Where We Be
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| There are 18 Supertrees all told at Gardens by the Bay, with 12 grouped together in the Supertree Grove. Bravo, Singapore, for creating this amazing place! |
| Supertree Grove -- Singapore |
BBC's Planet Earth II featured Singapore's
Supertree Grove in its "Cities" finale as a prime
example of how cities can incorporate nature
and beauty into their environs. The grove is a
key feature of the super-attraction known as
Gardens by the Bay. We were so excited to be
able to see this place with our own eyes. We
wandered around happily staring up at these
gigantic living works of art. The trees
themselves are constructions but all the vines
and tropical flowers and ferns that cover them
are living -- nearly 163,000 plants in all!
By 7:30 pm the trees start to glow blue. By 7:45
the first of two nightly shows begins (the other
is at 8:45). Supergrove admission is free so
you'll have plenty of company. The show is aptly
named Garden Rhapsody. The trees “dance”
with lights as popular music plays. We laid flat
on our backs on the concrete base of one of
the Supertrees and let the magic wash over us.
Supertree Grove in its "Cities" finale as a prime
example of how cities can incorporate nature
and beauty into their environs. The grove is a
key feature of the super-attraction known as
Gardens by the Bay. We were so excited to be
able to see this place with our own eyes. We
wandered around happily staring up at these
gigantic living works of art. The trees
themselves are constructions but all the vines
and tropical flowers and ferns that cover them
are living -- nearly 163,000 plants in all!
By 7:30 pm the trees start to glow blue. By 7:45
the first of two nightly shows begins (the other
is at 8:45). Supergrove admission is free so
you'll have plenty of company. The show is aptly
named Garden Rhapsody. The trees “dance”
with lights as popular music plays. We laid flat
on our backs on the concrete base of one of
the Supertrees and let the magic wash over us.
| As you emerge from the MRT's indoor corridors, you'll soon come to this first lovely view of the Supertree Grove. The artificial trees seem to blend right in with their natural surroundings. |
| You'll cross Dragonfly Bridge which connects the hotel grounds to Gardens by the Bay. This is a fantastic spot for photos. Here you can see Dragonfly Lake, the huge Flower Dome, and three silver-hued Supertrees overlooking the Silver Garden. |
| In this image, also taken from Dragonfly Bridge, you can see the Singapore Flyer (the ferris wheel) and a boardwalk that follows along the left side of Dragonfly Lake. The Marina Bay Sands Hotel is just to the left, out of the photo. |
| As you approach the main Supertree Grove, you'll see the Skyway, a dramatic aerial walkway near the tops of the trees. The Skyway lets you wander through the canopy. There's a fee of SD 8 (~$6 US) for this, and it's not always open if storms threaten. |
| If you look closely at this silhouette, you can see the webbing of lights strung between the canopy branches |
| If this isn't one of the prettiest city sights in the world, I don't know what is. In Planet Earth II, Sir David Attenborough calls it "perhaps the most spectacular example of city greening." |
| These colorful animatronic dinosaurs are popular with the kids |
| This is an attraction worth visiting both day and night. During the day you can appreciate the live greenery that climbs up each tree, and at night the colored lights add to the magic. |
| The light shows that happen each night are pure fun, combining dancing lights with popular music |
| They say Singapore aspires to become "a city in a garden." We'd say they're well on their way with Gardens by the Bay. |
| This final view of the Supertree Grove at night was taken from the Singapore Flyer. The color themes change from moment to moment, from blues to reds to greens. |
| I've added a few large-text labels onto this map to show where the Supertree Grove is located, as well as the Cloud Forest and Flower Domes. To get to Gardens by the Bay, take the MRT to the Bayfront station, which lets you out adjacent to the Marina Bay Sands Hotel. From there just follow the signs for Gardens by the Bay. |
