselves in the peaceful embrace of nature’s healing presence.
Have been helping out OSSEA with their MOR publication from 1999-2009 and setting up with their 2003 first show The Singapore Orchid Festival@SBG, then the first festival held@SBG in the UNESCO’s/World Heritage List. For me it was and still is my favourite orchid festival&show ever. Despite having worked here once upon a time, there is always some new surprises to explore. Do like visiting but it takes a day of ~10,000steps to see only just a small part of this amazing garden and another day to put that small part into ~500words with ~40pix just for this posting!