Tired of the bustle of the metropolis, I started looking for a quiet place in Singapore where I could relax my body and soul. And I found him. Chic Botanical Garden(Singapore Botanic Gardens) has been a key reflection of Singapore's flora and a link between man and nature's tropical vegetation for nearly 150 years.

Here you can enjoy the wonderful landscapes, hear the gentle, almost elusive sounds of nature, feel the splendor of the silence of Singapore and plunge into the atmosphere of a city built according to all the rules of the Feng Shui school.

general information

Currently, this vast park is recognized as the best botanical garden South-East Asia. Here you can wander for hours along the winding pedestrian paths and look at sculptures, you can admire Swan Lake, or you can look into the incredible orchid garden, which will enchant exotic lovers with rare species of beautiful flowers.

Singapore Botanic Gardens usually attracts enthusiasts family vacation, local pet owners and active athletes on weekends and weekdays magnificent park is an exploration area for numerous curious tourists and a vacation spot for elderly couples who can retire to any quiet corner on 64 hectares of land. This garden has room for everyone!

In the summer of 2012, Singapore applied to have the Botanical Garden included in the UNESCO list. And so, literally a year ago, the garden received the desired status of an object World Heritage.

A little history

The history of the garden dates back to the time of Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of Singapore and a true naturalist. In 1822, he ordered the creation of the first botanical garden in the economic interests of the country. For the state at that time, the cultivation of crops such as nutmeg and cocoa beans was very important. The garden later took on a leading role in the greening of Singapore.

Henry Ridley, a young British botanist, became the first director of the Botanic Gardens in 1888. In the 19th century, he developed a method for obtaining latex from rubber plants without causing damage to trees. Convinced of the enormous economic potential of this industry, he put so much pressure on the planters that he earned the nickname "Mad" Ridley.


In the Botanical Garden you can see a sculpture erected in his honor.

How to get to the Botanical Garden

I went to the Botanical Garden by public transport, because this is the most common and economical option. But you can also get there by taxi or rented car.

By public transport

As mentioned above, this is the most cheap way, which will help you get to a tropical fairy tale. The price works out to be $2.20 (about SGD 3) for the entire trip:

  • Metro. You need to go to Botanic Gardens Station (yellow line), and then, when you exit the subway, you will immediately notice the entrance to the Botanic Gardens.
  • By bus. You should take one of these bus numbers: 48, 66, 151, 153, 154, 156, 170. Go to the stop called: Singapore Botanic Gardens.

Be sure to ask the driver about the route of the bus he is driving! Unfortunately, in Singapore it is not uncommon for public transport routes to be changed. This story happened to me. Thanks to my intuition, which prompted me to check with the driver about the Botanical Garden. He not only explained to me that the chosen bus no longer goes to the desired place, but also suggested which one I could take to get there faster. If you don't speak English, print out a map of the city in advance and mark all the places you plan to visit. This will make it easier for you to navigate and ask other people for advice on how to get to this or that place.


Above is the map I used when I couldn’t explain to the locals where I wanted to go.

By taxi

Taxi in Singapore is almost the main way of transportation local residents. This is a convenient and relatively inexpensive form of transport. But keep in mind that it’s not the cheapest either:

  • boarding will cost about $4 (that's 5 Singapore dollars);
  • if you call a taxi through a dispatcher, then another 1.8–6 $ or 2.5–8 in local currency will leave your wallet (it all depends on the type of car ordered);
  • Each kilometer traveled will cost $0.3 or 0.5 Singapore;
  • one second in traffic jams will cost you 1 cent, and at night, your taxi trip will cost 50% more than during the day;
  • You can’t just catch a car on the street, for this there are special fenced-off areas where people line up for a taxi; if the queue is too long, you can call a car by phone (additional about 2.5 $ or 3.5 local).

Here are the most popular taxi services and their phone numbers:

  • Comfort +65521111;
  • SMRT +65558888;
  • Limo +65522828.

A taxi service from the city center to the Botanic Gardens will cost you approximately $15 (20 Singapore dollars).

By car

The cost of renting a car in Singapore is quite high. In total it is $150-$190 (SGD 200-250) per day. But do not forget to take into account the fact that the rental price is directly dependent on the class of the car and the period of use of the car. This method of transportation is considered expensive even for locals, so every third resident of Singapore travels by taxi or car. public transport. In order to get to the Botanical Garden by car, you will need a navigator.


