Botanic Gardens dazzles at 150

Terrence Voon, Straits Times 6 Dec 09;

A drizzle did not dampen the carnival atmosphere at the Botanic Gardens yesterday.

After all, this year marks the people's park's 150th anniversary and a party at the Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage last night drew an estimated 1,000 people.

Picnic baskets and mats were out in full force, as composer Robert Casteels led a group of musicians through jazz classics and familiar tunes, spliced with real birdsongs from Singapore and the region.

The event - which marked the end of a year-long series of festivities - culminated in the light-up of 150 trees around the green oasis by the guest of honour, Minister for National Development Mah Bow Tan.

'Singaporeans have come to the Gardens and fallen in love with it,' he told the concert-goers.

'This is truly a People's Garden, a place for bonding, bringing people together, a place for making memories.'

Many in the audience have sentimental ties to the parkland.

Newlyweds Adrian Sng, 34, and Pamela Koh, 27, for instance, had their first date there during a concert performance last year.

'We've been back for every concert since,' said Mr Sng, an advertising executive.

Earlier this year, it was announced that the Gardens - which draws more than three million visitors annually - would be expanded.

A 9.8ha site next to Tyersall Avenue will be turned into a showcase of different types of rainforest plants, as well as a marshland habitat. It will be completed by 2012.

Botanic Gardens director Chin See Chung said the goal in the coming years is to raise the standing of the facility as a research hub.

'We are already a leading tropical garden, but we need to be a leading research institution in tropical botany in this part of the world,' he said.