Introduction:
Singapore would not be known as “The Garden City” without the hard work of our late First Prime Minister Mr. Lee Kuan Yew.
The late Mr. and Mrs. Lee Kuan Yew favourite fragrance “bread flower” wafting through the garden of the Istana.
Credit to the owner of this video.
The late Mr. Lee specifically requested to plant these fragrant climbers at the Istana function lawns so that all guests can enjoy their fragrance.
The late Mr. Lee Kuan Yew spearheaded the initiative to “green up Singapore” with fast growing species so that they are able to provide shade and soften the concrete landscape of the island in the shortest time.
Parks were created in the city, road codes were introduced to ensure the trees are able to be planted along the new roads.
The first step to green Singapore today.
Parks and Tree Unit (now known as National Parks Board) renamed in July 1996 was set up in 1967 and so was the Singapore Botanic Gardens.
New parks were introduced and existing ones enhanced with extensive network of park connectors to link to all our parks and green spaces together.
In 2013 the National Parks Board marked its 50 years of tree planting and greening Singapore.
The late Mr. Lee yearly would participate in the tree planting campaign an unbroken tradition.
Mr Lee Kuan Yew planted his first tender sapling on June 16, 1963. When he bedded down the little Merparti tree in Farrer Circus, a traffic roundabout, he also seeded a civilised garden city in an unruly land. In season, the tree, a native of dank South-east Asian jungles, was crowned with pale pink blossoms that looked like Sakura.
At the Istana, Mr. Lee specified that he did not want chemical fogging because it would kill the insects and that the birds feed on. He wanted the population of mynah birds on the Istana grounds to be reduced so that the singing birds such as magpie robin can thrive there.
On Wednesday, March 25, 2015 , Mr. Lee’s final journey as he leaves the Istana ground for the laying in state at Parliament House.
The magpie robins were singing and bidding “goodbye” as he passes by.
On Tuesday, March 24, 2015, a special orchid hybrid named after Mr Lee was presented to his son, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Describing Mr Lee as “the Chief Gardener of Singapore’s Garden City”, National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan said the making of a Garden City was a key element in Mr Lee’s development strategy, which differentiated Singapore from other cities and set a benchmark for other cities to emulate.
Yesterday, choking back tears, Mr Khaw Boon Wan said without Mr Lee, “there would be no Garden City”. Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee reiterated that Mr Lee believed that greenery and lush verdant landscapes were essential in a city to “calm the spirit and to make people feel relaxed”.
“You look around us… This is something that requires foresight and a deep abiding passion, not only for our natural heritage but also for the spirit of our people,” he said.
The canopy walk at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.
The grandeur of the internationally renowned Singapore Botanic Gardens established by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1822.
Our Founding PM Lee Kuan Yew loved nature and visited the Singapore Botanic Gardens whenever he could going around in the buggy.
Visit Gardens by the Bay, one of the Top 10 Indoor Gardens of the World, arguably the nation’s most beautiful masterpiece.
This sprawling garden in the city provides mesmerising waterfront views across three gardens, spanning over 101 hectares of reclaimed land.
We will always remember the Chief Gardener of Singapore Garden City.
Just as I finished summing up this blog page, learnt that a tree was planted at Gardens by the Bay this morning, Friday, March 27, 2015 in memory of Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.
The tree planting ceremony saw the planting of a Sepetir daun tebal (Sindora wallichii) at the Golden Garden near the main entrance to Gardens by the Bay. The tree is a species native to Singapore’s primary forest and was meant to be planted by Mr Lee during a planned visit earlier this year.
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