BEAT THE DRUM OF SPRING AS HORSES GALLOP AT GARDENS BY THE BAY’S CHINESE NEW YEAR FLORAL DISPLAY
Spring Blossoms features horse lanterns crafted from 1,000-year-old techniques amidst seasonal plants including the “Four Gentlemen” of Chinese art – the plum blossom, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum
Eight magnificent, life-sized horse lanterns, crafted using 1,000-year-old techniques, gallop amongst the “Four Gentlemen” in Chinese art and philosophy – the plum blossom, bamboo, orchid and chrysanthemum – as Gardens by the Bay celebrates the Year of Horse at Flower Dome. This year’s Spring Blossoms: Gallop into Prosperity (春花盛开之骏马奔腾) floral display is designed in collaboration with Shanghai Gardens Group, the renowned Chinese landscape company behind landmark projects such as Shanghai Disney and Shanghai Expo Culture Park. Their design expertise brings the elegance and symbolism of classical Jiangnan-style gardens to life.
The floral display, which will run until March 1, was launched today by Senior Minister of State for National Development and Transport Ms Sun Xueling, Gardens by the Bay CEO Mr Felix Loh, and the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Singapore His Excellency Cao Zhongming.
Gardens by the Bay CEO Mr Felix Loh said, “Spring Blossoms is a joyful fusion of nature with some of the best elements of traditional Chinese culture, which we hope brings good tidings during the Chinese New Year for our visitors. The landscape inspired by Jiangnan-style Gardens, long regarded as masterpieces in classical Chinese landscapes, evoke beauty, renewal and new beginnings, while the horse lanterns symbolise strength, vitality and perseverance. We also encourage everyone to strike our Blooming Drum of Spring to welcome good fortune in the Year of Horse!”
Landscapes inspired by classical Chinese gardens and culture
Standing up to 2.6 metres tall, the lantern horses are crafted by artisans from Zigong, Sichuan – a city internationally renowned for its lantern-making heritage dating back to the Tang Dynasty, and vibrant Spring Festival lantern displays. Inspired by Ba Jun Tu (八骏图), the iconic Chinese ink painting of eight steeds in full gallop, the horses capture powerful strides that symbolise strength, vitality and success. The horses are adorned with exquisite silk flowers, meticulously handcrafted by skilled artisans using traditional Chinese techniques.
The landscape is inspired by the aesthetics of Jiangnan Gardens, celebrated for their tranquil harmony with nature and long appreciated by Chinese scholars as places for rest and reflection. Visitors can wander through moon gates, pause at pavilions, and admire seasonal blooms, echoing the literati tradition.
Cascading water features called Die Shui (叠水) and a limestone rock inspired by the Taihu rocks（太湖石）from Lake Tai in Jiangsu – renowned for being shaped by nature into abstract twisted forms – are examples of quintessential Jiangnan Gardens elements. The rockery and cascading water embody the Jiangnan ideal of “bringing mountains and rivers indoors”.
Visitors are encouraged to beat the 2.5-metre-tall Blooming Drum of Spring, decorated with the classic Bao Xiang (宝相) flower motif where lotus, peony and foliage intertwine, for good luck. This echoes the auspicious Chinese saying Hua Gu Ming Chun (花鼓鸣春), which means “the beating of flower drums heralds the arrival of Spring”.
A profusion of seasonal blooms amidst a Jiangnan Garden
The Jiangnan Gardens landscape is adorned with over 10,000 plants. Taking centrestage is the “Four Gentlemen” of Chinese art and philosophy, which embody qualities of a virtuous gentleman:
- Plum blossoms, which bloom in the heart of winter, symbolise perseverance, resilience, and hope.
o While not a plum blossom, Wintersweet, a winter-flowering plant native to China with delicate, fragrant yellow blossoms, traditionally admired alongside plum blossoms in Chinese gardens, is a bloom to look out for. Gardens by the Bay is bringing in Wintersweet for the first time and it is the only place in Singapore that the flower can be seen in its full glory. - Orchids embody nobility, integrity, and refined character.
o Boat orchids, also known as Cymbidiums, with their elegant, cascading form were lauded by Confucius and have a long association with Chinese culture. - Bamboo stands for honesty and humility.
o The Showy Yellow Grove Bamboo, with its radiant golden stems streaked with green that evokes an elegant blend of gold and jade, is one of China’s four famous bamboo species. - Chrysanthemums represent endurance.
o Chrysanthemum incidium Cosmo hybrids have forms that echo chrysanthemums often portrayed in traditional Chinese paintings.
Visitors can also enjoy more than 800 dahlias across 46 varieties, all grown in-house by Gardens by the Bay’s researchers. Crowd favourites, the jumbo-sized dinnerplate dahlias, make a return. One massive example is Dahlia Kohara Coast (left photo), which produces blooms up to 25cm in diameter – bigger than a human face! Featuring pink petals, this cultivar makes its debut at Gardens by the Bay. The dahlias are complemented by time-honoured festive favourites such as azaleas, cockscombs, kumquats and peonies.
Other Chinese New Year events at Gardens by the Bay
From February 15 to 24, Singapore’s iconic Chinese New Year event River Hongbao returns to Gardens by the Bay for the sixth time, ushering in the Year of the Horse. Marking its 40th edition, visitors can look forward to lantern sets set amidst the outdoor gardens, including the ever-popular massive God of Fortune, fireworks displays, nightly performances, a food street, and a special anniversary exhibition showcasing the festival’s history and evolution. River Hongbao has no admission charge.
📅 16 Jan to 1 Mar 2026
🕙 9am to 9pm
📍 Flower Dome (Admission charge applies)
You can get tickets via Klook, Fever, Pelago and KKday.
For more information, visit here.
🧧🏮 CHINESE NEW YEAR 2026 🏮🧧
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