Gardens by the Bay commemorates 10th anniversary with free entry for lower income Singaporeans to its iconic Sakura floral display during opening week

The Gardens also launches a public call for memories, which will be showcased in an upcoming exhibition and coffee table book

When May Tan visited the Sakura floral display back in 2017 with four generations of her extended family, it was her grandmother’s first-ever trip to Gardens by the Bay – and the first time the 84-year-old saw cherry blossoms in bloom. Her grandmother passed away the following year, but the memory of that visit has stayed with Ms Tan ever since.

“My grandmother could not travel because she was afraid of flying, and would never have had the opportunity to see real cherry blossoms in her lifetime, until Gardens by the Bay brought the cherry blossoms to us. My grandmother enjoyed herself very much, and we’re glad we took many photos that day, so we can remember that precious outing with her even now, years later,” said Ms Tan.

From first dates to pre-wedding photoshoots to inter-generational family outings like Ms Tan’s, the hugely popular Sakura floral display has been the backdrop for many such important memories of Singaporeans.

The iconic and well-loved floral display, which returns today for the seventh consecutive year since it began in 2016, has continued through the pandemic in spite of challenges brought on by supply chain disruptions and higher costs.

In appreciation of the support from the community over the last 10 years, Gardens by the Bay will be extending complimentary entry to Flower Dome to lower-income Singaporeans during the opening week of this year’s edition, from Mar 5 to Mar 11. Each individual will need to present an orange or blue CHAS card at the Friends of the Garden centre to redeem for one Flower Dome ticket, subject to availability of time slots.

As part of Gardens by the Bay’s existing Gift of Gardens community outreach scheme, all holders of the following cards will continue to enjoy free entry to Flower Dome, Cloud Forest and Floral Fantasy:

• ComCare Long Term Assistance Scheme (also known as the Public Assistance Scheme) card
• Development Disability Registry card
• Persons with Disability (PWD) card
• CARA (Community, Assurance, Rewards and Acceptance) e-card

Gardens by the Bay CEO Felix Loh said, “Our Sakura floral display has a special place in the hearts of many Singaporeans. By providing free entry to the most popular show on our calendar to orange and blue CHAS card holders, we hope that more Singaporeans, including those who have less financially, can come and enjoy these beautiful flowers.”

As part of its 10th anniversary celebrations, Gardens by the Bay also launched a public call for people to share their memories of moments spent at the Gardens. These can be in the form of photos, artworks, poems and even reflections. These memories will be showcased in a public exhibition at the end of the year, as well as in Gardens by the Bay’s upcoming commemorative coffee table book.

Members of the public can visit the Gardens’ website at here to contribute a memory, from today until April 3. They can also visit a retrospective of highlights of the past 10 years, which is ongoing outside Flower Dome. Each panel in the showcase contains a QR code, which visitors can scan to make a contribution on the spot.

Sakura featuring tokidoki characters

This year’s cherry blossom floral display, Sakura featuring tokidoki characters, will run until April 3.

Making their debut in the floral display are tokidoki’s five magical Unicornos, Fubuki, Ichiyo, Haru & Harumi, Yoshino and Sakurako, who join characters SANDy and Donutella.

These colourful tokidoki characters are interspersed in a landscape featuring torii gates, hanami settings, Japanese floral art by Ikebana International Singapore, and a display of Japanese carp streamers known as koinobori on loan from the Japanese Association, Singapore. Visitors can take in the ephemeral beauty of cherry blossoms as they explore a magical giant box with marumado, or traditional round Japanese windows with a view.

The Sakura floral display caused a stir in Singapore when it was first introduced for the feat of making cherry blossoms bloom in the tropics. It not only represents the ingenuity that Gardens by the Bay is known for, but also the resilience of its horticulturists who have put in every effort to ensure that the community can look forward to seeing cherry blossoms in Flower Dome every year.

A decade of being a People’s Garden

Since it opened in 2012, Gardens by the Bay has worked hard to be a People’s Garden. With the aim of bringing a sense of wonder to the community, there have been more than 60 floral displays to date in Flower Dome, which feature temperate flowers like tulips, dahlias and poinsettias. This year, there will be new floral displays showcasing flowers such as peonies and hydrangeas for the community to look forward to.

Beyond floral displays, people also visit Gardens for myriad reasons, such as to participate in year-round events such as Mid-Autumn Festival and Children’s Festival, or bond with family and friends amidst the beauty of nature. Last year, local visitorship was at its highest at 8.3 million, in line with the surge in the number of local residents who regarded the Gardens as a verdant sanctuary to seek respite from the pandemic.

Free entry to Flower Dome for orange and blue CHAS card holders

Date: 5 to 11 March 2022

Gardens by the Bay is extending complimentary entry to Flower Dome to lower income Singaporeans during opening week of this year’s Sakura floral display. Each individual will need to present their orange or blue CHAS card at the Friends of the Garden centre to redeem for one Flower Dome ticket, subject to availability of time slots. Visit here for more details.

Public call for people’s memories of Gardens by the Bay

Date: 4 March to 3 April 2022

Visit here to make a contribution. Selected photos will be showcased at a public exhibition at the end of the year or in a commemorative coffee table book.

Sakura featuring tokidoki characters

Date: 4 March to 3 April 2022
Time: 9am to 9pm

Admission to Flower Dome applies. Visit gardensbythebay.com.sg/sakura for more details.

#gardensbythebay #GBBturns10 #SakuraGBBXTokidoki

It is the March holidays. We have compiled a list of March School Holidays 2022 Activities for Kids. Click on the image below to find out more.

For other upcoming events, visit Events in Singapore.

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