Future of Us Terrariums Exhibit

As part of the SGfuture conversations,  the Ministry of National Development (MND), together with the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources (MEWR), Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI), Ministry of Transport (MOT) and their family of agencies will be leading the track of engagements titled ‘A Cleaner, Greener and Smarter Home’.

This series of engagements will begin with a closed-door symposium graced by Minister for National Development, Mr Lawrence Wong, and Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Masagos Zulkifli, on 7 Jan, followed by a series of dialogues with members of the public throughout the month of January and beyond. Through these dialogues, we hope to gather ideas on how Singaporeans can play a bigger role in creating a more liveable and sustainable future and inspire them to drive projects and take tangible actions to realise their hopes, dreams and aspirations. Interested individuals can sign up for these dialogues via the following link: https://www.singapore50.sg/sgfuture.

The SGfuture engagement series on ‘A Cleaner, Greener and Smarter Home’ will also be accompanied by a month-long exhibition in the Marketplace at Gardens by the Bay in January 2016. From 4 to 31 January 2016, members of the public can visit the Marketplace to find out more about our efforts in creating a more liveable Singapore, and to see what a cleaner, greener and smarter home for Singaporeans can look like.

Apart from the pop-up park and interactive elements of the exhibition, the exhibition will feature two large terrariums, measuring 2 metres long, 1.2 metres wide and 0.6 metres high will be on display from 4 to 31 January 2016 at the Marketplace at Gardens by the Bay. These terrariums aim to embody what our City in a Garden is and can be in future. Like Singapore, they represent a small space filled with lush vegetation that arose from – and will continue to thrive with – good planning and innovation. With a number of different elements intricately put together, the terrariums are meant to illustrate a closely integrated environment that is sustainable, diverse and innovative. It also serves as a reminder that the evolution of Singapore towards SG100 requires balanced care for our communities, environment and economy.

One terrarium showcases the evolution of our living environment with rare plant species as the main feature while the other terrarium showcases the evolution of our workplace from past to future with orchids as the main feature. Both highlight the importance of play and recreation amid rapid urbanisation, using cut-outs to illustrate elements of our buildings, parks and park connectors.

Terrarium 1

Artist impression of Terrarium 1

A few examples are given below.

 
Photo Credit: Serena Lee

This is a large epiphytic aroid root-climber that uses a network of aerial clasping roots to climb up trees and rock surfaces. The leaf morphology varies with the physiological age of the plant. Juvenile plants are terrestrial creepers; the plant matures only when there is sufficient climbing surface. Mature leaves are up to 30–50 cm long, thick and leathery and ovate in shape. It can be found naturally in dense forests, and is typically spotted in urban Singapore on Rain Trees (Samanea saman). 

Keladi Rimau (Alocasia longiloba)

 
Photo Credit: Boo Chih Min

This is a herb that can grow up to 150 cm tall with a thickened lower stem up to 60 cm long. It has alternate, stalked leaves with arrowhead-shaped leaf blades that are dark green at the top and light green or purple on the underside. Its chocolate-brown leaf stalk is usually mottled. It grows in rain and swamp forests, bamboo thickets, cliffs, limestone, in regrowth, on exposed cliffs and ravines, and river-banks, up to 2,000 m altitude.

Cryptocoryne xtimahensis

Photo Credit: National Parks Board

Known to be found only in a small patch of forest in Singapore, this rare hybrid of the Cryptocoryne species was only recognised in 2001 as a hybrid of its own, having previously been wrongly identified as Cryptocoryne griffithii. Its leaves are narrowly ovate with an acute tip and transverse markings on the upper leaf surface.

Staurogyne repens

Staurogyne repens is a highly versatile aquarium plant. In aquascape, it is a good neighbouring plant for other low-growing plants as it usually contrasts well in texture and colour. It is able to form dense carpet bushes and is also ideally suited for closing gaps between large rocks or driftwood due to its growth habit. The plant nestles into the crevices or creeps downward from higher places, reminiscent of the growth habit of cushion plants in the mountains.

Photo Credit: National Parks Board

Hygrophila pinnatifida

While this plant has been known to science for over 150 years, it has only been cultivated for the aquarium scene since early 2008. The stems are of a brown colour and its leaves are decorative and have a dark colour spectrum and can be used in areas where contrast is required. The plant can develop upright shoots as well as runner-like creeping ones, which can attach to rocks or driftwood with their roots. If the plant grows above the waterline, it can develop flowers after a relatively short time.

Photo Credit: National Parks Board

Terrarium 2

Artist impression of Terrarium 2

This terrarium uses more than 15 species of uncommon orchids to create a tiered landscape that will showcase Singapore’s urban and work environment of the past, present and future, symbolising our journey from a Garden City to a City in a Garden. The terrarium will also feature old buildings such as shop houses, present iconic landmarks such as Gardens by the Bay and the Singapore Flyer, as well as edge-lit acrylic cutouts of futuristic buildings.

A few examples of these orchids are listed below:

Paphiopedilum villosum

Photo Credit: National Parks Board

Paphiopedilum villosum is a cool-growing species occurring in Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, usually found growing in pockets of humus on trees at altitudes of 1,100–2,100 m. The word Paphiopedilum is derived from the Greek ‘Paphos’ which refers to the Roman Goddess, Venus, and ‘pedilon’ which means slipper. Hence, the common name, Slipper Orchid or Venus’ Slipper.

This orchid is characterised by the bizarre pouch-like structure known as the lip or labellum. Unlike carnivorous plants like the pitcher plants (Nepenthes species) which have pouches that trap small insects for nutrients, the pouch of a slipper orchid is actually responsible for attracting and trapping potential pollinators.

This group of orchids usually occur as terrestrials or lithophytes and occasionally epiphytes. Over the years, numerous hybrids of this orchid have been created. They remain popular with most hobbyists and collectors even though they are a much more challenging group of orchids to cultivate.

Stenorrhynchos speciosum

Photo Credit: National Parks Board

This cool-growing terrestrial orchid can be found growing in semi-deciduous forests in South America at elevations of 1,200 to 3,000 m. It can occasionally be found as an epiphyte. Stenorrhynchos speciosum produces attractive inflorescences that are capable of reaching about 90 cm tall, bearing up to 60 spirally arranged flowers that are complemented with bright red bracts.  At first glance, the showy inflorescence bears some resemblance to those of certain ginger species, but upon a closer look at the individual flowers, one would be able to tell that it is an orchid indeed! Besides its attractive inflorescence, the leaves are equally attractive as they are dark green with white markings.

Phalaenopsis cornu-cervi

Photo Credit: National Parks Board

Phalaenopsis cornu-cervi is a epiphytic species native to Singapore and can also be found in other parts of Southeast Asia. This species exist in a few colour varieties; the most typical form being yellow or light-brown flowers with red markings, to the less common varieties that produce pure dark red to maroon flowers, or some that produces pure yellow flowers. Phalaenopsis cornu-cervi occurs in a variety of habitats; from stunted vegetation to dense lowland forests and even riverine or swamp forests. It is a sequential bloomer that produces lasting flowers throughout the year. Phalaenopsis are traditionally known as Moon Orchids because of the full round–shaped flowers of some of the species and hybrids. They are sometimes referred to as Moth Orchids because the flowers of some species resemble moths in flight.