97-526: The Singapore Botanic Gardens is a 165-year-old tropical garden located at the fringe of the Orchard Road shopping district in Singapore. It is one of three gardens, and the only tropical garden, to be honoured as a UNESCO World Heritage Site . The Botanic Gardens has been ranked Asia's top park attraction since 2013, by TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice Awards. It was declared the inaugural Garden of
194-421: A Jewish cemetery was established; it was located where Dhoby Ghaut MRT station is now and was demolished in 1984. In the 1860s, Orchard Road had a great number of private houses and bungalows on hills looking down through the valley where the road passed through. Early in the 1890s, King Chulalongkorn , the then King of Siam , acquired "Hurricane House" in the vicinity of Orchard Road through Tan Kim Ching ,
291-507: A mangrove swamp ." Singapore's first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew 's house is located at 38 Oxley Road, which is just south of Orchard Road. On the western side of Orchard Road is the Singapore Botanic Gardens , the only tropical garden in the world that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site . About halfway down Orchard Road are Cairnhill and Emerald Hill , which are mainly private residential areas. Next to Emerald Hill
388-432: A 200 metres (660 ft) walk 18 metres (59 ft) above the ground, in the tree canopy of a woodland glade . Visitors can ascend and descend by stairs and by a lift . The walkway floor is perforated metal and flexes under foot; the entire structure sways in the wind. It was designed by David Marks . The accompanying photograph shows a section of the walkway, including the steel supports, which were designed to rust to
485-630: A Natural History Art Gallery, housed in colonial buildings more than a century old. The Learning Forest showcases the best of tropical trees that grow under local conditions and strengthen the Botanic Gardens' position as a premier institute for research, conservation and education. Visitors are able to appreciate this unique collection of trees and plants through various thematic walks within the Learning Forest featuring giant trees, trees with interesting forms and barks of various textures,
582-691: A café at the Visitor Centre; and Halia Restaurant, a restaurant at the Ginger Garden. There are also gift shops for visitors. Singapore's national agency in biodiversity-related issues, the National Biodiversity Centre , is also located within the grounds of the gardens. An official application for Singapore Botanic Gardens to be listed as a World Heritage Site was submitted to UNESCO in January 2014. The bid underlines
679-599: A century as a two-way thoroughfare, Orchard Road became a one-way street east of Scotts Road in 1974. and entirely in 1977 when Orchard Boulevard was completed. Orchard Road starts at the junction with Orange Grove Road, which is the location of the Orchard Hotel. It then stretches southeast across the Scotts Road–Paterson Hill junction, Orchard MRT station , Bideford Road, Somerset MRT station , Central Expressway , Dhoby Ghaut MRT station , and ends at
776-419: A collection of about 150 animals. The first rubber seedlings came to the gardens from Kew Gardens in 1877. A naturalist, Henry Nicholas Ridley , or Mad Ridley as he was known, became the director of the gardens in 1888 and spearheaded rubber cultivation. Successful in his experiments with rubber planting, Ridley convinced planters across Malaya to adopt his methods. The results were astounding; Malaya became
873-421: A conservation collection of rare fruit and nut species and a bamboo garden. Also included is a flood protection scheme for the main shopping district of Orchard Road and its surroundings and a water detention pond with capacity to hold excess storm-water of about 15 Olympic-size pools. The garden is bordered by Holland Road and Napier Road to the south, Cluny Road to the east, Tyersall Avenue and Cluny Park Road to
970-501: A display of economically important heat-loving plants. It closes during the winter months. It was built to house Victoria amazonica , the largest known species of the water lily family Nymphaeaceae at the time. This plant was originally transported to Kew in vials of clean water and arrived in February 1849, after several prior attempts to transport seeds and roots had failed. Although various other members of Nymphaeaceae grew well,
1067-410: A major exporter of cut orchids. Aided by the equatorial climate, it houses the largest orchid collection of 1,200 species and 2,000 hybrids. Early in the nation's independence, Singapore Botanic Gardens' expertise helped to transform the island into a tropical "Garden City", an image and moniker for which the nation is widely known. In 1981, the hybrid climbing orchid, Vanda Miss Joaquim , was chosen as
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#17327721082321164-568: A mini-garden that showcases how plants may be used to make dyes, beverages or as herbs. At the Children's Garden Visitor Centre there is a sculpture by the Israeli artist Zodok Ben-David. Named Mystree , it was commissioned by the Yad Vashem museum in 2010. From a distance, the sculpture looks like a tree but a closer inspection reveals 500 human figures. Although it is considered part of