Address: Singapore Botanic Gardens, 1 Cluny Road, Singapore 259569.

Useful

Ticket prices

Entry to the Singapore Botanic Gardens is free, except National Park orchids. The cost of a ticket for adults there is $3.5 (about $5 Singapore). Students and seniors can enter for $1, and children under 12 years of age are admitted free.

Opening hours

The botanical garden is open to the public daily from 05:00 to 00:00.


National Park orchids delights you every day from 08:30 to 19:00.

What to see

The Botanical Garden invites everyone to enjoy the wealth of exotic flora of Singapore. This is not just a place where I was able to admire the beauty of incredible plants, it is a natural oasis where I was able to feel like a botanist researcher making new discoveries in science.

Below I have compiled a personal list of the most interesting corners of the huge Singapore park, which, in my opinion, everyone should visit.

National Orchid Garden

It is located in the heart of the Botanical Garden, so getting to it will not be difficult. In this amazing garden with a total area of ​​3 hectares, you can admire different varieties of magnificent orchids (1000 species themselves and about 2000 hybrid varieties).


Some flowers are named after high-ranking persons, which arouses the interest of many tourists. After all, almost everyone wants to see what Princess Diana or, for example, Elton John looks like in floral guises. It even seems a little funny and brings considerable profit to the park.


Above is my favorite orchid, dedicated to the memory of Princess Diana.

Based on my experience, I would like to note that you should definitely visit this delightful garden, equipped with a wealth of exotic flowers (in addition to orchids, the park is decorated with a considerable number of other Singaporean plants), because it will give your trip more brightness and richness of colors.

Swamp Flora Garden

Since I love lilies very much, I couldn’t ignore this garden. Moisture-loving plants decorate this place and give it life in bright green tones.


Here you can meet water lilies lazily floating in a sunken pond, majestic papyrus, Siamese screw and wax palms and many other plants that could not exist without an aquatic habitat.

Spice and herb garden

It is the most fragrant corner of the park. The smells here are simply magical to my nose! The aroma of fresh cinnamon was especially pleasant.
It is here that you will learn what spices Singapore exported at the dawn of its existence.



You'll see nutmeg and cinnamon, lemongrass and ginger, as well as cloves and black pepper.

Ginger garden

There is a separate corner for ginger plants in the Botanical Garden. When I went there, to be honest, I expected more. After the orchid park, the garden seems a little empty and not so bright. But it’s still worth a look here, especially for lovers of ginger spices.


The garden will delight visitors with 550 types of ginger, and a modest waterfall nearby will be a great find for you if you like cozy picturesque corners. The photos you get there are simply amazing!

Sculptures

Walking around the park, you can see many interesting sculptures.


The most famous are the sculpture “Joy”, which is located opposite Swan Lake, and the sculpture “Girl on a Swing”. By the way, I like the last one the most. The smile of this young stone girl is inspiring.

Sundial Garden

It is famous for its outdated time measuring device. The sundial, located in the center of the English garden, is surrounded by four symmetrical pools, thanks to which the garden has acquired a neat appearance.


This place has secretly come to be considered romantic, so when walking here, you can see a lot of loving couples and newlyweds taking pictures. But personally, I like the clock garden when it is empty, and I can walk alone between the pools and admire the fluffy crowns of green trees.

Rainforest Corner

There is also a corner of the tropical forest in the Botanical Garden.


The creators of the park realized the importance of preserving virgin tropical forests, so they set aside a special area for them, where the trees remain intact and continue to grow luxuriantly to this day. I appreciated the green corner for its naturalness. Since the tropical forest garden is one of the few that people hardly touch. Here nature does all the work.

Swan Lake

As was already clear from the above, there is Swan Lake in the large-scale park, which was named so because of the habitat of white swans in it. In addition to it, the garden has an Ecological Lake - a house of ducks and black swans.

And Lake Symphony with a stage in the middle awaits you on weekends, where you can enjoy the wonderful music of a symphony orchestra for free.

Travel with children

Children under 14 years old will enjoy the special Kindergarten Jacob Ballas. There, little explorers are encouraged to learn the basics of life science through play and learn about the role of water and plants in everyday life.


Don't forget to butter the kids sunscreen and grab some summer hats!

Where to eat

You can have a hearty lunch in the cozy Halia restaurant, which is located in the Ginger Garden. It serves European cuisine with a slight Asian accent. The main feature of this restaurant is ginger. This is where it is successfully used in almost every dish.


