SINGAPORE BOTANIC GARDENS, SINGAPORE'S MUST SEE

This past weekend Graham and I took a visit to the Singapore Botanic Gardens.  The Agri-Horticultural Society established the garden on it's present site in 1859, later handing it over to the government for maintenance. Covering approximately 74 hectares (183 acres), this amazing garden is only a 30 minute walk from the major shopping hub of Orchard Road.  Open daily from 5am to midnight and free to get in, it is a must see when visiting Singapore.  Some of the attractions within the garden are The Swan Lake, The Visitor Centre, The Botany Centre, Ginger Garden, Rainforest, Evolution Garden and the area called National Flower of Singapore Vanda Miss Joaquim.  This lovely pink (and very tall) orchid, Miss Joacquim, was chosen to be the National flower of Singapore in 1981.

Perhaps one of the best known areas of the Botanic Garden is The National Orchid Garden which has over 20,000 species of orchids on display.  This is the only area of The Botanic Garden that you have to pay to enter and this is where Graham and I headed to this time. It is quite spectacular to walk round the orchid garden with so many colors and shapes vying for the attention of the camera!

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Areas within the Orchid Garden include The Orchidarium, The Cool House (very welcome I must say in hot and steamy Singapore!), Heritage Orchid Display, Tan Hoon Siang Mist House, National Flower of Singapore Vanda Miss Joaquim and my personal favorite, The Celebrity Orchid Garden with many orchids named after celebrities who are invited to visit the garden and have the visit commemorated by having a new hybrid named for them.  Some of the famous names include Jackie Chan and Andrea Bocelli, plus there is a beautiful white orchid named in tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales, though she never visited the garden.

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All in all, we had a terrific afternoon in the Orchid Garden and I am going to let the images speak for themselves. Enjoy!

the botanic gardens - wiki