Gardens by the Bay in Singapore

Where there is money, interesting architectures appear.  Singapore is no exception.  With the background of good economy, we can see a lot of unique buildings being built there.

“Gardens by the Bay” that was opened in June must be definitely a new landmark of Singapore.  When you step into the Marina area, you’ll be surprised to see huge shell-or-whale-like shaped glass wall domes.  They are two of the world’s largest column-less greenhouses.

The one, which is called “Flower Dome” is a conservatory, which is always kept cool and dry.  It collects plants from the Mediterranean and semi-arid subtropical regions like South Africa, California, Spain and Italy.  Some visitors might wonder; “Why do I have to see Mediterranean plants here in Singapore?”    That’s understandable.  But the air is always under-controlled so as to remain cool and dry for the regional plants it focused on.  Because of this we can take a comfortable stroll through the dome.

Another one is “Cloud Forest” that has completely the opposite atmosphere from “Flower Dome.”  You’ll be welcomed by the world’s tallest indoor waterfall and its splash at the entrance.  As you step into it, you’ll be drawn by a mysterious world veiled in mist.  I like this conservatory because it looks like an ancient primitive forest, which reminds me of Hayao Miyazaki’s anime.

Cloud Forest

The most outstanding garden in Gardens by the Bay would be “Supertree Glove.”  These baobab-tree-like shaped artificial trees are vertical gardens of 25 to 50 meters tall.  I took a stroll along the “Skayway,” a 128-metre long walkway that connects the two 25-metre Supertrees in the air and enjoyed the breathtaking view of the gardens.  It was quite fun but a bit scary because I felt as if I had been walking on a suspension bridge.

Supertrees and Skyway

These facilities showcase various plants for both educational and entertainment purposes.  They display the wonder of the nature in very artificial ways.  This contrast is quite Singaporean and I enjoyed it very much.

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