Singapore Botanic Gardens Clinches Inaugural International Garden Tourism - Garden of the Year Award

Singapore, 14 April 2012 - The Singapore Botanic Gardens has been awarded the inaugural International Garden Tourism - Garden of the Year Award by the Canadian Garden Tourism Council for providing its visitors with a world-class garden experience. The Award was presented in Vancouver, Canada, on 13 April, at the annual Garden Tourism Awards.

The Garden Tourism Awards are presented to organisations and individuals who have distinguished themselves in the development and promotion of the garden experience in tourism. The Garden Tourism Awards comprises three categories - Canadian Garden Tourism Awards, International Garden Tourism Awards and Top 5 North American Gardens Worth Travelling For. (Please refer to Annex A for the complete list of winners in the different award categories).

The Garden of the Year Award is the first such award presented in the International Garden Tourism Awards category. The only Asian garden nominated for this award, the Singapore Botanic Gardens edged out other gardens in Canada, Europe, and the USA, to clinch the award. Nominations are made through a jury network comprising garden and tourism leaders from Canada, Europe, and the USA, and winners are selected based on their tourism performance, measured primarily by the quality of the garden experience.

"We are pleased to present the International Garden Tourism - Garden of the Year Award to the Singapore Botanic Gardens," said Alexander Reford, Chair of the Canadian Garden Tourism Council. "The Gardens has received international accolades for its showcase of the most spectacular of tropical flora set in stunning verdant landscapes, and we recognise that it has given a record number of visitors an enjoyable and unforgettable garden experience."

Receiving the award on behalf of the Gardens was Dr Nigel Taylor, Director of the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Dr Taylor said, "We are delighted to be conferred this award. The Gardens is a special place for Singaporeans and the top garden attraction in Singapore. There are many Singaporeans and overseas visitors who come to enjoy its diverse collection of plants and giant trees, verdant landscapes and lush primary rainforest. We are heartened to see that our efforts in enhancing our visitors' experience have borne fruit, resulting in an increase in annual visitorship of about 20% to over 4 million. As we continue to establish the Gardens as a premier botanical institution, we look forward to welcoming even more visitors to experience the magnificent Gardens for themselves."

(Please see Annex B for a citation of the Singapore Botanic Gardens provided by the Canadian Garden Tourism Council).

Upcoming enhancements in the Singapore Botanic Gardens

To further enhance the visitor experience, there are new developments in the pipeline. By the end of 2012, visitors can look forward to two new gardens, Foliage Garden and Fragrant Garden, to better showcase its rich plant collections.

Located in the Bukit Timah Core near the Botanic Gardens MRT station, the Foliage Garden (0.4ha) will bea sunken garden featuring carnivorous plants such as Nepenthes pitcher plants. A short distance from the Nassim Gate entrance, the Fragrant Garden (0.6ha) will showcase a collection of fragrant plants, such as the Cempaka and the Tembusu.

These new collections will augment the other significant plant collections already on display, such as orchids, gingers and palms.

Other developments include the expansion of the Jacob Ballas Children's Garden to include more educational amenities, programmes and activities. Also, the National Parks Board will be sensitively enhancing night lighting at selected areas so that visitors can continue to enjoy the beauty of the Gardens after nightfall.

All these new developments will continue to reinforce the Gardens' position as a world-class botanical institution, and an important green icon in our City in a Garden.

Annex A

2012 Garden Tourism Awards - List of Award Winners

Canadian Garden Tourism Awards

Canadian Garden Tourism Garden of the Year:  

Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, Vancouver, BC

Canadian Garden Tourism Person of the Year:

Raymond Carriere, Communities in Bloom, QC

Canadian Garden Tourism Festival of the Year:

Festival international de jardins, Jardin de Metis, Grand-Metis, QC

Canadian Garden Tourism Event of the Year:

Le Rendez-vous horticole, Montreal Botanical Garden, QC

Canadian Garden Tourism Initiative of the Year:  

Rooftop Garden, Fairmont Royal York Hotel, Toronto, ON

Canadian Garden Tourism Promotion of the Year:

Downtown Gardens, Centre Eaton Montreal, Montreal, QC

Canadian Garden Tourism Achievement of the Year:

Visitor Centre, VanDusen Botanical Garden, Vancouver, BC

International Garden Tourism Awards

International Garden Tourism - Garden of the Year:

Singapore Botanic Gardens, Singapore

International Garden Tourism - Event of the Year:

Ellerslie International Flower Show, Christchurch, NZ

International Garden Tourism - Festival of the Year:

National Blossom Festival, Washington, DC

International Garden Tourism - Person of the Year:

Piet de Vries, General Manager, Keukenhof, Lisse, the Netherlands

Top 5 North American Gardens Worth Travelling For

Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens, Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia

Descanso Gardens, La Cañada Flintridge, California

Ladew Topiary Gardens, Monkton, Maryland

Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens, Niagara Falls, Ontario

The High Line, New York, New York

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Annex B

Citation: Singapore Botanic Gardens

By Canadian Garden Tourism Council

Established in 1859, the Singapore Botanic Gardens is known for adapting itself to the community and offering visitors a true garden experience. Over the years, the Gardens has continued to introduce and rejuvenate its enchanting and delightful horticultural attractions, while continuing its mission of connecting plants and people. Today, the 74-hectare Singapore Botanic Gardens is a key civic, community and regional recreational park, an important national tourist destination and a leading tropical and horticultural institution, with a visitorship of more than 4 million annually - the highest  garden attendance in the world.

The Singapore Botanic Gardens showcases the best and most spectacular of tropical flora set in a stunning verdant landscape. The extensive collection of more than 10,000 types of plants includes the region's most significant living collections of documented palms, orchids, cycads and gingers.

In 2008, the Gardens joined the ranks of renowned international attractions when it was awarded the Michelin three-star rating. Prior to that, Time Magazine listed the Gardens as Asia's Best Urban Jungle and in 2012, the Gardens received accolades from the National Geographic book The 10 Best of Everything, which listed the Singapore Botanic Gardens as one of the Top 10 Gardens in the World.

Visitors gain easy access to the Gardens through numerous entrance points, via a choice of metro trains, buses or taxis.  Ample parking spaces are also provided for private cars and tour buses. The Gardens is open from 5am to midnight every day. There are four restaurants located inside the Gardens.  On weekends, free public concerts are performed on the Shaw Symphony Stage located amidst one of the Gardens' three major lakes.

The Singapore Botanic Gardens well qualify for the International Garden Tourism - Garden of the Year Award

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