Singapore Garden Festival 2024: Horticulture Excellence in Full Bloom

The ninth edition of the Singapore Garden Festival (SGF), the premier international garden and flower show, is set to captivate the public from 3 to 11 August 2024 at Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre. This year’s festival marks the return of the first full-scale edition since 2018, coinciding with Singapore hosting the 8th Global Botanic Gardens Congress, a historic first for Southeast Asia.

A Grand Showcase of Horticultural Mastery

Organised by the National Parks Board (NParks), SGF 2024 brings together renowned garden and landscape designers, florists, and horticulturists from around the world. President Tharman Shanmugaratnam graced the Awards Night as the Guest-of-Honour, presenting accolades to the winners of the Best of Show Designer Gardens Competition, Balcony Gardens Competition, and Floral Table-Top Competition. The event was hosted by Mr. Desmond Lee, Minister for National Development and Minister-in-charge of Social Services Integration.

Best of Show Designer Gardens Competition

Visitors can immerse themselves in a visual feast of 12 show gardens on Level 6, created by 16 award-winning designers from both local and international backgrounds. This year, designers from the Republic of Korea and Thailand make their debut in the competition. Notable returning champions include Eliam Eng and Andy Eng from Singapore, and Leon Kluge from South Africa.

The competition features six Landscape Gardens that highlight superior horticultural design and planting concepts, as well as six Fantasy Gardens that blend imaginative plant arrangements with stage lighting and props for a whimsical experience.

Best of Show Designer Gardens Winners:

• Best of Show – Landscape Garden: Mark Cook & Emily Cook, Ban Nee Chen Pte Ltd
• Gold Awards – Landscape Garden: Mark Cook & Emily Cook, Ban Nee Chen Pte Ltd; Kazuyuki Ishihara, Prince’s Landscape Pte Ltd; Eliam Eng & Andy Eng, Nyee Phoe Flower Garden Pte Ltd
• Best of Show – Fantasy Garden: Leon Kluge, Tropic Planners & Landscape Pte Ltd
• Gold Awards – Fantasy Garden: Leon Kluge, Tropic Planners & Landscape Pte Ltd; Jules Moore, Limelite Productions Pte Ltd

Balcony Gardens and Floral Table-Top Competitions

The Balcony Gardens Competition returned after its last edition in 2018, showcasing inspiring ideas for incorporating greenery into small-home and apartment spaces. Seven local designers transformed 3m by 3m balcony spaces into soothing retreats, displayed on Level 6.

The Floral Table-Top Competition, which began at the SGF Prelude event in March 2024, concluded with five finalists creating stunning table-top displays on Level 4. These displays, themed ‘Celebrations!’, feature fresh flowers, tableware, cutlery, and decorative accessories.

Competition Winners:

• Best of Show – Balcony Garden: Vincent Chia, PBM, Tropic Planners & Landscape Pte Ltd
• Best of Show – Floral Table-Top: Denmy Lam

Tropical Oasis Display

Visitors are greeted by the Tropical Oasis display on Level 6, celebrating the spirit of community and the beauty of tropical nature. This exhibit features native species like the Oriental Pied Hornbill and Smooth-coated Otters, and plants such as the Neram tree and Vanda Miss Joaquim, Singapore’s national flower.

Community Engagement and Global Botanic Gardens Congress

SGF 2024 also includes community engagement initiatives, such as the Singapore Gardeners’ Cup, showcasing thematic gardens by local community gardening groups. The event hosts various displays, including wearable floral art, bonsai, Ikebana arrangements, and a botanical-themed photography exhibition.

In conjunction with SGF, the 8th Global Botanic Gardens Congress will take place from 6 to 9 August 2024 at Suntec Singapore. This congress, held for the first time in Southeast Asia, brings together leaders and experts from botanic gardens worldwide to share knowledge on biodiversity conservation and horticultural practices.

Tickets for the Singapore Garden Festival are available on SISTIC.