About Your Tour Singapore has a rich botanical history and its old and current tree planting practices are of international interest. From tropical lowland rainforests, remnants still remain, to gardens with antecedents going back to Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819, Singapore has been a site of botanical research as well as development of new concepts for tree management. This trip will explore the history, right up to the present day. From the early 1960s under the leadership of Prime Minister Lee Botanic Gardens, Orchid Garden Kuan Yew, the ‘greening of Singapore’ began a national program of Highlights: green development that has made the city-state a model for public plantings and urban amenity. This trip will explore these Singapore’s climate can be stressful to the uninitiated so time will be developments with experts in the field of botany, ecology and tree spent at carefully managed visits to: management. • The recently World Heritage Listed, Singapore Botanic Gardens. All profits from this trip will go to the Friends of the National We will arrange expert presentations on tree management and Arboretum Canberra, and the Tour Leaders will be operating pro orchid breeding two of the key activities in this complex and bono. interesting 159 year old garden. Marina Bay, Editorial credit: Suriya Desatit / Shutterstock.com • Gardens by the Bay, with technical input from the UK Eden Your Tour Leaders Project, this $1 billion plus recent project is amazing by day and Max Bourke AM and Margaret Bourke night. Garden ‘rooms’ featuring different cultural approaches plus have extensive knowledge of garden two of the largest climate controlled spaces built gives a huge Singapore history, arboreta and gardens around diversity of plants and gardening styles. the world. They have spent much time Trees and Gardens • HortPark is a one-stop gardening resource centre that brings in Singapore and other parts of Asia. together gardening-related, recreational, educational, research They have both been involved in active 05 – 11 March 2018 and retail activities under one big canopy in a park setting. This is friends’ roles in the National Arboretum a unique facility aimed at encouraging a gardening and plant Canberra, The Australian National Botanic Gardens and numerous culture for the public. other nature conservation projects for over 40 years. • Fort Canning heritage tree walk will cover the ancient history, a In developing this trip Max and Margaret have had close discussions site of importance long before Raffles arrived, through WW II to its with the Director of the Botanic Gardens and Senior Staff of the current collection of stunning and huge trees from the pan-tropics. National Parks Board of Singapore, some of these people will be This is the place to see the Singapore Heritage Tree Scheme on making presentations during the visit and providing expert input. the ground. • Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, is Singapore’s first ASEAN Heritage Park, with a terrific walkway looking across the narrow For more detail contact Opulent Journeys waterway to Malaysia. Site of the Japanese invasion in WWII but Phone: 1300 219 885 now, a rehabilitated fishing kampong with abundant wildlife and Email: [email protected] plant diversity including a mangrove arboretum. www.opulentjourneys.com.au • The Dipterocarp Arboretum at Yishun Park with an interesting family of pan-tropical rainforest trees. A living gallery of trees for Information on gardens in Singapore please education and research, this Arboretum is part of the National contact Max Bourke: [email protected] Parks Board's (NParks) initiative to enhance biodiversity within Botanic Gardens, Orchid Garden urban areas. • Plenty of free time to visit the many Museums and Galleries or Journeys that Takes You to Far Horizons Journeys that Takes You to Far Horizons shop in Orchard Road or cool-off in the pool! Group Director of the National Biodiversity Centre, in which science and sustainability are considered together. We will also look at the extraordinary ‘orchid story’. Since 1928 the gardens has been developing orchid hybrids and this work kick- started a now nationally important industry. We will look at the process and separately, the product, one of the world’s great collections. Later we travel to Hort Park to visit this 9 hectare site which is a training and education facility for Singapore gardeners. It has a range of specialised gardens, sales facilities, and educational tours. It is in our view the model of ‘garden education’! Late afternoon, evening free. (B) Day 6 Sat 10 Mar MacRitchie Reservoir and Yishun Park Aerial view of Singapore city skyline at Marina Bay Editorial credit: Sam's Studio / Shutterstock.com A 1 hour walk around part of the Reservoir gives