A Brief Background
The Garden was founded in its present site in 1859 by an Agri-Horticultural Society. It was planned as a leisure garden and ornamental park. The garden is also the site where Singapore's national flower, Vanda Miss Joaquim, was discovered.
In 1928, laboratories were set up to experiment in orchid breeding and hybridisation, resulting in outstanding hybrids that have been cultivated in the Gardens and receiving worldwide recognition. Needless to say, the Garden has played a pivotal role in helping Singapore maintain and become a Garden city.
In 1928, laboratories were set up to experiment in orchid breeding and hybridisation, resulting in outstanding hybrids that have been cultivated in the Gardens and receiving worldwide recognition. Needless to say, the Garden has played a pivotal role in helping Singapore maintain and become a Garden city.
Today, the Botanical Gardens is a key tourist destination in Singapore with new attractions such as Ginger garden and Cool house added to keep the Gardens relevant to the times.
Your experience there
Upon reaching the Singapore Botanic garden, you will be greeted with all the natural greenery that Singapore has to offer. You will experience nature like never before, with all the different kinds of plants around.
The first thing you’ll see after leaving the visitor’s centre is the shaw foundation symphony stage. This is an awesome area for families and friends to rest and relax and enjoy various performances held on stage. It has a huge green field which is a perfect recreational place to have picnics or to just enjoy the botanic scenery.
Moving further down the lower palm valley road, is the national orchid garden. As we all know the orchid (Vanda Miss Joaquim) is Singapore’s national flower. Therefore, there is a whole garden specially grown to house all the different kinds of orchids of many different colours. Some of the orchids featured in the gardens are named even after famous celebrities. This place is a must see for anyone and everyone.
After a long, hot day of walking through this colourful and beautiful garden, you must be feeling really hot. The cool house situated in the orchid garden encloses a montane tropical forest. The cool air, drifting mist and rushing torrent provide a realistic representation of high elevation sites in the tropics and make it an unforgettable experience. If ogling at the orchids is just not enough, you can even take home some orchids dipped in gold, from the gift shop.
The botanic garden has something for everybody. For the kids, there is Jacob Ballas Children’s garden. Here is a garden that encourages exploration and creativity. Children may see, touch and smell plants, developing a sense of wonder and excitement about nature and the environment. The garden is also equipped with excellent classroom facilities. This will help your children learn and have fun at the same time!
Why should you go?
Other than the fact that the admission fee is free, the Gardens has a large number of tropical plant species growing in it and it is one of the world’s top centres of commercial orchid growing.
This makes the Singapore Botanical Gardens a must go for the eco and nature lover.
New events and tour are also carried out constantly making every trip a different experience. You can find out more about the ongoing events at http://www.sbg.org.sg/calendar/calendar.asp
And did I mention that it is the only botanic garden in the world that opens from 5 a.m. to 12 midnight every single day of the year.
How to get there and more
By Foot:
Entrance to the Gardens is easy through the Gardens' major entrances: Tanglin Gate, Burkill Gate, Nassim Gate and Cluny Park Gate, and through the Bukit Timah Entrance.
By Car:
Car Parking Facilities are available at the Singapore Botanic Gardens' Visitor Centre, Bukit Timah Car Park at Bukit Timah Core, Botany Centre, Jacob Ballas Children's Garden and Public Parking along Tyersall Avenue.
By Bus:
Get to the Gardens by Public Bus
via Holland Road or Bukit Timah Road.
Entrance to the Gardens is easy through the Gardens' major entrances: Tanglin Gate, Burkill Gate, Nassim Gate and Cluny Park Gate, and through the Bukit Timah Entrance.
By Car:
Car Parking Facilities are available at the Singapore Botanic Gardens' Visitor Centre, Bukit Timah Car Park at Bukit Timah Core, Botany Centre, Jacob Ballas Children's Garden and Public Parking along Tyersall Avenue.
By Bus:
Get to the Gardens by Public Bus
via Holland Road or Bukit Timah Road.
Via Holland Road
SBS Transit 7, 105, 123, 174
SMRT 75, 77, 106
SBS Transit 7, 105, 123, 174
SMRT 75, 77, 106
Via Bukit Timah Road
SBS Transit 48, 66, 151, 153, 154, 156, 170
SMRT 67, 171
By Taxi:
There is a Taxi Drop-Off and Pick-Up point at the Visitor Centre along Cluny Road.
By Coach:
a) Coach Drop-off Point is located at the Singapore Botanic Gardens' Visitor Centre, the Ginger Garden Coach Drop-off Point and Jacob Ballas Children's Garden.
b) Coach Parking is available at the Singapore Botanic Gardens' Visitor Centre, Tyersall Avenue Public Coach Park and Jacob Ballas Children's Garden.
SBS Transit 48, 66, 151, 153, 154, 156, 170
SMRT 67, 171
By Taxi:
There is a Taxi Drop-Off and Pick-Up point at the Visitor Centre along Cluny Road.
By Coach:
a) Coach Drop-off Point is located at the Singapore Botanic Gardens' Visitor Centre, the Ginger Garden Coach Drop-off Point and Jacob Ballas Children's Garden.
b) Coach Parking is available at the Singapore Botanic Gardens' Visitor Centre, Tyersall Avenue Public Coach Park and Jacob Ballas Children's Garden.
If you need more information visit http://www.sbg.org.sg/visitorinfo/openinghours.asp
