Residents of Villa Verde can look forward a new green space in 2022! Located at an unused space beneath the Kranji Expressway, the addition of the Villa Verde Park Extension will more than double the size of Villa Verde Park.
The park extension was designed after incorporating suggestions from the community raised during Friends of the Parks public consultations. Through this, NParks hope to co-create parks with meaningful facilities that cater to the community’s needs and lifestyle and provide them with more recreational opportunities. These efforts aim to further integrate nature into urban areas and enhance recreational and ecological connectivity as we transform into a City in Nature.
You can sign up to be part of the development, construction and management of this park at www.go.gov.sg/villaverdeext.
The new Tropical Montane Orchidetum at Singapore Botanic Gardens showcases the most diversity of orchids found in tropical montane forests, in a single location in Singapore. It comprises three display houses – The Sembcorp Cool House, Tan Hoon Siang Mist House, Yuen Peng McNeice Bromeliad Collection, as well as the surrounding outdoor display areas that showcase lowland forest and stream habitats, and a Secret Ravine that emulates habitats that can be found in deep, narrow valleys of tropical mountains. The Sembcorp Cool House in particular, features the largest collection of high elevation montane orchids in Asia.
Designed in a way that allows visitors to see the orchid species and varieties set amid naturalistic landscapes resembling the habitats where they are typically found, the Orchidetum also plays an important role in the ex-situ conservation of these increasingly endangered orchids, as researchers will now be able to study at close range, rare orchids that would otherwise only be found naturally at higher elevations in other countries.
Visitors will be able to enjoy a seamless experience akin to that of one ascending a tropical montane forest as they make their way through the Orchidetum. Each of the display houses within the Orchidetum has been expanded beyond their original size, increasing by almost threefold the combined display area.
The Botanical Art Gallery is housed within Singapore Botanic Gardens' second refurbished conserved building, Gallop House No. 7 (Inverturret), which was built in 1906. The gallery highlights the vital role that art plays in the scientific documentation of plants in Singapore and the region, as well as how art can inspire renewed appreciation of the natural world around us. This will be Singapore’s first permanent display of botanical art, where visitors will be able to see a selection of the Singapore Botanic Gardens’ collection that includes more than 2,000 botanical paintings, as well as hundreds of sketches, line drawings and photographs. The display will also showcase various art forms, from original watercolours and ink drawings to prints and printing blocks.
Some of the iconic artwork on display includes the oldest dated painting in the Gardens’ collection completed in 1890, of Phaius tankervilleae, an orchid which grows in freshwater swamp forests, as well as an illustration of Durio singaporensis, which is commonly known as the Singapore Durian.
Visitors will also be able to try their hand at the various techniques involved in botanical illustration, such as sketching, mixing colours, and composing scenes. The activity room also offers sweeping views of the forested areas surrounding the house.
The Botanical Art Gallery will also feature changing exhibitions that complement the Gardens’ permanent artwork collection. The first show, ‘Plants in Print’, will showcase a collection of rare books that records the development of early colonial botany in South and Southeast Asia. Local artists such as Shubigi Rao and Weixin Chong have also been commissioned to offer creative responses to these books and produce a series of contemporary artworks.
Gallop House No. 5 (Atbara) is Singapore’s oldest surviving colonial era or black-and-white bungalow. Built in 1898, it now houses the Forest Discovery Centre @ OCBC Arboretum, which showcases Singapore’s forest ecosystems, and highlights the importance of conserving them. Through a series of interpretive and interactive displays, visitors can enjoy a bird's eye view of Singapore’s diverse forests, and learn about the Gardens’ historical role in conserving them. Highlights include a photographic installation of forest trees, family-friendly displays and videos featuring three distinctive forest habitats found in Singapore, and their unique flora and fauna.
The Forest Discovery Centre @ OCBC Arboretum will also host the Singapore Botanic Gardens’ Tropical Forest Ecology Research programme. This programme reprises a historical role for the Singapore Botanic Gardens, which dates back to the late 1800s. One of the Gardens’ early superintendents, Nathaniel Cantley, was tasked to survey the forests in the Straits Settlement in 1882. His report led to the demarcation of the first forest reserves in Singapore in 1884, in order to prevent the ecology and climate from further deteriorating.
Complementing the Forest Discovery Centre is the OCBC Arboretum, which is a first-of-its-kind high-tech arboretum in Southeast Asia. Opened in October 2019, the arboretum plays an important role in the Gardens’ conservation work, housing and displaying the Gardens’ growing collection of rare dipterocarps.
The newest playgarden in Singapore, COMO Adventure Grove is inspired by the distinctive parts of trees found within the Singapore Botanic Gardens, and is a modern interpretation on the timeless experience of climbing and playing on trees.
At COMO Adventure Grove, children can swing, slide and climb on structures resembling the aerial roots of the Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina), scramble over the warty surface of a giant Cempedak (Artocarpus integer) or roll and hop around the pod and seeds of a Saga tree (Adenanthera pavonina). These adaptive components will help introduce children to nature through play.
The COMO Adventure Grove is set within nature, so children can connect with nature through play and exploration. It will enable children to choose how and what to play with, thus developing a sense of adventure and discovery, and increasing their independence.
The Istana has launched a lovely Inclusive Garden within its premise. The Istana Inclusive Garden is home to over 100 plant species and has paved paths to make it both wheelchair and elderly friendly. The Istana is normally not opened to the public unless there is official open house days on certain national holidays.
Whether you want to get started with gardening or are looking to “upgrade” your tools to improve your already blooming green space, Rake Spade at HortPark is an all-in-one destination to get the resources you may need.
Rake Spade also offers workshops and activities suitable for different ages, for you and your family to pick up some basic skills or hone your craft.
Swing by Rake Spade to get an adorable terrarium.
Their guided terrarium sessions are impromptu ones where you can visit any time and day to create your own plant masterpieces. They guide you through the layers at the beginning and then pop by the desk periodically to give you ideas or help as required. You will still have your privacy and space to let your creative juices flow freely!
These sessions are pay-per-use where you only pay for the materials you use. They do not charge for service.
Canopy's latest outlet features an all-day dining restaurant surrounded by lush greenery in HortPark. Be tantalised by an extensive menu including brunch items, pastas, burgers, pizzas, mains and more. With a seating capacity for up to 200 people, Canopy HortPark is an ideal venue for social and corporate events.
Enjoy a biophilic dining experience at Canopy from sunrise to sunset, and bask in the warm and welcoming ambience. Gather with your family, friends and bring along your pets! Furry friends are welcome in their alfresco dining area!
Kick start your day with their signature brunch items, that are available until 2pm daily. Be spoilt for choice with their extensive all-day dining menu, featuring pastas, pizzas, burgers and more!
Indulge in the comfort of surrounding nature only at Canopy!
NParks have a new Therapeutic Garden at Punggol Waterway Park! Bask in the tranquillity of the garden while enjoying a scenic view of the waterway. You can also interact with therapeutic elements that can help improve one’s mental wellbeing, such as the fragrant and brightly-coloured native plants and flowers.
This is the sixth therapeutic garden in Singapore, and the first in the north east! By 2030, this sunny island will have 30 therapeutic gardens that will offer health and wellness benefits through greenery.
Together with therapeutic horticulture programmes involving plants and nature, visitors can experience a range of health benefits such as the relief of mental fatigue, reduced stress and an overall improvement to emotional well-being.
Bringing farming closer to us; The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has launched nine sites at the rooftops of Housing & Development Board (HDB) multi-storey carparks (MSCP) for rental by public tender. The sites shall be used to farm vegetables and other food crops, as well as for other related purposes, such as the packing/storage of produce. Some of you may soon get to enjoy lush views of locally-grown veggies from your HDB flats!
Availing more spaces in land-constrained Singapore for commercial farming, including alternative spaces like HDB MSCP rooftops, is one of the strategies SFA hasbeen undertaking to achieve Singapore’s “30 by 30” goal, which is to produce 30% of our nutritional needs locally by 2030. The move is also in line with HDB’s Green Towns Programme to intensify greening in HDB estates.
“We are heartened by the growing interest from both the industry and the public towards urban farming in community spaces, following the launch of our pilot MSCP rooftop farm, Citiponics, in Ang Mo Kio last year,” said Mr Melvin Chow, Senior Directorof SFA’s Food Supply Resilience Division. “Residents in the area have been able toenjoy fresh produce from the farm at nearby supermarkets, and can witness first-hand the hard work involved in bringing our food from farm-to-fork. We hope that consumers will continue to show their appreciation for our local farms by buying their produce.”
Nalati at Distrii Singapore is the first of its kind garden theme restaurant in the heart of the CBD at Republic Plaza. Nalati is where your senses are enticed by a unique combination of casual dining with experiential shopping and art.
Check out their islandwide delivery options and service via their Facebook page.