an impression of the island as it was in the time of Alfred Russel Wallace (Darwin’s Singapore Trees and Gardens 05 – 11 March 2018 famous ‘competitor’ and correspondent), complete with monkeys, possibly native pig sightings and native squirrels for a walk on areas Day 1 Mon 05 Mar Arrive in Singapore Day 3 Wed 07 Mar Gardens by the Bay later converted to rubber and gambier production. From MacRitchie Our tour commences from the hotel. We will take a gentle bus/ bum This extraordinary project, now open 4 years is a complex of both we will drive to Yishun Park. This small, 6ha specialist arboretum of boat trip to Pulau Ubin from the Changi Jetty. This small island off the outdoor and glasshouses on a massive scale. Advised by the Eden the pan tropical family Dipterocarpaceae conveys an idea of the north coast of Singapore sets the scene for an understanding of where Project in the UK, it covers both tropical and temperate to cool climate ‘founding father’ Lee Kuan Yew to develop facilities throughout the the modern state has come from in every sense. We will spend a few specialist gardens. We will arrange, if available, a presentation by staff island for the appreciation of nature. Even though surrounded by high hours there to see old kampong life and some of the flora and fauna on this remarkable site brought to fruition by Dr Kiat Tan, former rise it is a wonderful learning and outdoor facility, little known by that once covered Singapore. Director of Singapore Botanic Gardens and CEO of the National Parks tourists. Besides the huge members of the family Dipterocarpaceae We will then check in at our hotel, our home for the next six nights. Board. (B) (the main lowland trees of south-east Asia) there are great examples Evening free to catch up on sleep or relax. of various tropical fruit trees, such as durian, rambutan, jackfruit, star Day 4 Thu 08 Mar Sungei Buloh Wetlands and Mangrove Arboretum fruit, coconut and bread fruit trees. Farewell dinner tonight. (B, D) Day 2 Tue 06 Mar Singapore Botanic Gardens/National Orchid Garden An early start. Adjacent to the landing site of the Kranji invasion of As there is much to see, not only outdoors but also in the plant labs. Singapore in WWII, Malaysia is just across a narrow channel. The Day 7 Sun 11 Mar Depart Singapore The visit to Singapore Botanic Gardens might be accompanied by the wildlife from birds, crocodiles and monitors is always evident but the Early morning a short visit to the nearby Fort Canning Heritage Tree Director of Botanic Garden, Dr Nigel Taylor (If he is available). There pathways through mangroves and tropical forests on this former fish Trail and historic site, home of the ancient royalty of Singapore, WW will be time to visit the specialist gardens of palms, Heliconia, farming kampong introduce visitors to the lowland/wetlands of tropical II sites and great trees in the heart of the city. Our flight is in the late Zingeraceae as well as Children’s Gardens. Note we will return to see SE Asia. Dr Adrian Loo, Director of the Terrestrial Biodiversity Centre of evening and so there is plenty of time to explore or shop before we their internationally famous orchid work. National Parks, has offered to accompany us on this visit. make our own way to Changi airport. We will provide a great list of Lunch at own expense in the Gardens, there is an excellent After we leave this site we would also call in at the nearby Kranji War regional museums and galleries to visit, mostly in the downtown area.(B) café/restaurant. Evening group dinner tonight. (B, D) Cemetery to see the beautifully managed memorials to the fallen of WWII, including many Australian memorials. These gardens are part of *B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner the Commonwealth War Graves Commission originally designed by the famous British Architect Sir Edward Lutyens and Landscape Designer Tour Prices (Land Only) Gertrude Jekyll. Kranji War Cemetery and the Singapore Memorial were Per person twin share: $2,640 designed by Colin St Clair Oakes, a Scottish architect who served as a Single room supplement: $930 British soldier in Burma during the war. Afternoon and evening free. (B) Tour price includes 6 night accommodation, 6 breakfast and 2 Day 5 Fri 09 Mar Singapore Botanic Gardens and Hort Park dinners; air-conditioned coach throughout the tour, entrance fees to After breakfast we visit the Singapore Botanic Gardens for further all gardens and sightseeing as outlined in the itinerary; tipping and exploration. We will have a presentation on the Singapore Cities’ porterage at hotels. Not included: International flights; travel insurance; personal expenses and anything not mentioned above. Band stand landmark at Singapore Botanic Garden Sustainability Index, a unique and important idea by Dr Lena Chan, .