1261-433: A number of other roads leading into Orchard Road. Orchard Road is one-way heading south and leads into Bras Basah Road which is a one-way street heading south. Kew Gardens Kew Gardens is a botanic garden in southwest London that houses the "largest and most diverse botanical and mycological collections in the world". Founded in 1840, from the exotic garden at Kew Park, its living collections include some of
1358-484: A permanent royal residence for Henry VII . Around the start of the 16th century courtiers attending Richmond Palace settled in Kew and built large houses. Early royal residences at Kew included Mary Tudor 's house, which was in existence by 1522 when a driveway was built to connect it to the palace at Richmond. Around 1600, the land that would become the gardens was known as Kew Field, a large field strip farmed by one of
1455-636: A popular hotspot in Singapore, especially at night, attracting trendy urban youth. The Orchard Planning Area is a planning area as specified by the Urban Redevelopment Authority . It is part of the Central Area located within the Central Region . Orchard is bordered by Newton in the east and north, Tanglin in the west, River Valley in the south and Museum to the southeast. Orchard Road got its name from
1552-670: A small tropical rainforest of around six hectares in size, which is older than the gardens itself. The rainforest and its bigger cousin at the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve are located within the Singapore's city limits. Singapore is one of the only two major cities with a tropical rainforest within its city limits, the other being Tijuca Forest in Rio de Janeiro. Located next to the National Orchid Garden, this one-hectare garden brings together members of
1649-458: A tree-like appearance to help the walkway fit in visually with its surroundings. A short video detailing the construction of the walkway is available online. The Lake Crossing bridge, made of granite and bronze, opened in May 2006. Designed by Buro Happold and John Pawson , it crosses the lake and was previously named in honor of Dr Mortimer and Theresa Sackler . The minimalist-styled bridge
1746-487: Is Centrepoint , which houses the supermarket Cold Storage , the oldest surviving business establishment in the area. Amber Mansions , one of the earliest apartment blocks in Singapore, which was built around the turn of the 20th century, was torn down in the 1980s to make way for the Dhoby Ghaut MRT station. Specialists' Shopping Centre was one of the earliest redevelopment projects on Orchard Road. It occupied
1843-487: Is currently used as a restaurant. The Palm House (1844–1848) was the result of cooperation between architect Decimus Burton and iron founder Richard Turner , and continues upon the glass house design principles developed by John Claudius Loudon and Joseph Paxton . A space frame of wrought iron arches, held together by horizontal tubular structures containing long prestressed cables, supports glass panes which were originally tinted green with copper oxide to reduce
1940-441: Is designed as a sweeping double curve of black granite. The sides of the bridge are formed of bronze posts that give the impression, from certain angles, of forming a solid wall while, from others, and to those on the bridge, they are clearly individual entities that allow a view of the water beyond. The bridge forms part of a path designed to encourage visitors to visit more of the gardens than had hitherto been popular and connects
2037-522: Is prohibited to hail taxis at locations other than these official stands. Those driving into Orchard Road may enter from the west via Tanglin Road. Vehicles from Bukit Timah Road or Newton Road that travel via Scotts Road can turn left into Orchard Road at the Marriott Hotel junction. Vehicles coming from the opposite direction on Paterson Road can enter Orchard Road by turning right. There are also
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#17327721082322134-579: Is provided by the driver and there are several stops. A map of the gardens is available on the Kew Gardens website. Kew has one of the largest compost heaps in Europe, made from green and woody waste from the gardens and the manure from the stables of the Household Cavalry . The compost is mainly used in the gardens, but on occasion has been auctioned as part of a fundraising event for
2231-466: Is still in use today, and promoting its economic value to planters in the region, rubber output expanded rapidly. At its height in the 1920s, the Malayan peninsula cornered half of the global latex production. The National Orchid Garden , which is located within the main gardens, is at the forefront of orchid studies and a pioneer in the cultivation of hybrids , complementing the nation's status as
2328-597: Is stretched vertically; the longest distance between the northern and southern ends is 2.5 km (1.6 mi). The Botanic Gardens receives about 4.5 million visitors annually. The first "Botanical and Experimental Garden" in Singapore was established in 1822 on Government Hill by Sir Stamford Raffles , the founder of modern Singapore and a keen naturalist . The Garden's main task was to evaluate cultivation crops which were of potential economic importance, including those yielding fruits, vegetables, spices and other raw materials. This first Garden closed in 1829. It
2425-662: The Singapore Symphony Orchestra and Singapore Chinese Orchestra . On 10 October 2008, a statue of the composer Frédéric Chopin was unveiled just south of Symphony Lake. The headquarters of the National Parks Board is located within the grounds of the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Eateries within the garden include the one-Michelin-starred Corner House, a casual fine-dining restaurant in a colonial bungalow; Casa Verde,
