Straits Times 2 Apr 12;
A COMMUNITY garden in Goldhill estate in Bukit Timah has taken root so well that it has even drawn birds such as hornbills to feed on the fruits grown there.
The garden was singled out by National Development Minster Khaw Boon Wan in his blog yesterday to illustrate how the Community in Bloom programme has blossomed and brought the kampung spirit into Singapore's urban landscape.
The programme, started by NParks in 2005, helps to bring communities together through gardening.
There are about 480 community gardens islandwide, each with their plots of flowers, fruit trees, vegetables and herbs lovingly tended by residents.
Costs are usually borne by the gardening groups, though some have funding from town councils.
The gardens can be found in public and private housing estates and even hospitals.
Khoo Teck Puat Hospital in Yishun has a community garden on its roof manned by volunteers from Yishun and Sembawang towns.
Mr Khaw said: 'It is a fantastic way for the community to bond, learn a new hobby and skill, make new friends and enjoy the fruits of their labour.'
Since last year, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority has pitched in by teaching greenhorns and other gardening enthusiasts how to do things such as seeding, fertilising and harvesting.
Mr Khaw said in his blog: 'We are highly urbanised, but we can also be a kampung and urban farmers, growing our own vegetables. Along the way, we add to the neighbourhood's biodiversity and our quality of life.'
He noted that butterflies and dragonflies have become 'permanent residents' in the Goldhill Community Garden.
Community bonding through urban farming
Channel NewsAsia 1 Apr 12;
SINGAPORE: The kampong spirit that thrives in the HDB heartlands can flourish in private housing estates too, Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan said in his latest blog post on Sunday.
He cited the example of Goldhill estate in Moulmein Constituency, where the NParks Community In Bloom (CIB) programme is being carried out.
The CIB programme brings local communities together to grow their own vegetables, herbs and fruit trees in assigned areas.
Mr Khaw said residents were proud to tell him during a recent visit that their garden won three top awards at the Singapore Garden Festival 2010
He said that not all residents are farmers or have green fingers and are volunteers from all walks of life who came together to build their vegetable garden from scratch. However, with advice from the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority on seeding, fertilisation and irrigation, the garden has thrived under the care of the residents.
The volunteers have grown closer as they learnt how to grow and take care of their garden and reap rewards from the harvests, Mr Khaw added.
The CIB programme was also extended to the rooftop of the Khoo Teck Puat Hospital in Yishun, where -- with the help of volunteers from Yishun and Sembawang -- it has been a great success benefiting patients at the hospital, Mr Khaw said.
Mr Khaw commented that while Singapore is highly urbanised, we can also be like a kampong with urban farmers, adding to the neighbourhood's biodiversity and our quality of life along the way.
- CNA/wm
