Outstanding Orchids: Part 1

An almost-hidden gazebo

According to TripAdvisor, the National Orchid Garden is Singapore's number one attraction, beating out even the Singapore Zoo.  Once one's been there, there's no question why this magical place is so highly-rated. Located in the Singapore Botanic Gardens, The National Orchid Garden a shutterbug's paradise, a casual wanderer's whimsy, and a tourist's delight. At only SGD $5 (about USD $3.75), it won't break your vacation budget. In this two-part series, I'll "take you on a tour" around the major areas of this beautiful garden. 

The Crane Fountain

Crane Fountain

Upon entering the National Orchid Garden, a large half-circle fountain with two graceful crane statues greets visitors. Set against a backdrop of white and orange orchids framed by lush foliage, this stunning fountain is a hint of the beauty yet to come. 

A planter in the middle of the Celebrity Garden

Celebrity Garden

Come to Singapore as a famous star and you might just get an hybridized orchid named after you. Flowers in this area are dedicated to famous people such as Bindi Irwin (a yellowish-green orchid with tiny petals) and Andrea Bocelli (a pinkish-purple orchid with a narrow yellow column). Some orchids are also given the names of more local celebrities. The orchids in the Celebrity Garden are planted in large planters, presumably so that they can be replaced easily.  

Cool House

While living up to its literal (temperature) name, the Cool House wasn't the coolest part of the garden. A small glass building stretched across an elevated walkway, the Cool House mainly houses greenery, which when I visited (in early June) was not, for the most, part in bloom. The offerings inside weren't really my cup of tea, but the seemingly just-short-of freezing temperatures were a welcome respite from the tropical heat. 

An elephant statue greets visitors in the bromeliad collection

An unripened pineapple on the outside of the bromeliad collection

Yuen-Peng McNeice Bromeliad Collection

Across the path from the Cool House, sits the Yuen-Peng McNeice Bromeliad Collection. This isn't the best garden to photograph superb colors in, but the interesting and diverse forms of these tenacious little plants invite their own appreciation. The fanciful fountains shaped like plants and the neat sculptures give this garden a playful tone. 

Pink ground-cover bromeliads - probably the Bromeliad family's equivalent of starfish

If you've enjoyed reading about the National Orchid Garden in this installment, I hope you'll come back next Tuesday and read more about it. 

For more images of the National Orchid Garden, click here.