The National Orchid Garden is located in the heart of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, and is the most visited place there. Singapore's climate is ideal for many orchid types, and the National Orchid Garden occupies itself by planting, hybridising and researching these beautiful flowers. In all, there are over 1,000 different species and 60,000 orchid plants here. More hybrids are added to the collection every year, often being named after dignitaries. You'll need at least an hour or two to do the National Orchid Garden full justice.
The orchids that you can see here all derive from the Singapore Botanic Gardens' breeding programme, which started in 1928. Different parts of the National Orchid Garden have been divided into colour zones. The winter zone brims with icy blues and whites, while the summer zone is filled with red, orange and pink orchids, and the spring zone delights with fresh golds, yellows and creams. Water features around the National Orchid Garden are adorned with the flowers too – the Crane Fountain is especially mesmerising. The VIP Orchid Garden is home to some of the rarest types of orchids. Visit the Tan Hoon Siang Mist House to see orchids in an ethereal setting.
To learn more about the conservation of the orchids and how hybrids are created, visit the Botanic Gardens’ visitor centre. Here, you can put your name down for a 1.5-hour walking tour of the Orchid Garden, led by expert horticulturists.
The National Orchid Garden is on the highest hill of the Botanic Gardens, and therefore notably humid. Take plenty of water with you, or make use of the refreshment facilities.
The National Orchid Garden is inside the Singapore Botanic Gardens, in downtown Singapore. Public buses stop here. Otherwise you can take a taxi or hire a car. The National Orchid Garden is closed on public holidays. There is a moderate entry fee.