2522-876: The nutmeg , pepper , and fruit orchards or plantations that the road once led to. Such plantations were common in the area in the 19th century. Previously, it was known in Hokkien as "Tang Leng Pa Sat Koi" ( simplified Chinese : 东陵巴刹街 ; traditional Chinese : 東陵巴剎街 ; Pe̍h-ōe-jī : Tang-lêng Pa-sat-koe ; lit. ' Tanglin Market Street';), and in Tamil, it was known as "Vairakimadam" (Tamil: வயிராகி மடம் , romanized: Vayirāki maṭam , lit. 'Fakir's place') inside town limits and "Māttu Than" ([மேட்டு தான்] Error: {{Langx}}: invalid parameter: |labels= ( help ) ) from Koek's Market to Upper Tanglin. After more than
2619-489: The 1830s the Orchard Road area was the scene of gambier and pepper plantations. Later, nutmeg plantations and fruit orchards predominated, hence its name. By 1846, the spread of houses had reached up to Tank Road. There were none on the left side and only three or four houses went past Tank Road on the right side of Orchard Road. One major sight during this period was a Dr. Jun tending his garden, which helped endorse
2716-473: The 1960s, a group of Indonesian forces bombed the MacDonald House in Singapore, just a few months before Singapore got its independence from Malaysia. A number of people were killed and the police managed to execute the two military officers responsible for this. Orchard Road was initially designated to be completely smoke-free with the exception of designated smoking areas by 1 July 2018. However,
2813-631: The 19th century. It is now the largest Victorian glasshouse in existence. Kew was the location of the successful effort in the 19th century to propagate rubber trees for cultivation outside South America. In February 1913, the Tea House was burned down by suffragettes Olive Wharry and Lilian Lenton during a series of arson attacks in London. Kew Gardens lost hundreds of trees in the Great Storm of 1987 . From 1959 to 2007, Kew Gardens had
2910-423: The 27,000 taxa curated by Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew , while the herbarium , one of the largest in the world, has over 8.5 million preserved plant and fungal specimens. The library contains more than 750,000 volumes, and the illustrations collection contains more than 175,000 prints and drawings of plants. It is one of London's top tourist attractions and is a World Heritage Site . Kew Gardens, together with
3007-489: The 39th session of the World Heritage Committee deliberated Singapore's submission, and all 21 members endorsed it. Dr Taylor recalled the unanimous vote: It was extraordinary, one of the longest salutations I've heard ... and every single member of the committee had something important to say and some had a lot to say in favour of the inscription. Singapore Botanic Gardens is the first tropical, and only
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3104-835: The Botanic Gardens, the Children's Garden has its own entrance along Bukit Timah Road existing as a separate enclosure. Tropical plants line the bank of the Saraca Stream as it meanders its way down a small hill. The main highlights of the stream walk are the Yellow Saraca trees ( Saraca cauliflora ) and Red Saraca ( Saraca declinata ). Other attractions include the Palm Valley, Bandstand area, Sun Garden and Sundial Garden. The Botanic Gardens has three lakes, namely Symphony Lake , Eco-Lake and Swan Lake . The Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage on Symphony Lake occasionally has free concerts on weekends. Notable performers include
3201-516: The Botany Centre are covered by leaf imprints. There are also a number of wooden carvings scattered around the grounds and fern-covered vertical walls. The Green Pavilion is the first "green roof" in Singapore. Weed and grass-like plants fully cover the pitched roof. It houses the visitor services desk as well as a café called Food For Thought in the basement. The offices of former directors, namely Holttum Hall (after Eric Holttum, Director of
3298-552: The Bromeliad House showcases plants from the family Bromeliaceae , which includes the pineapple. The unique collection of bromeliads on display was acquired from Shelldance Nursery in the United States in 1994. Coolhouse : The Coolhouse tries to recreate the environment of a tropical highland forest and showcases orchids that are normally only found in the tropical highland areas. The Singapore Botanic Gardens has
3395-653: The Garden, the hilly three-hectare site has a collection of more than 1,000 species and 2,000 hybrids of orchids. There are a number of attractions within the Orchid Garden, including the following - Burkill Hall : Burkill Hall is a colonial plantation bungalow built in 1886. It used to be the director's house and was named in honour of the only father and son pair to hold the post of Director of Singapore Botanic Gardens, Isaac and Humphrey Burkill . The ground level serves as an exhibition area, showcasing information on
3492-481: The Gardens from 1925 to 1949) and Ridley Hall (after Henry Nicholas Ridley, first director of Gardens from 1888 to 1911) were preserved and now known as the Singapore Botanic Gardens' Heritage Museum and Ridley Hall (a function space). The Children's Garden was named after its main donor Jacob Ballas, a Jewish-Singaporean philanthropist who died in 2004. Built at a cost of S$ 7 million (of which $ 99 million
