Orchid Extravaganza – A Floral Display

The year’s Orchid Extravaganza floral display pays tribute to our nation’s story. The highlights include a floral tribute to Peranakan culture, and a nod to the orchid’s enduring presence throughout Singapore’s history.

It was another impressive floral display in the Flower Dome. Lots of beautiful orchids – apparently 6,000 of them across 12 genera. Information boards at the floral display tells the history of the Orchid in Singapore. Singapore’s Orchid Series was the nation’s very first post-independence banknote series, and there was the first Orchid Stamp Series.

There is also a fair amount of information on the Peranakan culture – from Architecture to food, to fashion and jewellery.

Peranakans, also known as Straits Chinese or Baba-Nyonya, are the descendants of Chinese immigrants who married indigenous women in the Malay Archipelago (Southeast Asia). They developed a distinct culture blending Chinese and Malay/Indonesian traditions.

Orchids belong to the family Orchidaceae, one of the largest families of flowering plants in the world. There are approximately 28,000 species of orchids. Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowering plants.

Orchids have been present here in South East Asia for thousands of years, and their discovery predates recorded history. They are an integral part of the region’s culture, traditions, and biodiversity.

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Vanda Miss Joaquim, now known as Papilionanthe Miss Joaquim

Vanda Miss Joaquim, (now known as Papilionanthe Miss Joaquim), is Singapore’s national flower. The orchid was named after Agnes Joaquim, who successfully hybridised the parent species to create this new orchid – the first of many to come. Recorded as Singapore’s first orchid hybrid and the world’s first Vanda hybrid, it was declared Singapore’s national flower in 1981 for its resilience and year-round blooming habit.

Here are some photos from my visit earlier in the week. I took heaps of photos, as always.

A model of the supertrees in the garden grounds. Inspired by mature trees in the rainforest, these man-made Supertrees are home to many varieties of plant life.

The Orchid display is now on until the 31st of August from 9am to 9pm. Admission fees apply. Adults pay $12 SGD, Seniors and children below 12 years old pay $8 SGD.

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