Situated close to the hill forest at Telok Blangah Hill Park, the Therapeutic Garden embraces the tranquillity of its natural setting. The lush greenery all around the garden creates a restorative environment to engage the senses and to uplift both mental and emotional well-being while serving as complementary habitat for native biodiversity.
The new therapeutic garden features several new elements that leverage Telok Blangah Hill Park’s natural forest setting. Some of these elements include fruit tree espaliers, planting of lesser-known forest species with therapeutic effects and a 40m long viewing deck which offers an unobstructed, mid-canopy view of the forest. This therapeutic garden is one of the 30 therapeutic gardens which NParks will establish across Singapore by 2030, as they work towards transforming Singapore into a City in Nature, bringing forth benefits to health and well-being through greenery. Its development and programmes are supported by a contribution of around $500,000 in total from Tote Board and Mr Peter Lim through the Garden City Fund.
The submission by Kengo Kuma & Associates in collaboration with K2LD Architects has been selected as the winner of the international architectural design competition for the Founders’ Memorial. The competition, launched in January 2019, attracted a strong response of 193 submissions from local and foreign firms. From these, five designs were shortlisted by the Jury Panel.
The Jury Panel chose the winning design by Kengo Kuma & Associates and K2LD Architects as it stood out as a site-specific design that best encapsulates the aspirations of the design brief. Its organic form creates a welcome counterpoint to the domes of Gardens by the Bay. It represents a bold and imaginative new type of memorial which rises out of the landscape. Conceptually different from the other shortlisted designs, it emphasises Singapore as a “City in a Garden” and allows for future growth. More than a singular building, it is a sustainable, environmentally progressive reflection of the ideals of Singapore. In addition, the design has great potential to provide multi-layered experiences for all visitors in its blending of external and internal spaces.
Following the announcement of the winning design, Kengo Kuma & Associates and K2LD Architects will be commissioned to develop the design of the Founders’ Memorial with the National Heritage Board and Gardens by the Bay. The construction works for the memorial are expected to commence in 2022, and the Founders’ Memorial is expected to be completed by 2027. Public will continue to be consulted in the development of the detailed building design and the formulation of the content and programming concepts over the next few years.
The Founders’ Memorial will commemorate the values and ideals exemplified by the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew and Singapore’s first generation leaders, as well as other key personalities who played important roles in Singapore’s path to independence, and in the early years of Singapore’s nation-building process. The Memorial’s narrative will take a values-driven approach as guided by its concept, which was derived from the Founders’ Memorial Committee’s engagement with Singaporeans in 2015 – 2017.
Envisioned as an integrated gallery and gardens experience at the Bay East Garden, the Memorial aims to both commemorate how independent Singapore came to be, and inspire Singaporeans to commit themselves to contribute towards the nation’s future.
The Memorial is currently in its second stage of development, and the Committee will continue to engage Singaporeans to gather their views on its design. More information on the Founders’ Memorial is available at foundersmemorial.sg.
A 5.6m high waterfall takes centre stage in the newly-rejuvenated Yunnan Garden at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore that now seamlessly integrates with the Chinese Heritage Centre and an expanded Nanyang Lake. Comprising themed mini gardens and nature trails, the new space is now even more inviting for students, staff and nearby Jurong residents to visit and explore the various scenic spots it has to offer.
Built in the 1950s, the Yunnan Garden was a key attraction of the Nanyang University campus, the land on which NTU Singapore is now situated. With the just-completed revitalisation effort, the Yunnan Garden is seamlessly integrated with the Chinese Heritage Centre and an expanded Nanyang Lake. More than 1,000 new trees comprising over 80 species have been planted in the Garden, enriching its biodiversity. Other enrichments include a new 5.6-metre-tall waterfall, themed mini gardens, a boardwalk, a new stormwater management system, and Wi-Fi connectivity throughout the Garden.
The result is a 9-hectare heritage precinct – bigger than 12 soccer fields – that preserves the Garden’s legacy while enriching it as an educational and recreation hub, making it a go-to place not just for the NTU community, but also for the residents who live in the wider Jurong neighbourhood.
NTU Students’ Union President Bryan Michael Chiew Sen, a second-year Public Policy and Global Affairs student from the School of Social Sciences, said: “The new amenities in the Yunnan Garden are a refreshing addition to what we traditionally know as a heritage area with historical significance. With the rejuvenation, the Garden is now an invigorating break away from the classroom, and an attractive spot for students to have social gatherings. The spruced up greenery makes the Garden good for deep conversations and long strolls, which I’m certain will be beneficial for students’ mental well-being.”
Learning about plants and the environment is also part and parcel of a walk in the Yunnan Garden, which is designed around sustainability principles. The plant varietals in the mini gardens have been carefully chosen for their educational values, be it for their use as renewable energy sources or as sustainable alternatives to plastics, or their ability to remove pollutants from the air, soil and water.
The water features in the Garden are designed to create a stormwater management system that purifies rainwater before releasing it into larger ponds and reservoirs through drains and canals.
Integrating these lessons into the Yunnan Garden experience is part of NTU’s commitment to raising awareness about environmental sustainability.
More than 300 historical images and artefacts are featured in the revamped gallery. The gallery has 45 new artefacts which were contributed by both the National Collection and the community.
Admission to Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall is free for Singaporeans and permanent residents.
If you live in or near Bukit Gombak and love gardening, you can apply for 70 allotment gardening plots at the new Bukit Gombak Park which will be opened in early 2020. Applications will be open for online application from 5 January 2020, 10am to 19 January 2020, 10pm. The park is located at Bukit Batok West Avenue 5, opposite Bukit Batok Driving Centre. Plots will be allocated by computerised balloting.
To foster a love for gardening, NParks introduced the Allotment Gardening Scheme as part of their Community in Bloom (CIB) programme. CIB is a nationwide gardening movement which aims to bring together residents, young and old, in creating community gardens. With Allotment Gardens situated near HDB residential estates, these plots are widely accessible to the community. Today, more than 1,000 allotment gardening plots have been introduced in 11 parks islandwide.
The new Supertree Observatory, in addition to OCBC Skyway, provides greater accessibility for visitors to enjoy scenic views of the Marina Bay area and the lush surroundings of Gardens by the Bay.
Located at the canopy of the tallest Supertree at Supertree Grove, visitors can soak in unblocked cityscape views at our open-air rooftop deck, enjoy light refreshments and try out immersive digital learning experiences inside the observatory space.
The open-air rooftop deck is the highest point at 50m above ground, and offers visitors an unblocked 360° view of the surroundings.
The observatory space located one level below the rooftop deck consists of an indoor area with full-height glass windows, as well as a peripheral outdoor walkway. Here, visitors can also experience a message about the effects of climate change creatively conveyed through digital media.
Cap your day off with some light refreshments at Supertree Observatory Cafe, while you relax and enjoy magnificent views of the city skyline! A variety of refreshments such as cocktails, mocktails, soft drinks and light snacks, are available on the menu.
The Gallop Extension is an 8-hectare addition to the Singapore Botanic Gardens. It is located next to the Learning Forest and can be accessed via Tyersall Avenue.
Framed by landscapes composed of native plants and forests, the Gallop Extension contributes to the Gardens’ rich heritage and its role in research, conservation, education and recreation. As a natural extension of the Gardens’ nature area, which covers the Rain Forest and the Learning Forest, the Gallop Extension enables visitors to learn about forest ecology and the significance of conservation.
The Mingxin Foundation Rambler’s Ridge and OCBC Arboretum at the Singapore Botanic Gardens’ Gallop Extension are now open!
The Mingxin Foundation Rambler’s Ridge is a re-creation of a variety of hill-slope and cliff-edge habitats found in the region, accessed via a barrier-free path. For those looking for an adventure, the ridge-top hiking trail will provide a challenging alternative route to get to the highest point in the Singapore Botanic Gardens.
The OCBC Arboretum serves as a site for conservation and research of dipterocarps, a family of trees which form the backbone of the region’s tropical rainforests. More than 200 dipterocarp species are represented here.
The National Parks Board (NParks) and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) have announced that enhancement works for the former Bukit Timah Railway Station and its surroundings as a community node will begin early next year. At a community event at the station, Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong also shared that the Friends of Rail Corridor will be leading the community in activating the reopened stretches of the Rail Corridor along its southern half, and announced plans for a new linear park that is partly elevated above the Bukit Timah Canal – the Bukit Timah-Rochor Green Corridor. The new linear park will add to and complement Singapore’s network of recreational connections, which includes the Rail Corridor, Round Island Route and Coast-to-Coast Trail, and altogether, the connections will provide the public with more recreational options, and more opportunities to explore the outdoors and connect with nature in our City in a Garden.
Over the last two years, works to enhance Rail Corridor (Central), the 4 km stretch of the Rail Corridor between the Hillview area and the conserved Bukit Timah Railway Station, have been ongoing and guided by three key themes: Heritage and Culture, Biodiversity and Greenery, and Recreation. The works include improvements to trails, restoration works for the truss bridges, construction of a new pedestrian underpass at Hindhede, and habitat enhancements. In early 2020, enhancement of the former railway station and its surroundings as a community node will begin.
