“Man should not destroy what it cannot create” is a phrase that Singapore swore by, later creating one of the world’s largest and influential indoor gardens. "Gardens by the Bay" was born in 2012 as a trademark of the government’s “city in a garden” vision. It was built to keep Singapore’s origin of the rainforest. "Gardens by the Bay" was also created through a charity organization that had worked with projects that allowed children and elders to participate in many different activities. They had recently organized an activity for children and presented their floral origami pieces to decorate their tulip event. Most importantly, with its clear glass walls and bright colors, "Gardens by the Bay" has been the most popular tourist attraction in Singapore, as well as a national icon.
The Flower Dome is one of the well-known spots in Gardens by the Bay, as the entire city of Singapore is visible through the glass dome. It also captures the icy temperature alongside the bright colors of flowers. The Flower Dome attracts visitors with flowers and plants from the Mediterranean and other tropical regions around the world such as Australia, South Africa, and South America.
The next popular attraction is the Cloud Forest. It replicates a vision and surrounding of the cool conditions in tropical mountains that cannot be seen in Singapore. The Cloud Forest greets visitors with refreshing cool air and an enormous waterfall that measures up to 35 meters.
The Cloud Forest has different thematic levels including The Lost World, The Waterfall View, The Crystal Mountain, The Secret Garden, and the Cavern. The Lost World allows visitors to explore the dome in extreme height of 42 meters by walking on a circular path. Being surrounded by a glass dome with greenery so bright that it is even questioned to be artificial, makes people feel as if they are in a ‘fantasy’, which was what the Cloud Forest was aiming for when created, according to a tour guide. My trip to Gardens by the Bay came to an end after finally seeing around the whole garden.
As confusing as the enormous attraction site can be, there are convenient headset recordings visitors can listen to as they tour around Gardens by the Bay. Additionally, small information boards are provided on each important plant or site, which guided me through my trip.
Constantly being surrounded by the heat and busy streets in Singapore is very stressful. It was relieving to experience another level of nature that we cannot see in our daily lives. Nature should be protected in such conditions that can always be taken care of with controlled temperature and environment, similar to Gardens by the Bay. These Flower Domes are important in preserving plants, but it also plays a significant role to people’s lifestyle. Indoor gardening may perhaps really be the future of our generation.
