Gardens by the Bay – Flower Dome

Thanks to the folks from URA and Gardens by the Bay, I was invited on a guided tour to visit the Flower Dome, Cloud Forest and Supertree Grove, three of the gardens that form  Gardens by the Bay.

My wife and son were with me on the tour, together with fellow blogger, Calvin Timothy and his girlfriend, Nicole. We were brought around the gardens by friendly Ferne and Mihkaail from Gardens by the Bay. It was a delight to have them as guides. Mihkaail is like a walking encyclopedia for plants and was able to quickly name any plants or flowers we pointed out, not to mention add on some background information and facts about them!

The first garden we visited was the Flower Dome.

Pardon me for not getting the names of most of the flowers and plants. I love looking at them and enjoying their beauty, but I am not a botanist hobbyist. If you know the names of any of the flowers or plants below, do drop me a comment to share and I will amend them accordingly.

The dome brings to life, a world of perpetual spring, where plants bloom in an everchanging display of flowers.

The dome replicates the cool-dry climate of Mediterranean regions like South Africa, California and parts of Spain and Italy. Home to a collection of plants from deserts all over the world, it showcases the adaptations of plants to arid environments.

At the Flower Field, visitors can stop and smell the flowers in the colourful changing displays which reflects different seasons, festivals and themes.

My family and I enjoyed the cooling, leisurely stroll through the Flower Dome. Asher was particularly fascinated by the wide array of colours, sights and textures of the various plants and vegetations ranging from the baobabs (“bottle trees”) to succulents (water-retaining plants adapted to arid climates or soil conditions).

If you are into fine dining, there is a very good restaurant inside the Flower Dome called Pollen. Helmed by renowned Chef Jason Atherton, owner of Table No.1 in Shanghai and the Michelin-starred Pollen Street Social in London, the 2-storey restaurant offers innovative, Mediterranean-influenced, modern European cuisine. Book early to avoid disappointment – Ferne told us that Pollen’s reservation list was already fully booked for months ahead!

Rachel and I love the Flower Dome very much. Instead of traveling to expensive, far flung travel destination to experience a cooler climate, a day visit to the Flower Dome allows for a similar, short escapist experience. 🙂

If you are interested to visit, check out Gardens by the Bay official website for more information on the Flower Dome.

Meanwhile, stay tune to my next updates on the Cloud Forest and Supertree Grove.

Flower Domes – Hours and Admission Fees:

Hours:
Opens 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM daily
Last ticket sale at 8:00 PM daily
Last admission at 8:30 PM daily

Local Resident Admission:
Adult $12
Senior Citizen* $8
Child** $8

Local Resident Admission
(includes entry to Cloud Forest):
Adult $20
Senior Citizen* $15
Child** $12

Standard Admission
(includes entry to Cloud Forest):
Adult $28
Senior Citizen* $28
Child** $15

* Senior Citizen (≥ 60 years old)
** Child (3 – 12 years old)

Ticketing Hub:
Opens 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM daily