Gardens by the Bay

The amazing thing about this place is that it is only 6 years old. This architectural marvel has been built on reclaimed land. The concept was seeded in 2005 based on Singapore's reputation as a Garden City. The brief from the Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew was to create a  "nation as a city within a garden." Over 162,000 plants are planted here in the Gardens and on the Supertrees. It was a tough brief - the architects and the designers has to create a garden that used less energy then a typical Singapore office building.

There are 18 Supertrees which are vertical gardens full of the most beautiful, mosses, grasses, ferns, epiphytes, bromeliads and orchids. The trees produce shade during the day and have solar panels to generate electricity which is then used for lighting and cooling.They are fitted with environmental technologies that mimic the ecological function of trees, so they store energy from sunlight and water from rainfall. There are two additional large structures, aside from the gardens which are extensive,  the Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest facing Marina Bay. They cost about a billion to build.

You have to admire all that and this is even before I have taken you in ...

The Skyway which is a path at about 22 metres is a good way to appreciate the Supertrees but also the Gardens. If you can stick around for the light shows, do so, they are on at 7.45 and 8.45 pm.

The Flower Dome is popular and you can see why. The flowers - so very many varieties of orchids and others are all in bloom. They seem to manage them so wonderfully there are displays all year round and events to match, Tulipmania or Dahlia Dreams just two examples of the many on offer.

 A favourite place for couples wanting to take their marriage photos in amongst the flowers. You can accessorise here to your hearts content.

As you enter the Cloud Dome you see a huge waterfall and then you can snake your way right up to the top admiring the epiphytes, ferns and bromeliads, as well as the many other flowering plants embedded in the structure. 

There are educational films, stalactites and stalagmites, environmental messages, and information about rare and endangered plants even Lego displays of some note. I leave you with a pitcher plant made entirely of Lego.  Somehow it sits well amongst the real ones does it not ?