The conserved Bukit Timah Railway Station is a distinctive landmark of Rail Corridor (Central) and the community node will feature a strong sense of history, distinctive landscaping and ample public spaces. Works to restore the Railway Station building and the former Railway Station Staff Quarters will be carried out sensitively and in line with conservation guidelines. The buildings will showcase their original railway features, while being repurposed for the public’s use and enjoyment. At the same time, the 8 Mile Platform will be constructed near the Rail Mall to provide amenities such as a shelter and toilet. It will act as a rest stop and an access point to the Rail Corridor.
To provide even more recreational options for visitors, NParks will be developing the Bukit Timah-Rochor Green Corridor. The Bukit Timah-Rochor Green Corridor is envisioned as a journey through a riverine forest and will include a linear sky park elevated above the canal. It will connect to the Rail Corridor near the Bukit Timah Railway Station community node. Visitors, including users of the Coast-to-Coast Trail, can look forward to a unique walking and cycling experience set amidst lush greenery. The first phase of the project comprises 1.4 km and stretches from the Rail Corridor to Elm Avenue. Construction is expected to start in 2021, dovetailing with PUB’s canal improvement works. In the future, the corridor may be extended to Kallang Riverside Park, totalling 11 km.
Nestled in the middle of Singapore's CBD, The Garden Club at OUE Downtown Gallery is the perfect rooftop terrace getaway. With a fully renovated indoor and outdoor restaurant and bar, it's the best place to take your colleagues and clients for lunch or hang out with your friends after work.
Featuring a stunning rooftop setting, vivacious music, comprehensive food menu and strategic location, The Garden Club is set to be a swanky next “It” spot to let loose. Vegan options and plant-based alternatives paint the menu an overall healthier one but it's not all salads and sandwiches. Light bites present delectable options like Smoked Baby Corn seasoned with dukkah, lemongrass husk and aioli as well as Grilled King Oyster Mushrooms served with spinach tarragon puree, sun-dried tomatoes, snap peas and almonds. Mains are balanced and healthy with items like Beef Cheek Confit Fennel with a side of roasted potatoes and edible greens as well as Grilled Seabass served with tabbouleh, grapes and sesame tofu puree. Bar snacks are also reimagined with choices like Fried Curry Okra and Wild Herb Karaage to go with equally punchy and vibrant drinks. A good number of dishes are also made with ingredients sourced from its own rooftop garden!
The Garden Club is here to redefine “healthy” food as you know it, by turning up the fun and good times and cutting down on the guilt, all in a breezy rooftop setting dressed up with ample greenery and sprightly botanicals. Add live acoustic music and enticing Happy Hour promos and you’ve got the setting of the ideal party that’s good for body and soul! Its opening hours are as progressive as its offerings – come for coffee in the morning as well quick serve bowls for lunch. Tea time serves coffee, dessert, cocktails and more before things ease into an a la carte menu of food and drinks for dinner. Stay the night with drinks and cocktails after that. It’s open throughout the day from 9am onwards, with something for everyone.
The newly-opened Singapore Botanic Gardens Seed Bank is an important step in safeguarding plant biodiversity in Southeast Asia through conservation, research and education. Collecting seeds for storage helps to build a valuable resource for habitat restoration and species conservation. But different seeds need to be stored in specific conditions, hence the Seed Bank will advance extensive research in this area. Go learn about seeds and the science of seed storage at a new interpretive gallery and outdoor garden!
Mustard Seed has evolved from a pop-up to a cosy 13-seater restaurant.
They want to provide an intimate communal dining experience, like going to a dinner party at a friend's house. They invite their guests to gather round their table over good food and drinks.
Ming Kiat is the chef and owner of Mustard Seed. A proud Singaporean, he creates an original menu based on his personal interpretation of Singapore's food. He spent his formative years working for Chef Hisao Goto at Goto Kaiseki restaurant and learnt about local ingredients and cuisine under Chef Malcolm Lee at Candlenut. Ming Kiat regards both of them as important mentors in his journey.
Mustard Seed's cuisine is rooted in Singaporean flavours and inspired by Japanese cuisine and technique. They serve an omakase style tasting menu that will change bi-monthly. The tasting menu is priced at $138 per person.
They offer a small but carefully curated drinks list featuring a selection of beers, sakes and wines that they enjoy.
Noka, which means farmhouse in Japanese, is Singapore’s first rooftop urban farm & 75-seater Japanese restaurant in the Central Business District.
Sister restaurant to Singapore’s favorite urban farm and restaurant Open Farm Community, Noka is connected to the 5,000+ sq ft rooftop urban farm in partnership with Edible Garden City which grows oyster mushrooms, microgreens, basil, mexican tarragon, butterfly pea flowers, and a lot more. Head Chef Seki Takuma, native of Niigata perfecture, showcases local ingredients by applying Japanese cooking techniques.
Fort Canning Park is an iconic hilltop landmark has witnessed many of Singapore’s historical milestones. The hill once sited the palaces of 14th century Kings and served as the Headquarters of the Far East Command Centre and British Army Barracks. The decision to surrender Singapore to the Japanese on 15 February 1942 was also made on the hill, in the Underground Far East Command Centre, commonly known as Battle Box.
Today, Fort Canning Park features nine historical gardens - the Pancur Larangan, Artisan’s Garden, Sang Nila Utama Garden, Jubilee Park (Phase 1), Raffles Garden, First Botanic Garden, Farquhar Garden, Spice Garden and Armenian Street Park.
Accompanying these gardens are wayfinding and trail guides which will allow visitors to plan their own trail and explore the hill at their own pace. Visitors can also download the augmented reality trail, BALIKSG: The Fort Canning Trail. The app will bring park visitors on an interactive journey through Fort Canning Park, revisiting the hill back when it was known as Bukit Larangan or Government Hill. The total length of the trail is about 2.5km, with eight checkpoints placed throughout the park including the various gardens. Visitors can look out for the AR marker in the park and start the app at any point.
To get to Fort Canning Park, visitors can make use of the covered escalators from Fort Canning MRT station and Bras Basah MRT station to the top of Fort Canning Park.
Fort Canning Park is a venue for celebrations. Its expansive, sprawling lawns play host to concerts, theatre productions and festivals such as Shakespeare in the Park, Ballet Under the Stars, Shakespeare in the Park and Films at the Fort, while weddings, parties and gatherings are a regular sight in the park's venue spaces. Its ancient artefacts are a must-see for history buffs, and its lush greenery and expansive lawns offer a variety of arts, heritage and nature experiences. Whether you are drawn by the park’s ancient artefacts and rich heritage or simply its tranquility, this hilltop park offers something for the whole family.
View here for the map of Fort Canning Park. Click here to read more about the enhanced Fort Canning Park.
Lakeside Garden is the 53-hectare western section of the Jurong Lake Gardens. Visitors can now enjoy the first phase of Singapore’s third national gardens and the first national gardens in the heartlands.
Jurong Lake Gardens is a people’s garden and the design of the garden took into consideration the feedback that was received after extensive consultations with the community. In developing Jurong Lake Gardens, NParks also worked with their partner agencies, Sport Singapore (SportSG) and People’s Association (PA), to enrich the diversity of recreational experiences and programming for visitors.
In addition, Lakeside Garden was developed with a strong emphasis on nature, community and play, based on feedback received during our public engagement sessions. Jurong Lake Gardens is a green recreational node that leverages on its distinctive lakeside setting. It contributes to the larger plans for the Jurong Lake District in promoting sustainability and a healthy living environment by providing more spaces for recreation amidst lush greenery, restored wetlands and habitats for biodiversity and with vibrant programming for the community. With its opening, Lakeside Garden provides the community with a space to gather and bond, and create shared memories.
The 90-hectare Jurong Lake Gardens comprises three segments:
Lakeside Garden (Jurong Lake Gardens West/ former Jurong Lake Park)
Chinese and Japanese Gardens (Jurong Lake Gardens Central)
Garden Promenade (Jurong Lake Gardens East)
Lakeside Garden is centred around the themes of nature, play and the community. The garden has been developed sensitively to retain the serenity of the area whilst incorporating spaces for the community and recreational needs. Capitalising on its waterfront location, Lakeside Garden has spaces for all to enjoy amid nature, greenery and lakeside views. Visitors will have many opportunities to get close to nature in Lakeside Garden.
Children aged between five to 12-years-old will enjoy Forest Ramble, which is the largest nature playgarden in the heartlands. The 2.3-hectare play area comprises 13 different adventure stations for children to explore, and emulate the movement of animals which inhabit a freshwater swamp forest. Read more about the facilities at the newly-opened Lakeside Garden here.
Gardens by the Bay's 5,000 sq m new space, Bayfront Plaza is situated just next to Bayfront MRT station, houses indoor and outdoor spaces for the community, the Bayfront Pop-up Market, and themed attraction Floral Fantasy.
