Singapore: Botanic Gardens

Singapore's Botanic Gardens dates from 1859, making it one of the earliest entrants in the scientifically-managed public gardens arena. Handily, it is open from 5 am until 12 midnight every single day of the year, and has its own station on the Circle line. It's also free.

As you enter from the station, you encounter a trellis garden, then a bamboo section with perhaps two dozen varieties of bamboo, then a foliage garden.


From one end to the other is 1.6 miles, with lots of miles of paths and walkways, and occasional benches for resting.


Not long after looking at the map, I realized I needed to conserve (time and energy) resources, and made my way past the Children's Garden, the Medicinal Garden, the Spice Garden, etc., and made for the National Orchid Garden. There is an admission fee here, of I think S$5.00--perhaps accounting for the frown below:


I'm kidding, of course. My mood definitely improved, however, as I caught sight of the amazing variety of colors and delicate beauty.


Most of those I don't know the name of, but the last is what we called pussy willow growing up in Florida, and I'm sure everyone recognizes the broad weeping willow a few frames up.

There is a "cold room" in which high latitude and high altitude orchics are propagated, that even contains another waterfall.


I took right at 100 photos in my three hours here (including a great brunch), and have uploaded 23 of them for your enjoyment. So I hope you enjoy them at least 23% as much as I enjoyed taking them!