3589-484: The Gardens from 1925 to 1949. His techniques led to Singapore being one of the world's top centres of commercial orchid growing. Presently, it has the largest collection of tropical plant specimens. During the Japanese occupation of Singapore from 1942 to 1945, Hidezo Tanakadate (田中館秀三), a professor of geology from Tohoku Imperial University , learned of the possibility that the Gardens and Museum might be looted due to
3686-503: The Herbarium before the war, succeeded Holttum as director from 1949 to 1954. Eventually the Gardens played an important role during the "greening Singapore" campaign and Garden City campaign during the early independence years. The Singapore Botanic Gardens was put under the charge of the National Parks Board. The Gardens was revitalised with new and improved public amenities, research facilities and training facilities (1990–2005). Here,
3783-433: The Orchard Road vicinity: Orchard, Orchard Boulevard , Somerset and Dhoby Ghaut MRT stations. These stations are important hubs for commuters, locals, students and tourists who travel to the shopping and business district of Orchard. Bus services provided by SBS Transit , SMRT Buses , Tower Transit Singapore and Go-Ahead Singapore provide access to Orchard Road. Bus stops are staggered to avoid causing congestion, with
3880-568: The Orchidarium houses natural species in a tropical setting. Tan Hoon Siang Misthouse : Tan Hoon Siang was a descendant of Tan Tock Seng , who was a philanthropist and founder of the Tan Tock Seng Hospital . The misthouse contains a colourful collection of different hybrids. It also has a small collection of fragrant orchids like Vanda Mimi Palmer. Lady Yuen-Peng McNeice Bromeliad House : Named in honour of its sponsor,
3977-586: The Palm House and is the world's largest surviving Victorian glass structure. It contains plants and trees from all the temperate regions of the world, some of which are extremely rare. It was commissioned in 1859 and designed by architect Decimus Burton and iron founder Richard Turner . Covering 4880 square metres, it rises to a height of 19 metres (62 ft). Intended to accommodate Kew's expanding collection of hardy and temperate plants, it took 40 years to construct, during which time costs soared. The building
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4074-549: The Palm House. In 1950 the railway was electrified. The tunnel is now used to carry piped hot water to the Palm House, from oil-fired boilers located near the original chimney, which is extant, and is Grade II listed . Kew's third major conservatory, the Princess of Wales Conservatory, designed by architect Gordon Wilson, was opened in 1987 by Diana, Princess of Wales in commemoration of her predecessor Augusta 's associations with Kew. It replaced 26 smaller buildings. In 1989
4171-572: The Temperate House was completed in May 2018. Five trees survive from the establishment of the botanical gardens in 1762. Together they are known as the 'Five Lions' and consist of: a ginkgo ( Ginkgo biloba ), a pagoda tree, or scholar tree ( Styphnolobium japonicum ), an oriental plane ( Platanus orientalis ), a black locust, or false acacia ( Robinia pseudoacacia ), and a Caucasian elm or zelkova ( Zelkova carpinifolia ). A canopy walkway , which opened in 2008, takes visitors on
4268-670: The Thai Consul in Singapore. Two further pieces of adjoining property fronting onto Orchard Road were purchased in 1897. These subsequently became the site of the Royal Thai Embassy at 370 Orchard Road. Hurricane House was sold off around 1909 shortly before the King's death. In the early 20th century, it was noted that Orchard Road "present[ed] the appearance of a well-shaded avenue to English mansion[s]," comparable in its "quiet but effective beauty to Devonshire lanes." In
4365-633: The Year by the International Garden Tourism Awards in 2012. The Botanic Gardens was founded at its present site in 1859 by the Agri-horticultural Society. It played a pivotal role in the region's rubber trade boom in the early twentieth century when its first scientific director, Henry Nicholas Ridley , headed research into the plant's cultivation. By perfecting the technique of rubber extraction, which
4462-597: The botanic gardens at Wakehurst in Sussex , are managed by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, an internationally important botanical research and education institution that employs over 1,100 staff and is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs . The Kew site, which has been dated as formally starting in 1759, although it can be traced back to
4559-430: The building is now used for various exhibitions, weddings, and private events. It is also now used to exhibit the winners of the photography competition. The Orangery was designed by Sir William Chambers , and was completed in 1761. It measures 28 by 10 metres (92 by 33 ft). It was found to be too dark for its intended purpose of growing citrus plants and they were moved out in 1841. After many changes of use, it
4656-402: The conservatory a distinctive appearance and helping to maximize the use of the sun's energy. During the construction of the conservatory a time capsule was buried. It contains the seeds of basic crops and endangered plant species and key publications on conservation. The Temperate House, re-opened in May 2018 after being closed for restoration, is a greenhouse that has twice the floor area of
