HortPark

HortPark is a 9-hectare (22-acre) park and garden located in the southwestern part of Singapore. It opened in December 2007, but it was not until May 10, 2008, that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong,[1] officially launched it.

The HortCentre

Situated in the Southern Ridges, HortPark is a park connector that allows visitors to travel around Kent Ridge Park, Telok Blangah Hill Park, and Mount Faber Park. Traveling is made possible through elevated walkways and connecting bridges.

Features
A green wall with information signage

HortPark comprises the following features:

  • HortCentre
  • Greenhouse Retail and Workshop
  • Hands-On House
  • HortLawn and Event Lawn
  • Theme Gardens
  • Butterfly Gardens

HortCentre

The two-storey HortCentre building also serves as the visitor services centre. It showcases gardening attractions, which include the Green Roof and the Lifestyle Corner. The building was one of the winners of 2008 International Architecture Award for Best New Global Design.[2] It is also one of the 11 finalists for Urban Land Institute's (ULI) Awards for Excellence 2009.[3]

Green Roof is a rooftop display of the different types of green roof systems and plants suitable for green roof planting. Lifestyle Corner is where visitors can see how flora-themed furnishings can complement the homes, through the showcasing of interior landscaping and lifestyle-gardening ideas.

Greenhouse Garden Retail and Workshop

Located near the visitor services centre, the greenhouse consists of two-halves: garden retail and workshop area. The garden retail is currently managed by The Plant Story which also operates a café on the premises. Meanwhile, the workshop area is used to conduct workshops organised by HortPark.

Hands-On House

The Hands-On House is a laboratory in a classroom setting. It also consists of a sheltered demonstration area in an outdoor setting for learning purposes. It is also popular with small groups of fitness and wellness enthusiasts.

HortLawn and Event Lawn

HortLawn is located near to the HortCentre while Event Lawn can be found near the Hands-On House. Both lawns are suitable for hosting a wide variety of outdoor activities such as workshops, bazaars and functions.

Butterfly Garden

The Butterfly Garden was opened in May 2009 by the National Parks Board in partnership with National Biodiversity Centre to allow visitors to learn about the different stages of butterfly metamorphosis and also serve as an experimental garden to facilitate butterfly species recovery.[4]

The 150-square-metre (1,600 sq ft) landscaped theme garden allows visitors to encounter the butterflies up close and personal amongst a visual feast of tropical plants and nearly 20 species of native butterflies. The research focus of the Butterfly Species Recovery Programme is to find suitable nectar and host plants for breeding a variety of butterfly species, including locally extinct species such as clipper (Parthenos sylvia) and common sergeant (Athyma perius).

Theme gardens
Relaxing in a play structure in one of the many themed gardens

HortPark features 21 theme gardens.[5] Each theme is reflected by the careful selection of plant species.

  • Floral Walk
  • Home Garden
  • Car Park Garden
  • Lifestyle Corner
  • Water Garden
  • Vertical Greenery
  • Silver Garden
  • Balinese Garden
  • Plant Introduction Garden
  • Native Garden
  • Pitter Patter Potter Garden
  • Butterfly Garden
  • Herb and Spice Garden
  • Fruit Garden
  • Vegetable Garden
  • Golden Garden

GardenTech

HortPark played host to GardenTech 2007 and GardenTech 2009, a biennial gardening carnival that showcases the latest horticulture and landscaping technology tools, products and services. Both local and overseas exhibitors alike participated in the carnival.

Other involvement

HortPark also features a series of other initiatives by the National Parks Board (NParks). They include Community in Bloom (CIB), which encourages communal gardening and "The Living Wall", a research project by Building and Construction Authority (BCA), National University of Singapore and NParks. "The Living Wall" showcases vertical greenery systems. HortPark also features six prototype glasshouses as research stations for the upcoming Gardens by the Bay. In addition, HortPark serves as a satellite campus for the Centre of Urban Greenery and Ecology (CUGE) which is managed by the Industry Development arm under NParks.

See also

References
  1. "PM Lee Hsien Loong Officially Opens Two Pedestrian Bridges and HortPark - The Gardening Hub at the Southern Ridges". NParks. 10 May 2008. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
  2. "International Architecture Awards". Archived from the original on 9 July 2009. Retrieved 26 May 2009.
  3. "Uli Announces 11 Finalists for the 2009 Awards for Excellence Competition Asia Pacific". Archived from the original on 17 May 2009. Retrieved 26 May 2009.
  4. https://www.nparks.gov.sg/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=172&Itemid=129#21 Archived 31 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine National Biodiversity Centre
  5. HortPark – The Gardening Hub Archived 2 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine, National Parks Board Factsheet, 10 July 2008. Retrieved 26 May 2009.
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