Singapore 2015
My first trip to Singapore was when I was 18 years old, Mum was going back to visit some family members and asked me if I wanted to come too, "Of course" I said, and my career as a "Traveller" commenced then and there. Singapore in 1979 was a very different place to Singapore 2017. Forty years of development, building, demolition , land reclamation and development of its Human resources has left Singapore with a very different profile from then.
(And thats a whole other BLOG ! )
Sue my sister had been on her first overseas trip to the UK, and was returning via Singapore as she had booked her flights on the Luxurious Singpore Airlines Mum Thought that this was a great chance for us to all catch up as a "family" in the land of her birth, so We, meaning her and I, booked a budget no frills flight on Jetstar ! Sue had been away almost a month and we were going to spend a week together on her last leg home, also the first time we three had ever been away together for more than a night
Let me start by telling you a little of Gardens by the Bay. An integral part of Singapore's "City in a Garden" vision, Gardens by the Bay spans a total of 101 hectares of prime land at the heart of Singapore's Marina Bay. Comprising three waterfront gardens - Bay South, Bay East and Bay Central - Gardens by the Bay is a showcase of horticulture and garden artistry. Gardens by the Bay is part of a strategy by the Singapore government to transform Singapore from a "Garden City" to a "City in a Garden". The stated aim is to raise the quality of life by enhancing greenery and flora in the city.
We started off by taking the "Tour" which consisted of an extra long Golf cart, with about 6 carriages that started at the Gift shop and main entrance and proceeded through the outside section of the garden precinct.
These man-made mechanical forest consists of 18 supertrees that act as vertical gardens, generating solar power, acting as air venting ducts for nearby conservatories, and collecting rainwater. To generate electricity, 11 of the supertrees are fitted with solar photovoltaic systems that convert sunlight into energy, which provides lighting and aids water technology within the conservatories below.The Supertrees are home to enclaves of unique and exotic ferns, vines, orchids and also a vast collection of bromeliads such as Tillandsia, amongst other plants. They are fitted with environmental technologies that mimic the ecological function of trees – photovoltaic cells that harness solar energy which can be used for some of the functions of the Supertrees, such as lighting, just like how trees photosynthesize; and collection of rainwater for use in irrigation and fountain displays, exactly like how trees absorb rainwater for growth. The Supertrees also serve air intake and exhaust functions as part of the conservatories' cooling systems.
There is an elevated walkway, the OCBC Skyway, between two of the larger Supertrees for visitors to enjoy an aerial view of the Gardens.
These "Super trees" are tree-like structures that dominate the Gardens' landscape with heights that range between 25 meters (82 ft) and 50 metres (160 ft). They are vertical gardens that perform a multitude of functions, which include planting, shading and working as environmental engines for the gardens.
The large canopies also operate as temperature moderators, absorbing and dispersing heat, as well as providing shelter from the hot temperatures of Singapore's climate to visitors walking beneath.
View actoss to the Casino and triple tower complex
The conservatory complex at Gardens by the Bay, Singapore, comprises two cooled conservatories – the Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest situated along the edge of Marina Reservoir. 
The conservatories are intended to be an energy efficient showcase of sustainable building technologies and to provide an all-weather edutainment space within the Gardens. Both are very large (around 1 hectare (2.5 acres)) and the Flower Dome is the world's largest column-less glasshouse.
One of the sustainable features of the Flower Dome is that horticultural waste feeds a massive steam turbine and generates the electricity on-site to help maintain the cool temperatures of the biodome.
Checking out some plant names on line ?
The horticultural oasis stands in contrast to the country's extremely dense urban environment, forming part of the government's overall strategy to transform Singapore into a "city in a garden."
We contemplated the walkway for at least 30 seconds and then said "nah"
Over 162,900 plants comprising more than 200 species and varieties of bromeliads, orchids, ferns and tropical flowering climbers have been planted on the 18 Supertrees.
A couple of Singaporeans having a picnic in the gardens.
the view from the "buggy train" as we wound our way through the gardens
The obligatory trip to the gift shop for souvenirs.
these trees reminded me of bad haircuts.
The Aussie garden, kangaroo paw in all colors
The size of some of the trees was just overwhelming.
the
The humidity in the domes, changed from "plant geographical "region to region . Don't know how they micro managed the aircon to that extreme.
This crop of trees housed its own small microclimate.
The perfect Camellia?
The Jungle zone made you feel like you were in the Brazilian rainforest, Venus fly catchers were so large I don't know how they grew that big !
The Supertrees have different planting schemes in various colours ranging from warm tones like reds, browns, orange and yellows, to cooler hues like silver and pink. These are "exploited" by the lighting show that you can see twice a night every night, weather permitting for FREE !
Each Supertree consists of a trunk core made of reinforced concrete wrapped with a steel frame. Planting panels are installed on the trunks for the planting of the living skin. Each canopy is embedded with environmentally sustainable functions, then assembled and hoisted via a hydraulic jack system.
The Garden Rhapsody is a signature light and sound show of the Gardens by the bay. We arrived around 7 pm for the "early show" as we weren't sure mum would make it to the 9:30 pm start of the second show. The light and sound show began punctually as all things Singaporean do !
From an eclectic collection of modern popular orchestral music to hard rock, the light show was just amazing.To be viewed at its best, you really needed to lay on the ground and just let your mind go.
Mum looked at me like I was from another planet when I took to laying on my back.. she said and I quote" you look like one of those large beetles thats cant turn over , and you'll be stuck on your back forever ! "
No comments:
Post a Comment