4753-472: The conservatory received the Europa Nostra award for conservation. The conservatory houses ten computer-controlled micro-climatic zones, with the bulk of the greenhouse volume composed of Dry Tropics and Wet Tropics plants. Significant numbers of orchids , water lilies , cacti , lithops , carnivorous plants and bromeliads are housed in the various zones. The cactus collection also extends outside
4850-409: The conservatory where some hardier species can be found. The conservatory has an area of 4,499 square metres (48,430 sq ft; 0.4499 ha; 1.112 acres). As it is designed to minimize the amount of energy taken to run it, the cooler zones are grouped around the outside and the more tropical zones are in the central area where heat is conserved. The glass roof extends down to the ground, giving
4947-407: The cooling air is not refrigerated but is cooled by being passed through a labyrinth of pipes buried under the house at a depth where the temperature remains suitable all year round. The house is designed so that the maximum temperature should not exceed 20 °C (68 °F). Kew's collection of alpine plants (defined as those that grow above the tree line in their locale – ground level at
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#17327721082325044-503: The country's national flower. Singapore's "orchid diplomacy" honours visiting head of states, dignitaries, and celebrities by naming its finest hybrids after them; these are displayed at its popular VIP Orchid Gardens. The Gardens is opened from 5 a.m. to 12 midnight daily and is free to enter, except for the National Orchid Garden . More than 10,000 species of flora are spread over its 82 hectares (200 acres) area, which
5141-599: The different hybrids named after VIPs who have visited the garden. VIP Orchid Garden : located at the back of Burkill Hall, it displays hybrids of the most popular VIP orchids. Notable ones include Dendrobium Memoria Princess Diana , Dendrobium Margaret Thatcher , × Renantanda Akihito , Dendrobium Masako Kotaishi Hidenka , Dendrobium Elizabeth and Vanda Gloria Macapagal Arroyo . More than 100 celebrities, dignitaries, and visiting heads of states have been honoured by Singapore's orchid diplomacy program. Orchidarium : A haven for serious orchids enthusiasts,
5238-474: The east boundary wall of Kew Gardens, extending more than a mile in length. This dead wall used to have a most teasing and tedious effect on the eye of a pedestrian; but a poor mendicant crippled seaman, some years ago, enlivened it by drawing on it, in chalk, every man of war in the British navy. He returns annually to the spot to refit his ships, and raises considerable supplies for his own victualling board from
5335-530: The establishment of ornamental planting”. The layout of the Gardens as it is today is largely based on Niven's design. In 1866 the Gardens expanded in the Northwest direction by about 12 hectares. The excavation of Swan Lake took place in 1866. In 1868, the Burkill Hall was completed. The Singapore Agri-horticultural Society ran out of funds, which led to the colonial government taking over the management of
5432-544: The exotic garden at Kew Park, formed by Henry, Lord Capell of Tewkesbury , consists of 132 hectares (330 acres) of gardens and botanical glasshouses , four Grade I listed buildings , and 36 Grade II listed structures, all set in an internationally significant landscape. It is listed Grade I on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens . Kew Gardens has its own police force, Kew Constabulary , which has been in operation since 1845. Kew consists mostly of
5529-551: The family Zingiberaceae . The garden houses a restaurant called the Halia Restaurant. There is also a drop-off point along Tyersall Avenue as well as a waterfall. The garden was officially opened in 2003 and it took over the spot vacated by the previous Orchid Enclosure. The two new blocks of offices and classroom in the upgraded Tanglin Core area are known as the Botany Centre. They house the: The corridors and walkways of
5626-432: The focus is on Garden City Vision, Horticulture, Taxonomic + Biodiversity Research, Recreation and Education. A "Tyersall extension" to the Gardens was announced in 2009. A total of 18 hectares of land was added in expanding the Gardens by almost four times its original size in 1859. Known as the Gardens' Learning Forest when it was fully completed in 2018, the extensions included a Forest Conservation Interpretive Centre and
5723-575: The gardens in 1874. In 1875, the Raffles Library Committee selected a horticulturist, Henry James Murton, to serve as the first Superintendent of Gardens, while a zoology expert, William Krohn, was hired as the superintendent of the Zoological Garden to build up a collection of animals within the gardens, establishing the first zoo in Singapore. By 1877, the developed parts of the gardens were dotted with enclosures housing
5820-405: The gardens themselves and a small surrounding community. Royal residences in the area which would later influence the layout and construction of the gardens began in 1299 when Edward I moved his court to a manor house in neighbouring Richmond (then called Sheen). That manor house was later abandoned; however, Henry VII built Sheen Palace in 1501, which, under the name Richmond Palace , became
5917-582: The gardens' historical and cultural significance and its achievements in conservation and research. A 700-page nomination dossier was compiled and written up over one-and-a-half years, led by the National Heritage Board 's (NHB) preservation of sites and monuments division and the Botanic Gardens director, Dr Nigel Taylor, who was also involved in the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew 's own UNESCO bid from 2000 to 2003. As part of