Restaurant visitors can sit either indoors under air conditioning and with huge panoramic windows overlooking the delightful and picturesque Ginger Garden, or on a specially equipped outdoor terrace in the fresh air, which helps to plunge into the atmosphere of Singaporean nature. Personally, I chose the second option.

Prices in the restaurant are reasonable for Singapore (around $45 or 60 Singaporean per person). It is possible to use the “Food to go” service.

In custody

Overall, I was pleased with my trip to the National Botanic Gardens of Singapore.



It was truly a pleasant introduction to all the beauty of Singapore's flora. Walking for hours in the fresh air not only brings aesthetic pleasure, but is also good for health.

When it comes to taking a tour of our city's greenest attraction, what better guide than Singapore Botanic Gardens (sbg) Director Dr Nigel Taylor? In no case.

Dr Nigel Taylor considers gardening to be an extremely serious activity (and quite naturally). Having become the director of the Botanical Gardens, he not only achieved their inclusion in the prestigious list of Monuments cultural heritage UNESCO, but also led a team of specialists in the cultivation of seedlings of rare plants and the conservation of regional flora.

Today, Dr. Taylor will take us through the most remarkable corners of the 156-year-old park, and share the interesting stories associated with it.

  1. Start your walk with a visit to the History MuseumBotanical gardens (SBG Heritage Museum)

The two-storey museum is located in Holttum Hall, just steps from the magnificent Tanglin Gate, next to the Botany Centre. Built in 1922, it served as an office and laboratory for the directorate of the Botanical Garden. At that time (from 1925 to 1949), the park was headed by Professor Eric Holttum, a developer of innovative methods of orchid breeding.

  1. Meet the famous "money tree"

After diving into rich history park, take a walk to Lawn E, where the old Tembusu tree grows, also known as Phagreea aromatica, probably familiar to you from the image on the 5 Singapore dollar banknote. Scientists believe that the tree is more than 150 years old. Its lower branch is supported by a specially designed system of supports that prevent it from breaking without interfering with its growth. In addition to this legendary plant, there are 46 tembusu in the park (some of them reach 30 meters in height!).

  1. Walk the Prisoner of War Staircase

During the Japanese occupation, Australian prisoners of war marked bricks they made in Changi factories with arrows. These bricks were later used to build a flight of stairs along Lower Ring Road. At that time, the arrows, visible on the steps to this day, symbolized contempt for the enemy.

  1. Share the stage with an invisible orchestra

At the top of the hill you can see the old octagonal gazebo, the appearance of which has remained unchanged since 1930. In its heyday, this handsome structure served as a stage for the regimental band, which played its marches against a backdrop of flower beds and spreading palm trees. The music is no longer played here, but the place is still a very popular venue, especially for wedding photo shoots!

  1. Wander through the tropical bush

Directly opposite the gazebo, a tropical forest with an area of ​​6 hectares begins. It stretches along Maranta Avenue and has 314 plant species. The height of some trees has exceeded 50 meters, and in age they are much older than modern Singapore.

  1. Dophotoin the Orchid Garden

Take Maranta Avenue towards Lower Palm Valley Road and you will find yourself in front of the entrance to National Garden orchids. The park, established by Mr Lee Kuan Yew in 1995, has more than 2,000 varieties of hybrid orchids, not to mention 1,000 basic species of the plant.
In 1956, a custom cultivar naming program was established and the first flower was named after Lady Anne Black, wife of the British Viceroy. Since then, personalized orchids have immortalized over 200 select people from over 90 countries.

  1. Feel like a wealthy landowner by visiting Burkill Hall

Don't leave the Orchid Garden without visiting Burkill Hall. The building was built during the colonial era, between 1867 and 1868, and has been restored today. What makes it special is that it is believed to be the only example of an Anglo-Malay farmhouse in the region. Moreover, this is the oldest building on the territory of the gardens, and now it houses a VIP pavilion where orchid exhibitions are held.

Singapore Botanic Gardens: www. sbg. org. sg

The park is open to the public from 05:00 to midnight

Material provided: www.thehoneycombers.com

The Singapore Botanical Garden is one of the main attractions of the republic of the same name, located in Southeast Asia. Its founding father was Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, who, ironically, was also the founder of all of Singapore.

