Where We Be
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| It takes a little walking to reach this entry sign for the National Orchid Garden, but you'll decide it's all worth it once you step inside |
| National Orchid Garden -- Singapore |
By now you're probably thinking, "Geez, not
another garden!" Yep! One more, because it's
just that good. The National Orchid Garden is
home to some of the most perfect orchids you'll
ever see. The entry fee is just SG 5 (~$3.50 US)
each. We recommend you arrive early, right at
the opening time of 8:30 am when it's cooler
and there are almost no crowds.
To reach the Orchid Garden you'll first need to
get off at the Botanic Gardens MRT station and
walk about 2 km through the Singapore Botanic
Gardens (free). But this is hardly a chore as it's
a UNESCO World Heritage Site -- not something
you hear very often about a botanic gardens!
It's recognized as such because it's a vast city
garden that houses a huge number of plants
from around the world. Once we had seen the
Botanic Gardens, Orchid Garden, and Gardens
by the Bay, we began to understand how
Singapore is making its dream of becoming a
"city within a garden" something of a reality.
another garden!" Yep! One more, because it's
just that good. The National Orchid Garden is
home to some of the most perfect orchids you'll
ever see. The entry fee is just SG 5 (~$3.50 US)
each. We recommend you arrive early, right at
the opening time of 8:30 am when it's cooler
and there are almost no crowds.
To reach the Orchid Garden you'll first need to
get off at the Botanic Gardens MRT station and
walk about 2 km through the Singapore Botanic
Gardens (free). But this is hardly a chore as it's
a UNESCO World Heritage Site -- not something
you hear very often about a botanic gardens!
It's recognized as such because it's a vast city
garden that houses a huge number of plants
from around the world. Once we had seen the
Botanic Gardens, Orchid Garden, and Gardens
by the Bay, we began to understand how
Singapore is making its dream of becoming a
"city within a garden" something of a reality.
| We both felt glad we had woken at 7:30 and headed out by 8:00 as it made the temperatures cooler and the crowds much less |
| The diversity and range of colors from one orchid to the next is stunning |
| The Mist House was our favorite. It's a collection of rare orchid cultivars. When we arrived early in the morning, we had the place all to ourselves. |
| The Orchid Garden is located on the highest hill in the Singapore Botanic Gardens, and it contains more than 60,000 orchid plants! |
| The early morning sunlight made the blooms all the more beautiful |
| These are some of the most perfect orchids we've ever seen |
| It's hard to believe some of these are real, so strange is their design and patterning |
| Fun statues complement the flower displays. And you'll simply find orchids everywhere, in every shape and color imaginable. |
| The VIP Orchid Garden is a visitor favorite. Since 1957 Singapore has honored visiting VIPs and celebrities by naming selected orchid hybrids after them. The one shown here, for example, is named in honor of Princess Diana. |
| When you come to Singapore, you know to expect big city sights -- but it was a surprise to us just how many small natural wonders call this city-state home |
| There are more than 1,000 species and 2,000 hybrids in the Orchid Garden alone |
| All told the Orchid Garden includes three hectares of lovingly nurtured grounds |
| This octagonal gazebo known as the Bandstand was built in 1930 and has become an iconic landmark -- and favorite wedding photo spot -- of the larger Botanic Gardens |
| After visiting the Orchid Gardens, it's worth strolling a bit further through the Botanic Gardens to visit Swan Lake. Constructed in 1866, it's the oldest ornamental water feature in Singapore and is one of the garden's key attractions. |