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#17327721082326014-504: The gardens, aided by William Aiton and Sir Joseph Banks . The old Kew Park (by then renamed the White House), was demolished in 1802. The "Dutch House" adjoining was purchased by George III in 1781 as a nursery for the royal children. It is a plain brick structure now known as Kew Palace . The Epicure's Almanack reports an anecdote of the garden wall as of 1815: "In going up Dreary Lane that leads to Richmond you pass along
6111-526: The gardens. The compost heap is in an area of the gardens not accessible to the public, but a viewing platform, made of wood which had been illegally traded but seized by Customs officers in HMRC , has been erected to allow visitors to observe the heap as it goes through its cycle. Tours of the gardens are conducted daily by trained volunteers. In March 2006, the Davies Alpine House opened,
6208-490: The gratuities of the charitable, who pass to and from Richmond." Some early plants came from the walled garden established by William Coys at Stubbers in North Ockendon . The collections grew somewhat haphazardly until the appointment of the first collector, Francis Masson , in 1771. Capability Brown , who became England's most renowned landscape architect , applied for the position of master gardener at Kew, and
6305-472: The high upkeep of the zoo at the gardens, in 1903, the colonial government decided to sell all the animals and birds and shut it down. More building installations at the garden included E.J.H Corner House in 1910 and Holttum Hall in 1921. This was also the period when Singapore's national flower, the orchid Hybrid Vanda Miss Joaquim, was founded, which was part of the achievement of the pioneering of orchid hybridisation by Professor Eric Holttum , director of
6402-532: The house did not suit the Victoria , purportedly because of a poor ventilation system, and this specimen was moved to another, smaller, house ( Victoria amazonica House No. 10 ). The ironwork for the Waterlily House project was provided by Richard Turner and the initial construction was completed in 1852. The heat for the house was initially obtained by running a flue from the nearby Palm House but it
6499-668: The implementation was pushed back to 31 December 2018, as businesses will need more time to identify appropriate locations and set up designated areas for smoking, according to the National Environment Agency (NEA). Food establishments that currently have smoking corners within the no-smoking zones will also be given the same extension to remove them. Currently, around 40 designated smoking areas have been set up, including five public ones at Orchard Towers, Far East Plaza, The Heeren, Cuppage Terrace, and behind Somerset MRT station. Since its announcement, NEA has said that
6596-657: The institutions, however, and Tanakadate had to pay for maintenance and staff salaries from his own pocket. The Gardens was also renamed as Shōnan Botanic Gardens ( 昭南植物園 ). Tanaka returned to Japan in July 1943, and Dr. Kwan Koriba [ ja ] , a retired professor of botany from the Kyoto Imperial University and secretary-general of the Imperial Japanese Army's Malayan military administration department's general affairs department,
6693-518: The junction with Handy Road (just before Prinsep Street), where it becomes Bras Basah Road . It has extensive underground infrastructure, including underground pedestrian walkways between the malls running underneath the street and other streets in the vicinity. The numbers begin at Handy Road and end at Orange Grove Road. Orchard Road was already cut in the 1830s, though the new road was not named in George Coleman 's 1836 Map of Singapore . In
6790-551: The majority of stakeholders have been supportive of this initiative. As of 1 January 2019, Orchard Road was officially declared as a strictly smoke-free zone except within the designated smoking areas. At Orchard Road's eastern end is the official residence and office of the President of Singapore , the Istana , marked with Nibong palms and a plaque that reads, "As the nibong is a mangrove palm, this site must have once been
6887-483: The new private estates. The exotic garden at Kew Park, formed by Henry Capell, 1st Baron Capell of Tewkesbury , was enlarged and extended by Augusta, Dowager Princess of Wales , the widow of Frederick, Prince of Wales . The origins of Kew Gardens can be traced to the merging of the royal estates of Richmond and Kew in 1772. William Chambers built several garden structures, including the lofty Great Pagoda built in 1761 which still remains. George III enriched
6984-613: The occupation, and negotiated directly with general Tomoyuki Yamashita to gain control of the Singapore Botanic Gardens and the Raffles Museum . At the beginning of the occupation, he ensured that no looting occurred in the Gardens and the Museum. Both institutions continued to function as scientific institutions. Holttum and Edred John Henry Corner were interned in the Gardens and instructed to continue their horticultural work. The Japanese government and army were unwilling to fund
7081-583: The poles rising to over 2,000 metres (6,562 feet)), extends to over 7000. As the Alpine House can only house around 200 at a time the ones on show are regularly rotated. Originally designed for Buckingham Palace , this was moved to Kew in 1836 by King William IV . The building was formerly known as the Aroid House No. 1 and was used to display species of Araceae , the building was listed Grade II* in 1950. With an abundance of natural light,
