On the night of 19 November, the two painted kings in the Kings of Freedom exhibit at Bedok Reservoir Park remained regal and silent – as indeed they do every night. But they were the exception. All around them, the park was abuzz and alight with excitement and energy.

Christmas is traditionally celebrated with the giving and receiving of presents. During the 2010 Christmas season, partners of the Garden City Fund decided they would give back to the environment as well. At Takashimaya Shopping Centre, customers making use of the complimentary gift-wrapping service were encouraged to donate to the Garden City Fund with every present wrapped. The funds collected at the gift-wrapping counters would then be used to plant trees all around Singapore at a later date.

When your birthday falls on a Saturday, there’s a good chance that you’d exercise the option of sleeping in. But the morning of Ada Loo’s birthday found her at MacRitchie Reservoir Park at the bright and early hour of 8.30 am – all geared up and ready to plant trees with her family and friends. With so many possible things to do on a birthday morning, why plant trees? The birthday girl’s sister, Lisa, came up with the idea after reading about the Plant-A-Tree programme in NParks’ e-newsletter. “My sister always finds something for us to do,” quipped Ada. “Something that benefits, you know?”

For most of the children who visit HortPark, the gardening hub, playing in a park comes as a most natural thing to do. But when you’re a kid who’s living with cancer, opportunities to run about and play may not always come so easily. And so, on 31 October 2010, HortPark was transformed into a carnival ground for “Happee Day”, planned especially for 50 young folks from the Children Cancer Foundation.

Halia, which is Malay for ‘ginger’, is nestled within the Ginger Garden at the Singapore Botanic Gardens. This aptly named restaurant is familiar to foodies in Singapore, with a reputation for its good food, excellent service, and unique ambience.