In private life, Sir Raffles was interested in wildlife at an amateur level, which prompted him in 1822 to create a special place for the cultivation of such useful crops as nutmeg, cocoa and cloves. Over time, he got tired of doing this and the already cultivated places came under the management of the state, which in 1959 turned them into a decorative recreation park with winding paths and comfortable terraces, a local stage and a small zoo.

Today, the Singapore Botanic Garden is a unique complex of equatorial vegetation occupying 52 hectares, consisting of a number of thematic corners. The central place in it is occupied by the Mandai Orchid Park, where you can admire more than 400 varieties of these beautiful flowers, with a total number of about 60 thousand. The Orchid Park consists of four parts.

The first presents Orchids, among which you can find the Singapore orchid, bred in 1981, which later became the official symbol of the state. In the second - elite orchids brought from other countries, mainly Southeast Asia. In the third - orchids from countries with cool climates, kept in a special glass pavilion with the temperature and illumination to which these types of flowers are accustomed. In the fourth - Bromeliad Garden with plants such as pineapples, guzmania, etc. A variety of souvenirs are sold on the territory of the Orchid Park, among which the most original are an orchid in gold and cones with sprouts of fresh flowers.

Singapore Botanic Gardens - VIDEO

In addition to Mandai, the Singapore Botanic Gardens has many other beautiful places to visit - Palm Valley, Fern Conservatory, Ginger Garden, Swan Lake. The names speak for themselves, but especially for tourists, each plant in the botanical garden is equipped with an illuminated sign with its name.

MAP

Singapore Botanic Garden - PHOTO

The Singapore Botanic Garden is more than seventy hectares of natural splendor that will take the breath away of even the most hardened city dwellers. Its territory is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, but without this honor, the area would still not have escaped the increased attention of tourists. A more beautiful nature reserve has not yet appeared in Southeast Asia, and not visiting it when coming to Singapore is a true blasphemy.

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British colonialist Thomas Raffles is a significant figure in Singapore history. In fact, he is the founder of modern Singapore. In the winter of 1819, an expedition under his leadership landed on the island, and the Englishman quickly realized how strategically and geographically advantageous the local land was. Having concluded an agreement with the Sultan of Johor, he organized a British colony on the island. However, the scientist’s deeds did not end there. It was at his instigation that the first botanical garden was founded in Singapore. As a scientist, he set out to study the fertility of the local soil, and the experiment successfully existed until 1829.

Thirty years after the closure, it was decided to create a new botanical garden - it is the one that has survived to this day. Laurence Niven did the planning and his ideas can be clearly seen in the modern design. In 1888, “Crazy” Ridley, in reality Henry Ridley, who began breeding the first rubber plants, was appointed director of the facility. His bold and experimental methods led to the island becoming the world's leading supplier of rubber.

During World War II, Singapore was occupied by the Japanese. Despite the invasion, they treated the natural heritage, continuing to develop new crops and carefully caring for the planted plants. After the end of hostilities, the garden again came under the jurisdiction of the British, and remained under their patronage until the declaration of independence.

The modern botanical garden is amazing nature reserve, where most visitors stay not for an hour or two, but for the whole day. They are attracted not only by vast green areas and unprecedented plants, but also developed infrastructure– in the garden you can have a snack, go to the restroom without any problems, and enjoy an amazing concert program. In the middle of Symphony Lake there is a stage where an orchestra plays on weekends, and every visitor can enjoy the amazing melodies completely free of charge. In addition, this is the only garden in the world that is open at any time of the year and works almost all day: from five in the morning until twelve at night.

What to see

Often one day is not enough to cover everything significant places Singapore Garden. Whatever you say, on its territory you can feel not so much like an ordinary tourist, but like a real botanist researcher. Even individuals who are ignorant about plants, no, no, take out their phones to photograph a strange flower or an unusual branched tree. But if you don’t have too much time, it’s worth capturing at least the most outstanding points, which will certainly leave a deep imprint in your memory.

  1. A tropical forest.

This section of the Botanical Garden was not bred by specialist botanists, but was carefully preserved by them, and is much older in age than other plants. An area of ​​6 hectares is occupied by tropical trees untouched by humans. It is truly amazing to discover this wild corner in the middle of a large city.

  1. Botany Center

Two new buildings will be of particular interest to those who are seriously interested in botany. On their territory there is an extensive library, a herbarium, a guest service center and a cozy cafe. It is noteworthy that the walls are painted with leaf patterns, and the roof of one of the pavilions is completely covered with living grass.