Gardens by the Bay is at heart a People’s Garden for all Singaporeans. Bayfront Plaza is part of Gardens by the Bay’s push to provide more opportunities for all Singaporeans to enjoy the Gardens in the years to come. The amenities offered at Bayfront Plaza add to the 95 per cent of Gardens by the Bay that is non-ticketed.
CEO of Gardens by the Bay Mr Felix Loh said, “Since we began, Gardens by the Bay’s visitorship has surpassed expectations, and the success of the Gardens allows us to give back to the community. We hope to do this by establishing more beautiful non-ticketed spaces and curating myriad events and programmes without admission charges for Singaporeans from all walks of life to gather and enjoy themselves amidst nature.”
Since Gardens by the Bay opened in 2012, total visitorship to date has exceeded 50 million. Last year alone, the Gardens received more than 12 million visitors.
Bayfront Plaza is the newest non-ticketed space designed for the community, after the Japanese-themed garden Serene Garden opened in November last year.
It sits on the site previously occupied by the Future of Us exhibition that was part of the SG50 celebrations in 2015. The iconic lattice structure that was part of the exhibition has been retained and integrated into the design of Bayfront Plaza.
At Bayfront Plaza, the public can look forward to the Bayfront Pop-up Market every weekend featuring about 30 stalls selling a variety of merchandise. In line with Gardens by the Bay’s community focus, the Bayfront Pop-up Market provides a platform for social enterprises to showcase their products, with a third of the stalls intended to be run by social enterprises.
To encourage ground-up efforts among organisations to bring the community together, the indoor and outdoor spaces are available rent-free for community-focused events.
Aside from Bayfront Plaza, works have also started on the building of another non-ticketed green space called Active Garden. This is an activity area for seniors, which also aims to encourage inter-generational bonding. Active Garden is expected to be ready in early 2020.
Oasis Terraces in Punggol is Singapore's first new-generation neighbourhood centre.
The seven-storey Oasis Terraces is located along Punggol Drive and adjacent to Oasis LRT station. It houses a neighbourhood centre, a polyclinic, and a sheltered community plaza. It is envisioned to be a place that provides fun shopping, promotes healthy living and fosters community bonding.
Oasis Terraces overlooks the waterfront and boasts a community plaza with a state-of-the-art LED display for screening and advertising opportunities. At Oasis Terraces, residents and visitors can satisfy their retail and lifestyle needs, all under one roof.
At a recent launch event for the 160th Anniversary celebrations of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, the National Parks Board (NParks) unveiled their plans for the 8 ha extension to the Gardens along Gallop Road. Comprising an arboretum which will hold 200 to 300 species of dipterocarp forest species, Singapore’s first permanent collection of botanical art on display, a restored ridge-top habitat and a biophilic play area, the Gallop extension brings the total area of the Gardens to 82 hectares – the largest in its 160-year history. For the first time in Singapore, visitors of all ages and abilities will be able to explore and appreciate native forest ecology in one location, furthering the Gardens’ mission of connecting people with plants.
As Singapore’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Singapore Botanic Gardens has a rich history of research, conservation, education and recreation.
With its rolling terrain of open lawns framed by landscapes of native plants and forests, and featuring two conservation buildings, the Gallop extension will continue the Singapore Botanic Gardens’ heritage roles in research, conservation, education and recreation. As a natural extension of the Gardens’ Nature Area which covers 6 ha of primary rainforest and the Learning Forest, the Gallop extension will enable visitors to learn about forest ecology and the importance of conservation in a single location when it opens in late 2019. The extension will also buffer against urban development surrounding the native flora and fauna within the Gardens’ UNESCO World Heritage Site. Read more about the various new features of this green project here.
Gardens by the Bay's new outdoor garden attraction, Serene Garden, is a unique horticultural garden inspired by the minimalist concept of Japanese zen gardens. A tranquil 2-hectare space located just a stone’s throw from The Meadow, visitors can get a brief respite from the hustle and bustle of the city life as they enjoy an intimate encounter with nature.
Serene Garden, a calm and peaceful green space is just a short stroll away from the popular Supertree Grove. Taking 3 years to conceptualise and build, the outdoor themed garden offers scenic views of the city's beautiful skyline as its backdrop while bringing visitors closer to nature — truly a uniquely Singaporean experience.
Serene Garden is open daily from 5.00am to 2.00am to the public and admission is free. Read more about Serene Garden here.
As part of enhancement plans announced earlier this year to restore the rich history of Fort Canning Park, the National Parks Board (NParks) will be refreshing the Archaeological Dig exhibition for the first time in 17 years. First completed in 2001, the 17-year-old site houses an archaeological dig site, artefacts found around Fort Canning Park and educational panels on the history of the artefacts. NParks will be improving the exhibition area to allow for more hands-on interactive spaces. Interpretation panels on the various soil layers and embedded artefacts will also be updated and improved.
The historically significant site will include a new outdoor garden and the area will be renamed Artisan’s Garden as it is believed to be the site of a 14th century palace workshop. The existing shelter of the exhibition will be expanded to include a wider gallery space, new interpretative panels and display showcases. There will be three zones within the new site. The first zone will have an introduction to the site as well as an open space for workshops. There will also be a sand pit where organised groups can experience simulated hands-on archaeological excavation activities. The second zone will have multimedia educational panels on the artefacts including recent discoveries, giving a glimpse of past life on the hill. Artefacts from the 14th to 19th centuries will also be on display. The third zone will feature interactive educational play features for visitors of all ages to learn about archaeology and the history of the site. As part of educational opportunities for visitors to learn more about archaeology and the history of Fort Canning Park, NParks will also be developing a range of archaeology-related programmes and activities.
The site will be closed from November 2018 and reopened in June 2019.
It is specially designed with features that bring about restorative effects to our mental well-being and relieve stress. The garden includes edible and fragrant plants, a calming water feature and is wheelchair-friendly.
Threpeautic Garden at Choa Chu Kang Park is the first of its kind in the western part of Singapore. There are three other such gardens at HortPark, Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park and Tiong Bahru Park. Two more will be opened by the first quarter of 2019, bringing the total to six around the island.
It all started with a seed and then that was nurtured by their firmly-held belief in celebrating neighbourhoods, that blossomed into a space bourne out of love called Tiong Bahru Bakery on 43 Jalan Merah Saga in Chip Bee Gardens, surrounding the artsy bohemian enclave, Holland Village. After six years in the planning of this long-awaited fourth bakery (really, since the inception of this Singapore-French concept), finally the Home of the Handmade Croissant can embrace the unique culture of the locale and the creative melting pot of individuals that make up this quaint and tight-knitted community.
Sticking closely to homegrown Tiong Bahru Bakery's DNA, they bring fresh breads, viennoiserie and pastries to the people everyday. Expect the full menu of well-loved and familiar all-French butter and flour only treats such as their signature butter croissants which are baked fresh every two hours priced at $3.20 each and the grand list of iced and hot beverage from 8am – 8pm daily at the neighbourhood's doorstep.
Debuted in May 2012 on Eng Hoon Street in charming Tiong Bahru, offering the neighbourhood a range of French pastries and artisanal breads made with the best French flour and butter. As one of the very first French bakeries in Singapore, Tiong Bahru Bakery revolutionised the way locals enjoy breads with topnotch bakes and sparked the French bakery trends. Their croissants have been voted by many as the best in Singapore and the Kouign Amanns are much raved about. All best enjoyed with an aromatic cuppa from the specialty coffee bar by Common Man Coffee Roasters.
Two Hana - A fusion that enriches life - A café where you will find familiar yet uniquely korean-meets-west dishes and specialty coffee that brings the barista lifestyle closer to you.
A synergy of two that leaves you wanting more. Get ready to experience a vibrant Korean-meets-west cafe!
Located at the newly-refurbished Century Square, Two Hana is a brand new cafe concept by Seoul Garden Group.
The National Parks Board (NParks) has opened the approximately 1 hectare Ethnobotany Garden at the Singapore Botanic Gardens. This new themed garden is the first in Singapore where visitors can learn about plants used by indigenous cultures of Southeast Asia; and it features a centre for ethnobotany which complements the outdoor landscape with an interpretive exhibition of artefacts and interactive elements.
The Ethnobotany Garden is in the Gardens’ Bukit Timah Core and located at an area historically known as the Economic Garden. This section of the Gardens was previously a space for experimentation with plants that had potential commercial applications, many of which were first derived from traditional uses.
Development of the Ethnobotany Garden is aligned with the Singapore Botanic Gardens’ UNESCO World Heritage status, supporting its Outstanding Universal Value by showcasing its unrivalled collections of economic, medicinal and ethnobotanical plants – the largest such collection in Southeast Asia. This new garden enhances the Gardens’ role as an educational provider, which is in line with UNESCO’s mission.
