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Singapore
A nature-themed adventure park is now open to the public, along with two preserved black-and-white bungalows that house exhibits on Singapore’s forests and botanical art.
Not just for kids: the Como Adventure Grove playground in the Gallop Extension of the Singapore Botanic Gardens. (Photo: Hanidah Amin)
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SINGAPORE: Two preserved houses and a nature-themed playground are among the new features of the 8-hectare Gallop expanse of Singapore Botanic Gardens that opened to the public on Saturday (March 13).
The new features are in addition to the hiking trail at the top of the ridge and a new arboretum that opened in October 2019.
Located on Gallop Road, this extension is the largest in the Singapore Botanic Gardens since it opened in 1859.
Here’s what you can see and do with the new features.
FOREST DISCOVERY CENTER
Built in 1898, Singapore’s oldest colonial-era bungalow now houses the Forest Discovery Center @ OCBC Arboretum, showcasing the country’s forest ecosystems.
Forest Discovery Center @ OCBC Arboretum is housed in a preserved colonial-era house, the oldest bungalow in Singapore. (Photo: Hanidah Amin)
Gallop House No. 5 (Atbara) was built in 1898 and its structure remains unchanged. (Photo: Hanidah Amin)
In the black and white bungalow, visitors can learn basic skills to identify forest wildlife such as butterflies, birds, and dragonflies.
Visitors can look through a telescope to detect and identify wildlife such as butterflies, birds, and dragonflies in the forest. (Photo: Hanidah Amin)
Another part of the bungalow shows interesting features of Singapore’s forests and highlights the importance of conserving them.
A photographic installation shows native trees such as the durian, the rhu, the sea almond and the gelam. (Photo: Hanidah Amin)
Did you know that there are several different types of forest habitats in Singapore?
They include coastal and mangrove forests, freshwater swamp forests, and rainforests, and this area shows them and highlights the importance of conserving them.
Visitors hear the sounds of nature as they enter the area, giving them an idea of what the forest habitat looks and feels like. (Photo: Hanidah Amin)
Visitors can also view camera trap video footage and listen to recordings of animal calls. (Photo: Ili Nadirah)
GAME GARDEN LIKE ADVENTURE GROVE
Billed as a “nature playground”, the Como Adventure Grove aims to introduce children to nature through play, recreating the experience of climbing and playing in the trees.
Designed to mimic the extensive aerial root system of a mature weeping fig tree, visitors can climb the ropes and slide down the tunnel. (Photo: Hanidah Amin)
A giant cempedak fruit can be seen from the top of the tunnel slide. (Photo: Hanidah Amin)
A closer look at the giant cempedak fruit, a popular native fruit and a close relative of the jackfruit and breadfruit. Visitors can scramble and climb on the surface of the structure. (Photo: Hanidah Amin)
Did you play with saga seeds when you were little? Visitors can run up and down the giant seed pod of the saga tree or jump on the bright red seeds. (Photo: Hanidah Amin)
BOTANICAL ART GALLERY
Another refurbished colonial-era bungalow on the premises is now a gallery that houses Singapore’s first permanent display of botanical art.
Built in 1906, Gallop House No. 7 (Inverturret) houses more than 2,000 botanical paintings, as well as hundreds of sketches, line drawings, and photographs. (Photo: Hanidah Amin)
The entrance to the Botanical Art Gallery. (Photo: Hanidah Amin)
Hundreds of sketches, line drawings and photographs are on display. (Photo: Hanidah Amin)
The art on display is a selection of botanical watercolor illustrations of native species, including some extinct species.
Some of the watercolor illustrations are of locally extinct species. It highlights how botanical art serves as a contemporary record of plants, as do modern color photographs. (Photo: Hanidah Amin)
The activity room has panoramic views of the wooded areas surrounding the home. Here, visitors can learn various techniques related to botanical illustration, such as drawing and mixing colors and composing scenes. (Photo: Hanidah Amin)
At the tables in the Botanical Art Gallery, visitors can try various activities, such as drawing textures on the surface of plants. (Photo: Hanidah Amin)
Visitors can explore the shapes of the leaves. (Photo: Hanidah Amin)
Visitors can learn to draw flowers by following the steps provided. (Photo: Hanidah Amin)
Visitors can also smell the natural scents of plants that can be found in the Singapore Botanic Gardens and try to identify them. (Photo: Hanidah Amin)
GALOPO VALLEY
If you love nature walks, Gallop Valley is designed as a peaceful retreat nestled among mature trees.
Gallop Valley is a walkway to Woollerton Drive. Through the farm, you will see the Farrer Road MRT station. (Photo: Hanidah Amin)
Entry to all Gallop Extension features is free. Visitors are advised to go outside of peak hours.
The Gallop Extension at the Singapore Botanic Garden is open to the public on Saturday (March 13). (Photo: Hanidah Amin)