7178-626: The process, the dossier had to seek the assessment of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), a separate professional association. On 16 May 2015, ICOMOS's panel of experts backed the inscription without reservation – the best recommendation possible, stating: the Gardens demonstrates the evolution of a British tropical colonial garden into a modern and world-class botanic garden, scientific institution and place of conservation and education. On 4 July that year, in Bonn ,
7275-602: The road's name. He had a garden and plantation at the corner of what is now Scotts Road and Orchard Road. Towards the later part of the 1840s, graveyards began to appear along the road. By 1846, the Chinese had a large graveyard around what is now the Hilton Singapore Orchard and Ngee Ann City, while the Sumatrans from Bencoolen had their burial ground where the current Hotel Grand Central stands. Later
7372-708: The scheme being implemented on 13 May 2004 (1st Phase, Mandarin Orchard Singapore) and 28 May 2004 (2nd Phase, Midpoint Orchard). A bus lane was introduced in 2005, operational from 7.30 am to 8 pm, Monday to Saturday. It was extended to 24 hours in 2016. Westbound passengers can board their buses at Penang Road (Dhoby Ghaut Station), Somerset Road (Somerset Station), Orchard Turn (opp Ngee Ann City/Takashimaya), Orchard Turn (Orchard Station), Orchard Boulevard (opp Orchard Station) and Orchard Boulevard (Wheelock Place). Orchard Road has numerous taxi stands, which are mostly found at shopping centres and hotels. It
7469-477: The significant heating effect. The 19 metres (62 ft) high central nave is surrounded by a walkway at 9 metres (30 ft) height, allowing visitors a closer look upon the palm tree crowns. In front of the Palm House on the east side are the Queen's Beasts , ten statues of animals bearing shields. They are Portland stone replicas of originals done by James Woodford and were placed here in 1958. The Palm House
7566-559: The site of the former Pavilion Cinema, which was demolished in 1979. Specialists' Shopping Centre was itself demolished in 2007 to make way for new development, called Orchard Gateway . Elsewhere just off Orchard Road is Scotts Road. Scotts Shopping Centre housed Singapore's first food court , which sat below the Ascott Singapore. It was torn down in June 2007 to make way for Scotts Square. The first shop of note on Orchard Road
7663-533: The society's members. Lawrence Niven was hired as superintendent and landscape designer to turn what were essentially overgrown plantations and a tangle of virgin rainforest into a public park . He and his team worked on developing the Gardens to reflect the styles of the English Landscape Garden Movement. This included a series of “interconnecting pathways and promenades, a levelled parade area for military bands to play music... and
7760-436: The sun is too hot for the plants together with a system that blows a continuous stream of cool air over the plants. The main design aim of the house is to allow maximum light transmission. To this end the glass is of a special low iron type that allows 90 per cent of the ultraviolet light in sunlight to pass. It is attached by high tension steel cables so that no light is obstructed by traditional glazing bars. To conserve energy
7857-514: The tallest flagpole in Britain. Made from a single Douglas-fir from Canada, it was given to mark both the centenary of the Canadian province of British Columbia and the bicentenary of Kew Gardens. The flagpole was removed after damage by weather and woodpeckers made it a danger. In July 2003, UNESCO put the gardens on its list of World Heritage Sites . A five-year, £41 million revamp of
7954-667: The third botanic gardens on the UNESCO World Heritage listing. The honour was widely noted as a fitting tribute to the nation's 50th year of independence. Orchard Road Orchard Road , often known colloquially as simply Orchard , is a major 2.5 km (1.6 mi)-long road in the Central Area of Singapore . A famous tourist attraction , it is an upscale shopping area, with numerous internationally renowned department stores , shopping malls , restaurants , and coffeehouses located in its vicinity. It's
8051-416: The third version of an alpine house since 1887. Although only 16 metres (52 ft) long the apex of the roof arch extends to a height of 10 metres (33 ft) in order to allow the natural airflow of a building of this shape to aid in the all-important ventilation required for the type of plants to be housed. The new house features a set of automatically operated blinds that prevent it from overheating when
8148-662: The two art galleries, via the Temperate and Evolution Houses and the woodland glade, to the Minka House and the Bamboo Garden. The crossing won a special award from the Royal Institute of British Architects in 2008. The Hive opened in 2016 and is a multi-sensory experience designed to highlight the extraordinary life of bees. It stands 17 metres (56 ft) tall and is set in a wildflower meadow. The Hive
8245-464: The west and Bukit Timah Road to the north. The linear distance between the northern and southern ends is around 2.5 km (1.6 mi). There are a number of entrances at different zones of the gardens, though the Tanglin Gate facing Holland Road in the south is the grand entrance. The National Orchid Garden is the main attraction within the Botanic Gardens. Located on the mid-western side of