The revamped Sustainable Singapore Gallery at Marina Barrage presents an overview of Singapore’s commitment to sustainable development. While there are exhibits that chart the milestones which brought about the high quality living environment Singaporeans enjoy today, the focus in many parts of the Gallery is on the challenges ahead and the steps people in Singapore need to take together as a nation to keep the country smart and green.
The Gallery is organised into six zones, tracing Singapore’s response to climate change, our water management strategies, zero waste initiatives and efforts to keep Singapore clean, green and sustainable, including investments in renewable energy.
The interactive panels and multi-sensory exhibits will appeal to the young and old. There are also interesting artefacts such as a porcelain figurine presented to Dutch economist Dr Albert Winsemius in 1993 after he famously lost a wager, with Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and his team, that the Singapore River could not sustain life.
Admission is free to the 1,618 sqm gallery. Free guided tours are available for booking through PUB website. Read more about the gallery and its different zones here.
Home is where your story begins. Where you choose to live, is equally as important as what your lifestyle will be when you are living there.
The Garden Residences, overlooking one of Singapore’s best known and much-loved neighbourhoods, Serangoon Gardens, presents a life that has been built on these fundamentals.
Location, one that surrounds you with lifestyle, shopping and F&B establishments. Connections, with a transport network that takes you anywhere you need to be in minutes. Education, because the pursuit of learning at any age should never be undervalued. Architecture, in creating a home that stands the test of time and draws inspiration from the gardens outside, to create a life that’s well-lived inside.
The Garden Residences is brought to you by two of Singapore's most reputable developers, Keppel Land and Wing Tai Asia.
Overlooking one of Singapore's most-loved neighbourhoods, Serangoon Gardens, residents of The Garden Residences can enjoy the convenience of being surrounded by a diverse selection of lifestyle, shopping and dining options.
At The Garden Residences, living well comes naturally. With 55 exclusive residents’ facilities specially designed for physical invigoration and also total relaxation, unwinding has never been this easy.
A smart nation calls for a smart home. The Garden Residences also seamlessly incorporates intelligent community and home features to provide residents a connected, convenient, secure and empowered life.
Select your dream home from 613 one- to five-bedroom residences ranging from 452 sq ft to 1,981 sq ft – spread across five 15 storey towers with North and South orientations for maximum air ventilation.
The Singapore Botanic Gardens’Seed Bank is Singapore’s first seed bank and will conserve the seeds of threatened plant species from Southeast Asia. Works for the seed bank are expected to be completed by mid-2019.
The seed bank will play a key role in conserving plant diversity in the region and ensure the growth of the Singapore Botanic Gardens’ plant collection. The seed bank will have the capacity to store seeds from up to 25,000 species of plants. This is around half the total number of seed plant species in Southeast Asia, and nearly triple the 9,000 species of plants that the Gardens currently has in its living collection. When established, the seed bank targets to achieve 100 seed collections per year.
The facility will be established in House 4, the largest of five colonial-style houses within the Raffles College. Originally named Mansfield Lodge, it served as the college president’s residence when it was built in the 1920s. This house was designated as a Conserved Building in October 2006. Read more about this project here.
Want to know what goes on inside a Community in Bloom (CIB) Community Garden here in Singapore? At the Leng Kee CC Sky Community Garden, there are more than 60 species of edibles, ornamental and biodiversity-enhancing plants at its newly renovated rooftop! The Women Executive Committee (WEC) helps to maintain this community garden and regularly harvests herbs and spices for cooking demonstrations in their community kitchen next to the garden. The food is then shared with interest groups and members of the public.
Put your horticulture skills to good use and contribute to the unique green ambience of Singapore through Nparks' ‘Community In Bloom’ programme!
Launched in May 2005 and first carried out at Mayfair Park Estate, the Community in Bloom nationwide gardening movement aims to foster a community spirit and bring together residents, both young and old, to make Singapore our garden. Today, CIB has close to 1,000 community gardens across Singapore that have engaged over 20,000 residents.
Looking for a space to nurture your green fingers? NParks provides allotment gardening plots at various parks for anyone who wishes to have their own space to garden.
Allotment gardens offer plots of land to individuals to rent for growing their own plants. Following the initial success of the pilot scheme at HortPark, new allotment gardening plots will be introduced in 10 more parks islandwide over the next two years. By 2019, more than 1,000 allotment garden plots will be available to the community.
Each allotment plot consists of a 2.5 m x 1 m raised planter bed, and can be leased for three years at a charge of $57/year (excluding GST).
Food For Tots is the newest concept of the Food For Thought group - a self-service kids café that aims to encourage a love for Good Food in children. Situated in Asia’s first garden dedicated to children, Food For Tots draws influences from Jacob Ballas Children’s Gardens’ mission to cultivate an appreciation for the natural environment.
Inspired by its location amidst a lush landscape of flora and fauna, their eco-conscious café features an upcycled colander light installation and a potted herb wall – all in alignment with the Gardens’ mission to instil a love of nature in visitors.
Food for Tots' intimate space also boasts an interactive play area and weekly programmes for the little ones, so let the children come and play while you indulge in our all-day brunch items for all the delicious reasons.
Located at Singapore Botanic Gardens' Tanglin Gate, Fusion Spoon is a casual self-service dining place for families and friends.
Visitors can enjoy a wide selection of affordable food and beverages from various cuisine choices such as Western, Asian and Japanese. There is also a waffle and Korean bingsu ice kiosk at Fusion Spoon, for those looking for a little treat after a day out at Singapore’s first UNESCO site!
The main indoor dining area with its warm earthy interiors and green wall brings nature into the restaurant, while the outdoor dining area brings diners closer to nature through an al fresco dining experience.
An indoor as well as an outdoor play area for kids are available plus a 'Harvest Corner', all providing little ones with fun-filled activities while parents dine.
Designed by architectural firm Ong and Ong, the new Gateway Theatre is a multi-theatre venue located in the heart of Bukit Merah Central.
An arts venue built by the Faith Community Baptist Church (FCBC), the Gateway Theatre project cost over $50 million to complete. It aims to be a creative arts space that promotes Made-In-Singapore works and talents of all cultures, while developing an appreciation of the arts within the heartlands of Bukit Merah and in Singapore.
The Gateway Theatre occupies the site of the former Touch Community Theatre. A wall dating back to the Dhalit cinema which first stood there has been repurposed into a decorative feature of the Sky Garden.
The space is operated by production entertainment company Gateway Entertainment, which is helmed by Faith Community Baptist Church's pastor Lawrence Khong and his daughter Priscilla.
Its two main venues are the 930-seat Main Theatre and the 200-seat modular Black Box theatre. Within the building are two studio spaces for multi-purpose use, an outdoor roof garden and small balcony gardens for open-air performances. Gateway Theatre aims to fill this building with performances big and small, of various genres and styles.
One of its kind, Gateway Theatre’s Sky Garden is a unique green space in the middle of the Bukit Merah heartland that is landscaped with manicured lawns, shade trees, a water feature and an outdoor stage. This green refuge can be transformed into a unique event space for product launches, weddings, dinner receptions and even fitness lessons.
Originally used for movie screenings in the 1980’s, the main theatre is now the prime space and heart of Gateway Theatre for arts and performances. The intimate two-tiered theatre is fully equipped with a 12m x 6.45m LED wall and an array of visual, audio and lighting systems that can meet the needs of various art genres. It’s also great for product launches, conferences, film screenings or lectures.
Gateway Theatre’s Black Box is a space for your imagination. It’s an intimate and unique space where the most innovative and engaging type of performances unfold right before your eyes. Their Black Box has flexible staging and lighting configurations to suit a wide range of events, and it’s a great space for concerts, exhibitions – even movie filming. A key feature is the three-meter high LED wall that can give new depth to a performance or conference.
Passengers at Changi Airport Terminal 3’s Transit Hall will be welcomed by the refurbished Central Piazza, featuring the airport’s latest feature garden made up of elegant glass dandelion sculptures – the Crystal Garden.
The Crystal Garden is brought to life by tiered garden beds incorporating a curated selection of flowering plants and 12 spheres of artisan dandelion glass sculptures in varying sizes. Inspired by the flora and fauna of the other gardens in Changi Airport, the glass sculptures glow with luminance, creating the illusion that they are floating on pools of water or swaying in a breeze - these offer passengers a captivating and unforgettable experience amidst a garden of lights.
Prominently nestled in the heart of the Central Piazza behind the Crystal Garden is the brand new Louis Vuitton store. As the luxury brand’s first duplex airport store in the world, it is a travel destination itself with its unique architectural elements.
Specially conceptualised for the Central Piazza, the Crystal Garden is the 7th feature garden at Changi Airport. It comprises 1,735 Bohemian glass components hand blown with different finishes, giving the sculpture richness and texture.
Behind the Louis Vuitton duplex store, the Central Piazza also offers a new open lounge with plush seating and soft lighting, a dedicated working area and individual charging points, all carefully designed to enhance the T3 experience for all travellers.
Complete your fun day out at River Safari with a freshly brewed cuppa from Starbucks, located right by the popular attraction's entrance.
