Flower Dome Singapore at Gardens by the Bay

Flower Dome Singapore is home to a collection of plants from Mediterranean regions around the world. It features lavender fields, olive groves and giant baobab trees. Design of  the biome is such that it casts as little shadow as possible. Highly selective glass panels separate out heat from the sun. Retractable shades control light levels and limit the heat gain when the sun is out.

For the Flower Dome, designers chose a displacement ventilation system coupled with a network of chilled water pipes embedded in the floor slabs. The displacement ventilation system is the primary source of cooling. Ground cooling by chilled water pipes allows cool air to settle at the lower levels while the warm air rises and is vented out. The temperatures in the Flower Dome are in the range of  23-25 *C. 

Flower Dome Singapore is the largest greenhouse in the world as recognised in the 2015 Guinness Book of World Records at 1.2 hectares (3.0 acres). It replicates the cool-dry Mediterranean climate and reveals eight themed gardens: The Baobabs, Succulent Garden, Australian Garden, South African Garden, South American Garden, Olive Grove, California Garden and the Mediterranean Garden. These eight gardens exhibit exotic flowers and plants from the Mediterranean and semi-arid regions in five continents.

The Flowers

The Flower Dome is filled with many kinds of roses, orchids, tulips, bromeliads and  hydrangeas.   You may come across pretty fuschia standards, clematis, uncommon liliums, camellias and others. Many flowers in the dome bloom throughout the year due to the conducive climate conditions inside.

Singapore’s national flower is Vanda Miss Joaquim. The orchid is named after Miss Agnes Joaquim who created the flower in her garden in 1893.

Grass Tree

The fascinating grass tree is a slow-grower at an estimated rate of 1-2 cm per year. Grass Tree is native to the rocky ranges of south-eastern Australia, from Queensland to Victoria.  But it can eventually attain tree-like branching and over 6 metres in height in individual trees (300-600 years old). An iconic and staple plant of Aboriginal Australians, the grass tree is a source of food, glue and material for tool making.

Baobab Tree

The magnificent baobab tree (Adansonia digitata) is an icon of the African continent. With the bark and fruit offering over 300 life-sustaining uses, it is the source of many indigenous remedies, traditions and folklore. Over time, the Baobab has adapted to its environment. During the rainy season it stores water in its vast trunk. A large Baobab can store as much as 136,400 litres of water. Some baobab trees have lived to more than 2,000 years.

Olive Tree

Olive trees are acutely resilient. They can survive long droughts. Even when a wildfire has burnt large parts of the tree, it is likely to recover. The olive tree is widely known for its strong tendency for alternate bearing (biennial bearing) which severely affects the fruit yield from year to year.

Flower Domes’ Succulents

Succulents belong to families such as Cacti, Aloes and Crassulas and are water-storing desert plants. Many of these species have sharp spines to protect themselves. A thick cover of blue or grey wax over the surface of the leaves and stems shields the plants from dehydration and deflects excess UV light in the desert.

Canary Island Date Palms

The palm is slow growing and can reach heights of 50 to 60 ft. The trunk may have a diameter of four ft and is covered with an attractive, diamond-shaped pattern from old leaf scars. It has a crown of strong leaves which are eight to fifteen feet in length. The deep green leaves have very sharp spines at their bases. The stems are yellow in colour. The orange-yellow, ornamental fruits ripen in early summer. The dates are oblong and about one and a half inches in length.

Nymphaea Firecrest

It is a water lily with bright pink flowers. It is a well-known medicinal plant, widely used in Ayurveda and Siddha systems of medicines for the treatment of diabetes, inflammation, liver disorders, urinary diseases, menorrhagia, blenorrhagia and as an aphrodisiac.

Petunia Grandiflora

 

One of the oldest type of petunia, Grandifloras produce large flowers (up to 5 in wide). Although they bring out fewer blooms than other petunias, the big size makes the grandiflora very appealing. Grandifloras usually form large mounds of flowers 12 to 15 inches tall. Some have a cascading manner that makes them suitable for window boxes and hanging baskets.

Getting There by Grab Taxi

Flower Dome Singapore is located within the Gardens by the Bay compound at the Bay South area. The Gardens by the Bay taxi stand is near the main gate entrance, a short distance from The Marina Bay Sands Hotel. If you are travelling by taxi, turn on Google Maps to navigate to Gardens by the Bay. Address: 18 Marina Gardens Drive, Singapore 018953.

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