8342-475: The world's number one producer and exporter of natural rubber. In 1879, the Palm Valley was established on the site of the former Economic Garden. Nathaniel Cantley , who replaced Murton as the second Superintendent of Gardens in 1880, oversaw the building installation of Ridley Hall in 1882. Other installations included the Plant House, an arboretum in the former Economic Garden, and plant nurseries. Due to
8439-424: Was John Smith . The Palm House was built by architect Decimus Burton and iron-maker Richard Turner between 1844 and 1848, and was the first large-scale structural use of wrought iron . It is considered "the world's most important surviving Victorian glass and iron structure". The structure's panes of glass are all hand-blown. The Temperate House , which is twice as large as the Palm House, followed later in
8536-516: Was Tangs founded in 1934 and established on Orchard Road in the 1950s. Orchard Road shopping malls include ION Orchard , Wisma Atria , Ngee Ann City , Orchard Central , Orchard Gateway, 313 @ Somerset, Orchard Plaza, Plaza Singapura , The Centrepoint , The Heeren , Mandarin Gallery, Cathay Cineleisure Orchard, Wheelock Place , Liat Towers , Shaw House and Scotts Square . Prominent tenants do include: There are four major MRT stations in
8633-534: Was appointed director to the Gardens and Museum, posts he held until the end of the war. After the war ended, the Gardens was handed back to the control of the British in September 1945, and Koriba was made a prisoner of war. Corner negotiated for Koriba's release with the British command, citing his contributions to protecting the Gardens, but he chose to remain in custody alongside his countrymen until his release in January 1946. Murray Ross Henderson , curator of
8730-414: Was closed for restoration 1980–82. The building was restored during 2014–15 by Donald Insall Associates , based on their conservation management plan. There is a viewing gallery in the central section from which visitors can look down on that part of the collection. The Waterlily House is the hottest and most humid of the houses at Kew and contains a large pond with varieties of water lily, surrounded by
8827-469: Was designed by English artist Wolfgang Buttress . The Hive has been created using thousands of aluminium pieces that are presented in the shape of a honeycomb. It was initially installed as a temporary exhibition, but was given a permanent home at Kew Gardens due to its popularity. Kew Explorer is a service that takes a circular route around the gardens, provided by two 72-seater road trains that are fuelled by Calor Gas to minimize pollution. A commentary
8924-595: Was donated by the Jacob Ballas Trust and sponsors), it is located at the quieter northern end of the Botanic Gardens. It has its own visitor centre with a café. It opened on Children's Day, 1 October 2007. The National Parks Board claims it is Asia's first children's garden. There are play areas like the Water Play area, a small playground, tree-houses with slides, and a maze. There are also interactive exhibits that teach how photosynthesis takes place, and
9021-637: Was formerly known as the Alpine House No. 24 prior to the construction of the Davies Alpine House. Kew's bonsai collection has around sixty specimens, displayed seasonally in the House, including a 100 year-old Japanese maple and a 200 year-old temple maple . The following plant houses were in use in 1974. All have since been demolished, with many of the collections being moved into the Princess of Wales Conservatory. The extant Aroid House (now
9118-872: Was later equipped with its own boiler. Formerly known as the Australian House . The house was a gift from the Australian Government. It was designed by S L Rothwell (Ministry of Works) with consultant engineer J E Temple and was constructed by the Crittall Manufacturing Company Ltd. It opened in 1952. From 1995 it was known as the Evolution House. The building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 for its special architectural or historic interest. The Bonsai House
9215-549: Was not until 30 years later that the present Singapore Botanic Gardens began in 1859, when the Singapore Agri-horticultural Society was granted 32 hectares of land in Tanglin by the colonial government, which had obtained it from the merchant Hoo Ah Kay , better known as Whampoa, in exchange for land at Boat Quay . The new gardens started off functioning primarily as a “pleasure park” for
9312-613: Was originally heated by two coal-fired boilers, with a 107 feet (33 m) chimney, the "Shaft of the Great Palm-Stove", now known as the Campanile, near the Victoria Gate. Coal was brought in by a light railway, running in a tunnel, using human-propelled wagons. The tunnel acted as a flue between the boilers and the chimney, but the distance proved too great for efficient working, and so two small chimneys were added to
9409-528: Was rejected. In 1840, the gardens were adopted as a national botanical garden , in large part due to the efforts of the Royal Horticultural Society and its president William Cavendish . Under Kew's director, William Hooker , the gardens were increased to 30 hectares (75 acres) and the pleasure grounds , or arboretum , extended to 109 hectares (270 acres), and later to its present size of 121 hectares (300 acres). The first curator
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