The giant cafe chain which has many outlets islandwide on this sunny island is a premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world since 1971.
This festive season, savor sips of Christmas in a cup with their new Christmas Tree Dark Mocha. Rich dark mocha sauce mingles with their signature espresso and velvety smooth melt before being topped by fluffy green-tea infused whipped cream. The gorgeous drink is then finished with sprinkles of red and green candy crystals. Embrace the holidays with other beverages like Vanilla Nougat Latte, Toffee Nut Crunch Latte and Peppermint Mocha.
The Singapore Botanic Gardens’ Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden has doubled in size with a new two-hectare extension that includes new attractions and programmes geared towards youngsters up to 14 years old.
This will allow families with older children to immerse in nature as they explore the different eco-systems simulated in this new extension. It aims to expose children to and help them understand the ecology of plants through nature play and experiential learning. Prior to the extension, the Garden catered to children up to 12 years old.
The Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden is the first garden in Asia dedicated to children. Its theme of ‘Life on Earth Depends on Plants’ aims to educate and instil a love for nature in children. The Garden is a complete nature-learning environment, where children can delve deeper into the ecology of plants and our environment through discovery and experiential learning.
The Garden offers children a space for exploration, adventure and play, with a farm, an orchard, and a forest with its own stream and ponds. Young adventure seekers can explore the suspension bridge and nature play areas; budding naturalists can walk along the stream and climb into the tree-houses; and all urban gardeners can observe how plants grow and pick up some gardening tips! Be an ‘Adventurer’, ‘Gardener’ or ‘Naturalist’ for a day at the Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden by following these carefully curated trails.
The Therapeutic Garden at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park is situated near the pond gardens and was launched on 19 September 2017.
Therapeutic Gardens are outdoor gardens designed to meet the physical, psychological and social needs of park users, incorporating design principles derived from scientific evidence.
Together with therapeutic horticulture programmes involving plants and nature, visitors can experience a range of health benefits such as the relief of mental fatigue, reduced stress and an overall improvement to emotional well-being.
The garden is specially designed to engage the senses with a landscape of plants divided into four zones: Fragrance zone, Biodiversity zone, Edibles and Medicinal zone and Colours and Textures zone.
The 900sqm Therapeutic Garden at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park has design elements and user-friendly features to meet the needs of the elderly, including those with conditions such as dementia. It also provides respite for visitors of all ages.
The greenery and sensory aspects in the garden will provide visitors with a rehabilitative environment, providing relief from attention fatigue and stress. This is complemented by an outdoor activity area where therapeutic horticulture programmes will be carried out. Each session is about 1.5 hours and the activities are designed to stimulate participants’ senses and memories through nature interaction, and to encourage motor and hand-eye coordination.
Located near various eldercare and senior activity centres, the 750sqm Therapeutic Garden @ Tiong Bahru Park is designed to be elderly-friendly. It provides a holistic rehabilitative environment for conditions including dementia. The Garden also helps to relieve stress and brings restorative effects to the mental well-being of visitors of all ages.
The design elements in Therapeutic Garden @ Tiong Bahru Park are similar to the garden in HortPark. It has a simple and clear garden layout, seats facing different directions to provide various views, and the profusion of plants with colour, texture and scents to stimulate the senses. An area specifically designed for gardening with customised benches for potting makes it more convenient for the elderly and wheelchair users to participate in gardening, which improves their health and mental well-being.
The Garden also has raised planter beds of two heights to cater to different groups of visitors. The raised planter beds at a lower height encourages wheelchair users to interact with plants and flowers, while the taller raised planter beds enables seniors who have difficulty bending to do gardening while standing.
A rich variety of plants has been arranged in different zones to evoke visitors’ senses as they move along the pathway.
Ling Wu is a Singapore brand which creates luxurious handbags for modern, independent women.
The purposeful collections of handbags and accessories use butter-soft leathers and hand-polished exotic skins to create soft, voluminous bags that embrace the wearer’s body and lifestyle with voluptuous shapes and colours. Time certainly has no grasp on these designs, which become increasingly beautiful and graceful the more they’re worn.
Visit Le Salon, a new apartment store concept by Ling Wu located on Chip Bee Gardens.
The new space will feature Ling's collection, as well as pieces from designers she hand-picked: A Dose of Something Good brand of scented candles, Dark Horse Vintage fashion, Pyar and Alexandra Alberta jewellery labels and also Trebene scarves.
The Learning Forest is located in the new Tyersall-Gallop Core of the Singapore Botanic Gardens. It is designed to integrate with the existing 6-hectare Rain Forest to form an enlarged forest habitat.
The Learning Forest features a network of boardwalks and elevated walkways that allow visitors to explore habitats ranging from a freshwater forest wetland to a lowland rainforest.
Visitors can learn about freshwater forest wetland ecosystems at the Keppel Discovery Wetlands and walk amongst a collection of some of the tallest tree species in Southeast Asia at the SPH Walk of Giants.
Other highlights of the Learning Forest include themed collections showcasing trees with interesting forms and bark, a bambusetum, and an arboretum of wild fruit trees.
The National Parks Board (NParks) announced plans for the development of an approximately 1 hectare Ethnobotany Garden at the Singapore Botanic Gardens. This new themed garden which should be completed by late this year, will allow visitors to learn about plants used by indigenous cultures of Southeast Asia, including Singapore. The Ethnobotany Garden, the first of its kind in Singapore, will enhance visitor experience by providing insights into the various uses of plants in the region, and strengthen the Gardens’ position as a world-class botanic garden.
Development of the Ethnobotany Garden will complement the Singapore Botanic Gardens’ UNESCO World Heritage status, supporting its Outstanding Universal Value by showcasing its unrivalled collections of economic, medicinal and ethnobotanical plants, the largest such collection in Southeast Asia. This new garden feature will also enhance the Gardens’ role as an educational provider, which is in line with UNESCO’s mission.
The Ethnobotany Garden will be set up in the Bukit Timah Core and located at an area historically known as the Economic Garden (See map in Media Factsheet). This section of the Gardens was traditionally used for experimenting with plants with potential commercial uses, many of which were first derived from traditional uses.
Once a stable for cars, The Garage is now in the driver’s seat of culinary adventure with two brand-new Food & Beverage destinations at the Singapore Botanic Gardens.
The Garage sits at the nexus of history and style: an elegant 1920s Art Deco conservation building within Singapore’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visually it floats like a white-clad mirage, the seven vaulting garage bays lifting the structure weightlessly above the surrounding greenery. Through its two F&B concept offerings – Botanico and Bee’s Knees – The Garage offers people a way to reconnect with nature through the enjoyment of thoughtfully executed food, thus completing their botanical adventure.
Located on Level 2 and helmed by Spanish-born Chef Antonio Oviedo, Botanico at The Garage offers a contemporary-bistro, seasonality-driven menu, presenting the gifts of soil, land and sea in a cuisine inspired by the natural cycles of the year and by bistronomy. On the same floor is the hidden garden bar located on a spacious outdoor terrace.
Just a 5-minute walk from Botanic Gardens MRT station is new dessert cafe, Han Bing.
Han Bing serves traditional Korean shaved ice dessert made with an authentic bingsu (Korean shaved ice) machine imported from Korea and many more like mango mousse cakes, peach cheesecakes and tiramisus e.g.
Sugarhaus, where happiness is homemade traditionally from scratch without using any pre-mix and also where you can get a magical looking Galaxy Cake. It is now at Serene Centre.
Their signature Taro Galaxy cakes (taro sponge cake plus swiss meringue buttercream), are only available in house during the weekends!
In a bid to improve the well-being of residents and to help seniors age gracefully, the National Parks Board (NParks) has launched a new therapeutic garden at HortPark.
Located at Hyderabad Road, this is the first time a therapeutic garden has been developed in a public park in Singapore. It features elements of horticultural therapy, which is the use of plants and nature to benefit and stimulate the human mind.
Every detail in the garden is said to be strategic. Vibrant-coloured flowers were chosen as an uplifting visual stimulant, while there are also pastel-coloured flowers on display to give a calming effect. Pandan leaves were also planted to activate the sense of smell.
Take a step back into nature at Oasia Hotel Downtown, where you can enjoy luxurious comfort within a towering vertical garden.
The hotel is covered with a verdant green facade, complete with alternating 30-metre tall sky gardens. Added convenience comes from having the MRT right at your doorstep; guests will be situated right in the heart of Tanjong Pagar, one of the city’s hippest areas chockfull of bars and eateries.
Terra will soon be opening in Suntec City Sky Garden.
The urban garden oasis will be serving freshly infused botanical drinks and Latin American-inspired plates topped off with chillest beats, fine company and a vibrant city view.
One of Singapore’s leading retailer of electrical goods and homewares, Courts Singapore, is expanding its hardware offering through a partnership with US brand, ACE Hardware. Covering 8,000 sqft., Ace Home Improvement Solutions store bills itself as the largest in Singapore.
