Japanese, Chinese gardens to reopen in September with new features

The Japanese and Chinese gardens, which have been closed for redevelopment since May 2019, will reopen in September as part of Jurong Lake Gardens’ next phase of opening.

- Wong Pei Ting

Visitors can expect to be greeted with expanses of water dotted with shades of yellow, blue, white, pink and purple – part of what will be Singapore’s largest water lily collection – when they cross the Japanese Garden Bridge, a 15-minute walk from Jurong East MRT station.

The aquatic garden will feature more than 150 day- and night-blooming water lily varieties sourced from the United States, Britain, France and Thailand, said the National Parks Board (NParks) on July 21.

Those who venture farther will come across a gorge-like landscape called the Sunken Garden, where walled paths lined up to 3.5m high on both sides with more than 200 types of epiphytes – plants that grow on other plants or structures – attempt to create a microclimate of high humidity and low temperatures.

Its centrepiece takes inspiration from a cenote – a deep natural well or sinkhole formed by the collapse of surface limestone that exposes groundwater underneath – featuring an air well that allows natural light into the otherwise shaded garden, and a still pool to harvest and recycle rainwater.

Visitors emerging from the Sunken Garden will enter the Floral Garden, which was partly designed and conceptualised by students and other members of the community.

Giving a preview of these features at the 13ha Japanese Garden on July 21, NParks said the design concept was built on more than 14,000 suggestions gathered through roving exhibitions, townhall sessions and online surveys held between November 2016 and April 2017.