Singapore Botanic Gardens
Since opening in its present form in 1859, the Singapore Botanic Gardens have played an integral role in the city’s reputation as one of Asia’s greenest cities. This sprawling 74-hectare urban oasis acts as a green lung in the heart of a shimmering steel city, attracting thousands of nature-lovers each day with its treasure trove of plant life and exotic flowers.
The National Orchid Garden is one of the park’s many highlights, boasting more than 1,000 species and 2,000 different hybrids of Singapore’s beloved national flower. The garden’s orchid breeding program began in 1928 and today, the National Orchid Garden offers the largest permanent display of tropical orchids anywhere in the world. It’s also home to four seasonally-inspired colour zones, ensuring that no matter what time of year you visit, you’re guaranteed to see these fragrant floral creations in all their resplendent glory.
Other attractions inside the Singapore Botanic Gardens include a unique tropical rainforest – older than the park itself and one which makes Singapore, along with Rio de Janeiro, one of only two cities in the world to boast a tropical rainforest inside its city limits.
The Evolution Garden is an almost 10 hectare site which features free-growing tree ferns and cycads that help depict the evolution of plant life through the ages. The aptly-named Symphony Lake was once a popular concert venue, while the Ginger Garden houses a highly-rated restaurant in a multifaceted botanic garden which in April 2013 applied for UNESCO World Heritage status.