The new store offers an extensive range of 15,000 brand products from international brands at any one time, including those from trusted and popular American brands that Singaporeans have difficulty obtaining. These products include any home needs, from common maintenance issues to larger-scale Do-It-Yourself projects, covering 14 product categories.
In the future, five Ace Home Improvement Solutions stores are opening in Singapore within the next four years under an exclusive partnership with Courts.
Nestled within the prestigious Bukit Timah residential precinct, The Siena is within an area of lush greenery, upmarket residential developments, quaint shophouses, great dining options and numerous good local and international schools as well as expatriate clubs.
Just a stone’s throw away, residents can embrace 74 hectares of lush exotic greenery due to its close proximity to Singapore Botanic Gardens. The Gardens offer a great respite from the hustle and bustle of the city and an urban oasis of tranquility.
Nature lovers have much to cheer as the ‘Green Belt of Singapore’ offers nature parks, reserves and reservoirs worth exploring. Residents can walk along the nature trail or enjoy a hike at the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, soak in the scenery or take a leisure walk along the Village Trail that leads to MacRitchie Reservoir.
Foreign clubs in the area include the British Club, the Swiss Club, the Singapore Island Country Club, the Bukit Timah Saddle Club and the Raffles Town Club. Come mid-2016, Bukit Timah will be served by Downtown MRT line, connecting residents to the Central Business District and Marina Bay area.
Tel: +65 61001880 , 61002880 or Email: Enquiries@the-siena.com.sg
They are the leading craft beer importer and retailer in Singapore. You can find the biggest range of the most flavourful and aromatic craft beers in the world at Thirsty Craft Beer Shop.
The restaurant is helmed by chef Kensuke Sakai. With a great selection of authentic roast beef and premium meats, this is a mecca for carnivorous eaters. Its secret ingredient is the east-meets-west marinade, which is used to enliven all its Yakiniku meats.
The meats they bring in are definitely a cut above the rest, ensuring you can enjoy many different parts of the cow in one seating. The signature dishes here include the Master Course, Ultimate Gyudon (rice topped with beef) and many others.
Taking over the former grounds of De’Pop Culture is Wilder, a new cafe in Kampong Glam.
Wilder’s menu does showcase creativity in its various fusion cuisine, being able to tweak local’s favourite tastes and presenting it in a western fusion brunch offering.
Wilder’s launch menu gives you items available for brunch while the remainder of the menu is dedicated to drinks and desserts, where tarts, scones and a selection of cupcakes are available.
Arn Nan which means Redman in Teochew is another sensational release by the IndoChine Group. Strategically located at Suntec City Sky Garden, one of the most momentous and iconic places in Singapore, Arn Nan Alfresco Bar + Bistro within the city is the latest place to enjoy the panoramic view.
It is with great excitement that IndoChine has found a perfect location at Suntec City with valet parking services, 3,100 basement car parks and is in close proximity to many information exchanges, networking opportunity and leisure activities.
As the only open-air garden at the Sky Garden, Arn Nan is the only place in the whole vicinity that provides a unique garden setting with vertical garden walls, an illuminated translucent alabaster table that glows with an ethereal light, adding a dramatic and pleasing effect, and a one-of–a-kind fish tank island bar that adds to its sensuous charm. Extensive and expansive measures have been put in place to create the ultimate IndoChine experience, ensuring that it will be the attractive location for happy hour, lounging, clubbing, private parties and super indulgent partying.
Arn Nan serves a variety of delicious funky cuisine, including tapas and fresh raw vegetables for fiber and roughage that are in line with IndoChine Group’s philosophy of “nutraceutical” cuisine that has nutritional and pharmaceutical benefits. Guests can enjoy the diverse culinary tastes of Vietnamese, Laotian and Cambodian cuisines in traditionally-prepared dishes such as homemade chicken and prawn sausage, stuffed with tiger prawns and chicken leg meat, and Gói Cuôn, Vietnamese fresh rice paper rolls. In Arn Nan’s every corner, new surprises for a sense of discovery awaits your visit.
Arn Nan also offers an extensive wine list which boasts a range of quality new and old world wines from countries such as Australia, South Africa, Chile, America, France and Italy. Diners are also given a choice of champagnes, sparkling wines and proseccos which will certainly complete this ultimate IndoChine experience.
Guests are welcome daily to a good meal or quick bites at any time of the day. Late in the afternoon as the sun sets, Arn Nan is the perfect place to be for outdoor and rainproof late night parties.
Saint Ma is nestled perfectly in Suntec City Sky Garden – it is the only place in the whole vicinity that provides a unique and huge outdoor garden setting with ample capacity to hold events up to approximately one thousand people. Additionally, Saint Ma will feature a full display kitchen concept, a first in Suntec City Sky Garden which will no doubt be a distinguishing characteristic of the restaurant.
Tastefully decorated with baroque-style furniture, opulent red chandeliers, and colored marble tables with stainless steel armchairs, Saint Ma is further beautified with landscape greenery such as vertical garden walls and thriving palms. The restaurant gives off a relaxing and enlivening ambience, as well as an incredible unencumbered view in the city skyline that is sure to make any occasion extra special.
With a Euro-Asian twist, dishes served at Saint Ma will be a mixture of IndoChinese, Western, and fusion dishes such as Tam Som (Papaya Salad), Baby Lamb of Rack & Truffle Dressed Potato Beignets and Norwegian Salmon Tartarte. Renowned for its culinary excellence with a heart for personal well-being, Saint Ma by IndoChine will showcase a menu that is “nutraceutical”, serving food items containing health-giving additives.
To keep to the promise of healthy tasty food, the dishes served at Saint Ma will consist of a large number of raw food organic produce. In addition, vegetables used will be fresh eco-friendly produce that are free from pesticides and man-made fertilizers. This concept has garnered a high loyal clientele that is hooked on the pure authenticity of the cuisine and also its healthy benefits.
The health-conscious practices are also extended to the beverage list, introducing super healthy fresh juice concoctions, Eastern and Western-influenced cocktails made with fresh ingredients as well as martinis with a twist. With an extensive western and eastern food menu that serves many mouth-watering dishes, guests at Saint Ma will be in for a real treat.
Their veteran chef of 16 years at IndoChine will be leading the team to serve guests lunch, evening meals and special occasion parties. Guests will have the options to choose their libation choice with the aid of smart touch screen technology on an interactive iPad by ordering their food and beverages directly from the device.
With super luxe decor, super nutraceutical and anti-oxidant food, Saint Ma by IndoChine will be the next iconic spot in Singapore promoting healthy living and personal well-being. At the same time, this is an important component of giving each guest a sensory experience.
The planting of the national flower was Mrs Mary Tan's way of celebrating the nation's golden jubilee, said President Tan, while the idea for the spice garden came about after she attended the Singapore Garden Festival last year.
The Rabbit Hole, Singapore’s first gin garden bar at The White Rabbit, a beautiful hideaway from the tropical heat with tipples to match. Relaunching with a tight selection of specialty gins and premium French crepes set in the peaceful greens of Dempsey, it is the perfect destination for an elegant after-dinner treat away from the crowds downtown.
Long famous for hosting some of Singapore’s best parties, The Rabbit Hole aims to present this under-celebrated spirit in a fresh light, with a curated collection of 15 gin & tonics categorised into five flavour profiles designed to take gin drinkers, new and old, through the rich spectrum of flavour offered by gin. Their gin & tonics are all prepared with their housemade tonic and garnished with herbs fresh from The Rabbit Hole’s garden.
To complement their gins, they present a classic selection of six sweet crepes made with premium flour and Bordier butter specially imported from Brittany. The crepes and their sweet toppings have all been painstakingly made from scratch in pursuit of producing the most authentic French crepes in Singapore.
This is their 2nd outlet that served delicious comfort food such as their best-sellers: beer battered fish & chips, french style escargot and chargrilled chicken.
Not only that, they also bring in more than 50 type of beer from around the World. If you are looking for a place to chill, relax and enjoy nice food pairings with a bottle of iced cold beer, this beer garden is the place for you.
Named "Sara Taseer Jewellery Studio", the boutique showcases several new pieces with their bold and colourful signature style. The collection focuses on items that are suitable for every day wear – whether in the office or for a social occasion. The store is designed in a modern hip style with Asian accents and pops of Peranakan colours. Sara remains true to her style of contemporary jewellery with Asian accents and the store is designed to reflect the mood of the jewellery. The space is designed in a modern ultra chic modern loft style spirit to mirror the more casual wear pieces that are sold at this new, second location of the brand.
The various collections celebrate the beauty, style and sensuality of the modern woman. Snakes, Pandas, Frogs and Parrots are just some of their jewel encrusted animals with attitude, in their Animal Garden Collection. The Solid Gold Collection plays with bold motif and strong form in different hues of gold. They have created edgy pieces that become conversation starters and have an all new line of the most contemporary two and three finger rings, knuckle dusters and moveable bangles.
