Flowers at Gardens by the Bay ( Flower Dome )

We toured the Flower Dome right after our lunch at Pollen :D 

That would be a month or so ago :)

It is also here where Alex proposed to me :P 

Well... enjoy the photos ! 

temperature at this place is kept 

between 23°C to 25°C

This cactus reminds me of a boom microphone!

Do not touch it! It may look furry but pls!

it's really full of spikes! ;p

Really ugly strawberries! But nevertheless

yes..there are some strawberries in the dome. 

It's not totally obvious as these were kinda

hidden away..

such lovely bright colors

In full bloom

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Some photos below taken with Iphone and macro lens :) 

 Spotted a fly! 

It was very still the whole time..

we suspect that it could be dead :P

pollen of a flower

Oh, okay..see this pic with me seated on this unique chair?

Alex proposed just right after this photo was taken lol! 

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It was nice being able to see all these pretty flowers and plants from all over the world.. 

It would be impossible for them to be alive or even grow in our usual tropic weather..

but with the flower dome..they are able to !

Read here for my first visit to the Gardens by the bay in 2011 

before they were officially open

Gardens by the bay at night..

Did you enjoy my previous post about the orchid convention? Anyway, by the time we managed to walk to the Flower dome, it was already evening. We have no idea that the dome isn't well illumined! We could hardly view the trees and flowers on exhibit!! You're damn right that we were greatly disappointed! Coz if we had knew, we would have toured the dome first! :(

Well...here are some photos that I managed to take and brighten up a little.

I must say , the lights from the flyer and gardens are very nice.

I took this from the link bridge
Pretty isn't it!!?

look up!

This was taken near the dome

Was there with Wei Ting and
her gardening friends :)

Let's enter the dome...
Nice thing about the dome is that
the temp.is kept around 23 dec C


This is how bad the lighting is..
the guides explained that
it was done to create a different mood
to differentiate day and nite.. :(


Cactus


More cactus


These plants were specially brought in from
the Mediterranean


This is a very dim photo of
a 1000 yr old olive tree





Big place..


Orchids and crystals..
how lavish..


Here's a big fake orchid to end this entry :P

Some info about the garden

Footprint

1.2 hectare (about 2.2 football fields)

Façade

Overall surface area: 16,000m²

3,332 glass panels of 42 varying shapes and sizes

Height

45m

Temperature

23°C to 25°C

Other Features

• The Flower Field will feature changing displays of temporary flower beds to reflect different seasons, festivals and themes.
• An indoor event space that can accommodate up to 1,000 people

Click here for more info on the Gardens and Domes

Reminiscing Toa Payoh Garden

How many of you actually know that there is a park/garden in Toa Payoh Central? It used to be one of the parks we would visit when I was a child. I remembered taking some photos there..hope I can find those pictures :)

Some of you may know that Toa Payoh is almost like a 2nd home to me. Here's why!

• Was born in Thomson Hospital( defunct) which was located at Toa Payoh Rise
  
• Paternal grandma used to stay there, as well as quite a few other aunts
  
• One of my maternal aunt is still staying there
• Stayed at my aunt's for 1 yr when I was in sec.1
  
• Worked there for 4 years
• Have friends residing there
  
• Just 10 mins away from my place
  

With all the above reasons, you can say that I am somewhat familiar with Toa Payoh .

When Toa Payoh bus interchange and HDB Hub was undergoing construction works ( 1999) , the temporary interchange had to 'eat'into the garden's space.

The last I visited the garden was many many years ago. Just last week, for no reason, I went over to the garden for a stroll.

Truly brought back memories!

After all my visits, I have never
climbed up this viewing tower b4 :P

Anybody wanna climb with me?


Found this old pic from
National Archives of Singapore
The viewing tower and the park
were undergoing construction

Can you see those two prominent point blocks ?
That's where the library is located
and those two point blocks once served as
accommodations for the South East Asia Peninsular
(SEAP) Games competitors and officials

Clearer pic of the blocks and
the old bus interchange
that's where HDB Hub is located now


Pic of a bus leaving the interchange...
Must have been in the early 80s



The park is very quiet and peaceful
at 3pm




These hexagon stone 'deco'/ barrier (?)
must have been more than 30 yrs!


These stone seats have been here for years!


In the past, many couples would come here for their
wedding photo shoot :)







back in those days!


Have you ever been to Toa Payoh Garden?
Go for a stroll one of these days if you have not!

A trip to Botanic and Orchid Gardens

Date : 27 Feb 2011

When was the last time you visited the Botanic Gardens? Or you have never been there before?

It's a beautiful place to spend a day in with family and friends. I have been there many times as a child on family picnic trips and it was also the place where my first bf and I went on our first date!

We met at work..me and this first bf.. both of us were doing a short stint ( temp job) at a now defunct insurance agency. He was tall and look slightly older than his age back then.

Anyway~! haha.. back to last Saturday! A friend suggested paying a visit to the gardens as he has never been there. ( new to our island)

Here are some photos I took while touring the gardens :)

Swan lake..
but where are the swans?

have yet to spot the real ones..
but hey..here are some
metal ones :P


Spotted!

The swan is hiding under the tree...






Remember this grand old dame?
My aunts and mum have taken photos at
this old gazebo when they were younger :)


Thousand bananas!


lots of tiny tiny
bananas


let's take a look at
some hybrid orchids

This is my favorite!
It has a face :D


This one has whiskers :P


Slipper orchid


A bigger slipper hehe







These are called white fairy


Singaporean orchid..


it's strange how we didn't manage to spot
vanda miss joaquim -_-''
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Pitcher Plant




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Another lake..
families love to feed the fishes and tortoises here


Can you see the tortoises all lined up
inside the recess to sun bathe!?


close up..
how cute is that~


there they are..
swimming by to say hello







The wonders of nature...
look at this plant..
see how it twirls..





I had a peaceful calm afternoon..
it would have been better if
I had taken some pictures of myself that day..