HortPark opens new Butterfly Garden, adds more garden display plots

Jessica Yeo, Channel NewsAsia 22 May 09;

SINGAPORE: The National Parks Board (NParks) has opened a Butterfly Garden at HortPark.

The 150-square-metre theme garden will enable NParks to research the winged insects as part of the butterfly species recovery programme in Singapore and develop new butterfly trails in public parks.

It will serve as a butterfly breeding area and an experimental garden for suitable nectar plants and host plants to breed various species, including locally extinct ones such as clipper (Parthenos sylvia), common sergeant (Athyma perius) and yellow glassy tiger (Parantica aspasia).

Where appropriate, NParks will release locally extinct species back into the environment.

Besides the Butterfly Garden, HortPark - which turned one this month - will also see several new garden display plots.

One highlight is the 128-square-metre Permaculture Trail - a science exploration and learning trail with stations such as "The Climbers and Creepers", "The Colourful Foliage Bed", "The Succulent Garden", "The Wormery", as well as a sustainable food garden.

HortPark hopes that such gardens would help inspire visitors to design and plant their own gardens.

As part of its first anniversary celebrations, NParks will hold free workshops and activities for gardening enthusiasts and families on Saturday, May 23.

- CNA/yt

HortPark to re-introduce locally extinct butterflies
Business Times 23 May 09;

HORTPARK'S new Butterfly Garden opens its doors to the public today and tomorrow, where a visual feast of multi-hued plants and butterflies can be seen.

The garden is part of a butterfly species recovery programme that includes butterfly breeding and re-introducing locally extinct butterflies where appropriate.

The 150 square metre Butterfly Garden has an indoor enclosure open to the public on the last Saturday of every month, besides its two-day opening today and tomorrow. Butterfly lovers can also get up close and personal with the different butterflies in the outdoor garden, which is open every day.

New butterfly trails will be developed based on NParks' research on butterflies and host plants within the garden.

Besides the garden, new display plots have also been added, such as a Permaculture Trail where crops can be harvested worms can be seen.

Launched a year ago by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, HortPark is part of the Southern Ridges.