They are also celebrating the beauty and purity of pearls through their Fruits De Mer line, and have added coloured gem stones with diamonds to pearls, to enhance their natural beauty and add to their glow. The classic Gem Dot Collection, uses lazer cut semi-precious gemstones in playful natural colors which are enhanced with gold and diamonds to create perfect accessories for day to evening wear. The store also has cufflinks for the working men from the business district in the vicinity.
Nestled amid 15 acres of lush tropical gardens, The Waterfall offers authentic and unique Southern Italian cuisine that combines the freshest seafood, handmade pastas and heirloom recipes from Chef de Cuisine Marco De Vincentis. Within the eclectic colonial interiors of the restaurant lies a treasure trove of fresh seasonal produce.
The restaurant's wine list is unlike any other. Choose from an extensive collection of wines to embark on a tasting journey spanning Italy. Savour Waterfall’s house wine, Nero d'Avola, which is made from the most important red wine grape in Sicily, in the unique Boccalino. Indulge in an extensive collection of sherries and grappas. For coffee lovers, baristas are trained to pull the perfect shot of illy brew throughout the day.
This new gem of the West enjoys first-mover advantage as the district continues to develop further with new commercial, business and leisure facilities.
With its unique "hotel in a garden" theme, you can look forward to a relaxing stay amid extensive landscaping and greenery, roof gardens and sky terraces, on top of contemporary rooms with clean-line furnishing.
Housed in a row of 17 two-storey conserved shophouses, the premise is furnished with well-appointed rooms and suites, complemented by thoughtful touches and impeccable service. The hotel is equipped with a total of 88 rooms and suites with six different categories on offer, all of which feature interiors of rich wood and intricately handpicked finishings and plush beds.
Nestled in the vibrant Bugis enclave, known for its colourful past and equally colourful present, you will find much charm in this heritage building. As a serene urban sanctuary, it exudes a sense of relaxed elegance and is an ideal retreat to unwind, recharge and explore in one of the city’s most sought-after and culturally-rich areas.
The hotel’s shophouse exterior draws inspiration from the rich heritage of South East Asia, providing the perfect foil for the hotel’s historic design. The interior consists of matching tones and blends rich, dark brown colour palettes together with warm lighting, contributing to the rustic feel of the hotel. The design is a subtle mix of the serious, fun and quirky. The overall feel is then completed with the contemporary design accentuated with tasteful and historic touches.
The lobby is furnished with textured wooden tables and ottomans, with, nature-inspired design featured in different areas and corners. Be enthralled as you enter the hotel and be greeted with quirky animal-shaped chairs (think Rooster and duck), framed-up seashells and photos of birds - pointing, it almost seems, to the building’s past life as a seafront property.
Steeped in the mantra of "Simplicity in Luxury" are Hotel Clover 33 Jalan Sultan’s unique Loft Suites (17 units). The 30 – 38 sqm loft suite boasts a private living area on the ground level and an indulgent bedroom with a pair of Siamese daybeds on the mezzanine level. These cleverly-designed loft suites are ideal for not just leisure but also corporate travellers, providing comfortable abodes with leisure-enabling convenience.
For the ultimate indulgence, prepare to be enchanted by the uniqueness and authenticity of Hotel Clover 33 Jalan Sultan’s Garden Suites (3 units). Each unit has a different South East Asian touch with different décor and ornaments to complement the overall feel. Of the three suites, each featuring an elegantly-appointed bedroom and a private garden, there are two Garden King Suites – one is Indonesian-inspired while the other takes on a Peranakan feel. The third Garden Suite, a Garden Lavish Suite, channels a beautiful Thai quality and boasts a built-in hydro bath.
As an urban sanctuary with a rhythm all its own, a great highlight of the hotel is 19 of its uniquely-designed Garden Rooms, featuring an airy patios decked with wood and lush vertical gardens. Enjoy relaxing under the sun at such patios in the comfort of your own rooms. Alternatively, hit the gymnasium for a morning workout or spend an hour or two at their cosy lounge on the ground floor if you are looking for a little space of your own.
Situated in the vibrant and eclectic enclave of Tiong Bahru, the modern and historic juxtaposition of the restaurant atop an art-deco straits settlement boutique hotel fits perfectly with the surroundings.
Born in the year of the rabbit (which explains his choice of restaurant name), Chef Matthew has always been fascinated with cooking since young. Unlike most award-winning chefs, Chef Matthew kept his training local within At-Sunrise Global Chef Academy without any overseas apprenticeship. Similar to Heston Blumenthal, he picks up ideas from his travel experiences and interaction with people.
A combination of classic French techniques along with a touch of Asian and Singaporean flavours, Chef Matthew creates seasonal menus inspired by the 7 characteristics of ‘ENSOPHI’: Exotic, Nostalgia, Soil, Ocean, Pristine, Heritage, Impression. Each element represents a poetic and artistic expression of his dish.
Sourced from little-known boutique vineyards from all over the world, wine labels to pair with each course range from familiar regions like Barossa Valley, Australia and Bordeaux, France to newer regions like Nahe, Germany and Colchagua Valley, Chile. Watch as resident mixologist Aidil shakes up house crafted cocktails and international favourites to kick-start your meal. Enjoy Happy Hour specials and live music from Thursday to Saturday evenings.
With Chef Matthew’s forte in creating and designing, he made a full renovation to the space. The intimate 30-seater indoor dining room is formed around a semi-circle with floor to ceiling glass windows for a 180° view of the city. Complete with an open kitchen concept, diode branches of stars imprinted in the ceiling, and Chef Matthew’s sketches and art sculptures collected from his travels, the stage is set for a gastronomical and artistic experience. The outdoor rooftop terrace seats 26 but offers ample standing space for large-scale events in a lush alfresco garden setting. Chef Matthew has plans to set up a vertical garden around the steel façade. Sip some wine, savour the food and soak in the ambience. The Rabbit Stash offers a multi-sensory dining adventure with a feast for all senses.
Violet Herbs is a new age semi-formal fine dining restaurant located in Singapore’s well known business district, Tanjong Pagar.
Violet Herbs stands true to providing authentic Modern European taste. They differentiate themselves by an extensive use of herbs in all of their food and signature cocktails. A newly opened restaurant, they reflect a sense of novelty, seeking to provide you with a bit of something new, striking a dash of curiosity and interest.
Serving Modern European cuisines, you will get to experience the finest of French and Italian dishes right here in Asia. The menu features delectable and innovative dishes such as Foie Gras Mousse, Marinated Red Miso Cod and Sous Vide 48 Hours Wagyu Beef Cheek using the freshest of ingredients.
Violet Herbs houses a 2-storey, 70 seater restaurant where the interior design surrounds the theme of comfort and elegance.
Feel like a royal without having to be too classy in their purple themed ground floor. Or, unwind yourselves in a more naturesque vibe and experience simplicity in their very own nature themed second floor. Explore their very own herb garden too, featuring up to 20 different kinds of herbs that are grown with extra love and care.
Geek Cafe started with love of coffee and technology together with their design touches, they are more than a computer store they are coffee geeks, tech geeks and design geeks!
They roast their own beans at their Headquarters located at crane road, roasting with perfection and love by themselves ensuring quality, allowing it to sit for a minimum of three weeks before going into the blender.
They communicate with you like their social engineering coffee/tea time mate. They will share, discuss and teach you but they also want to learn a trick or 2 from you.
Learn Leather crafting, Barista, Tech Repair, Bottle Gardening, Design and More with their workshops conducted at Geek Cafe HQ.
Queen's Garden isn't a fancy smancy restaurant. It is where you can dine comfortably in a warm and cosy environment within the Garden of the Queen of Hearts.
They serve western style dishes with an elegant touch of fusion flavours, every plate is pleasantly and wonderfully created.
Try out their Signature salads, made full with love along with their favourite Garden Greens.
The Museum of Arts & Design's cafè offers a carefully curated range of tasty bites that can be enjoyed in the midst of beautiful art pieces and furnishings. Set against the gallery’s minimalistic and modern dècor, the cafè is an ideal venue for the next corporate luncheon or birthday celebration. The cafè space can also be extended into the galley’s outdoor Sculpture Garden to add a lovely al fresco feature to engagement parties and exquisite dinners.
Enjoy smokes and premium whisky at the bar’s settings that exudes both strong sophistication and a relaxed air of old world charm. The bar is an ideal venue for an informal get together and a great night out with friends and close associates.
Step into an oasis of rejuvenation at the Spa Retreat. Luxuriate in revitalising spa and wellness treatments, harnessing both the healing power of ancient Asian traditions and European cutting-edge expertise.
Energise your mind, body and soul with a myriad of face and body therapies that will enhance your total wellbeing.
After a long day, take a meditative stroll through their reflexology water walk and relaxation gardens. Enjoy a rejuvenating soak in their Japanese-style onsens and melt away the tensions of the day.
One Farrer Hotel & Spa, 1 Farrer Park Station Road
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, 33 Hendon Road
