275,000 rare plants under Sheares Bridge

Evelyn Lam Channel NewsAsia 24 Dec 10;

SINGAPORE : The first phase of Singapore's new "Gardens by the Bay" will include a specially-designed cool observatory, which will be completed by the end of next year.

In the meantime, more than 275,000 plants from at least 8,000 species have been brought in, including an olive tree from the Mediterranean area which is 1,000 years old!

The plants are now kept under the Benjamin Sheares Bridge in an area that covers about 25 hectares.

The trees are being cared for by about 80 people, 20 of whom are horticulturists.

Despite their efforts, they could not save some trees which did not survive the month-long journey by sea to Singapore when they were kept in containers.

But all is not lost. Some trees have unique shapes and the National Parks Board (NParks) selected such tree trunks to be used as decorations, particularly those from withered olive trees.

If there are signs of life in some trunks, NParks officers immediately try to save them.

More trees will be brought into Singapore and when they arrive, they will be kept in Marina South, Marina East and Lim Chu Kang.

As the trees are used to a dry climate rather than Singapore's humid climate, they will be given special attention.

Christopher Dalzell, assistant director, Gardens Operations, Gardens by the Bay, National Parks Board, said: "We ensure that we don't give them too much water, so the feeding programme has to be correct.

"And also to maintain (them) ... if we see a bit of dead growth on the plant, ... we will start doing a bit of pruning to ensure that we don't (have) any fungal problems."

- CNA/al