  1. Lakes

There are three lakes on the territory of the garden: Swan, Ecological and Symphonic. As mentioned above, the latter is notable for the fact that it hosts free Sunday concerts in the center. The other two are famous for representatives of the local fauna: the surface of Swan Lake is favored by snow-white swans, and the ecological lake is favored by ducks.

  1. Ginger garden

On approximately one hectare of land, many ginger plants are planted, in the thicket of which a stunningly beautiful waterfall is hidden. In addition, on the ginger territory there is a good restaurant that offers guests both European and Asian dishes. Of course, both contain some amount of ginger.

  1. Jacob Ballas Garden

An area aimed primarily at the youngest visitors. Its opening took place in 2007, thanks to the efforts of a local philanthropist. This real paradise for children to enjoy the play area, tree houses and interactive exhibits. This perfect place both for games and for gaining new knowledge - some parts of the exhibition tell how natural dyes are used in the manufacture of drinks and medicines.

  1. Spice and herb garden

A fragrant corner of the Botanical Garden for spice lovers. Here you can not only look at the plants, but also find out what spices Singapore exports.

  1. Sundial Garden

A sundial is built in the center of the area, surrounded by four pools. This corner is especially popular among couples in love - this is where it is customary to take photos together.

National Orchid Garden

Despite all the above-mentioned outstanding corners of the Botanical Garden, most visitors come here precisely because of the beautiful orchids. More than 1,000 varieties of orchids and, even more, their hybrids are planted on an area of ​​more than three hectares. No camera has yet been invented that could convey the riot of colors that opens before travelers. Despite the fact that flowers grow throughout the area, the main wealth is in the main greenhouse - even the most persistent tourists will lose their minds from the many colors and intoxicating aroma!

At the exit from the orchid garden there is an interesting souvenir shop where everyone can buy a souvenir. For example, a pendant or earrings in the shape of a flower. The production technology itself is surprising - a living flower is dipped in gold or silver, covering its surface with a thin layer of precious metal.

Important: entrance to the Botanical Garden is free, but you must purchase a ticket to the Orchid Garden (since it is open until seven in the evening, sales close at six).

How to get there

There are several ways to get to the Botanical Garden.

Inside the botanical garden in Singapore is its main pride - the Orchid State Park. More than 1.5 million travelers visit this place every year.
The grand opening of the Orchid Park in Singapore took place in the fall of 1995. The initiator was Deputy Minister of Singapore Lee Kual Eew.
The state orchid park is located on the hill of the Botanical Garden, occupying an area of ​​3 hectares. Today, garden workers boldly declare that this is the most large collection living orchids in the world. This is the best exemplary center for hybridization and conservation of orchids.
In the park today you can see about 60,000 plant species, including 400 varieties and more than 2,000 hybrids.
The richness of the collection, its unreal diversity, was achieved thanks to the colossal work and labor of gardeners who carefully select plants and care for them. The Garden’s staff never stops traveling around the country and selecting fresh flowers in order to expand the collections and improve the herbarium.
Initially, the Botanical Garden collected a collection of orchids in order to study the flora of the country. But when new ones were received interesting views These plants were presented at the exhibition and they began to gain popularity and be used as garden plants.
Orchid State Park is divided into 4 thematic groups.
The Orchids of Singapore branch has the widest colorful collection, among which you can see the most revered orchid, "Vanda Miss Joaquim". This species was bred by scientist Agnes Joaquin in 1893. This Singapore orchid was recognized as the official symbol of Singapore in 1981. Subsequently, all new species were given names famous people or the scientists themselves who developed them (for example, the orchids of Princess Diana, Nelson Mandale, Queen Elizabeth, President Suharto).
The second part of the state orchid park is VIP Orchids, which were brought from other countries. Large quantity species were found and exported from the countries of Southeast Asia: from Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, from the islands of Java, from Sumatra, Sulawesi, Borneo, Indochina, Burma, as well as from the Australian continent, from India and China.
A section of the park called the Cool House or glass pavilion contains “cold-loving” species of orchids. Over the past 30 years in state park orchids created conditions for the normal stay of orchids brought from temperate climate countries. So the temperature and illumination in the pavilion absolutely accurately conveys the natural growing conditions of flowers.
The last part of the park is the Bromeliad Garden. There are more than 300 species of orchids here, plus 500 hybrids brought to Singapore from Central and South America. Bromeliad plants include pineapple, aechmea, guzmania, cryptanthus and others.