Hort Park & Southern Ridges

We went to the Hort Park on Sunday. Ever since it was opened late last year, i had very much wanted to make a trip there, but there were not much publicity and information available then and we din really know how far it is, we kind of put the plans to the backburner, until recently - Thanks to the PM, we learnt more of the place from news and press, and with the opening of the bridges at Souther Ridges (now that is the collective term for the few hills there), i thought we should join the crowd and managed to rally the missus for a trip on Sunday afternoon.

From our place, we took NEL to Harbour Front and boarded a bus to Alexandra Road. Hort Park was not as crowded as i have thought, but there were trails of people, mainly family and some runners there. The concept of Hort Park is good. It showcases the types of plants which we can grow at home, and even showing how unwanted items such as toilet bowls could be turned into a flowering pot!

I particulalry like the Hort Mart which is run by Far East Flora, the big brother at Thomson Road. Many small nice potted flowers (see above) which the missus wanted to buy, but seeing the labels saying the plants require sufficient sunlight and water and we din have a balcony, the consequence of discarding the pots would be inevitable and finally wiser minds prevailed - better to admire them in a garden as and when we feel like, w/o the hassle of maintaining them. But i did get a small green bushy plant for the office, and putting it next to my window seat. now i enjoyed watering it everyday, at least it is a form of nice distraction from the piles of documents.





Knowing that parents would bring their children, the kind pple at NParks managed to tie up with the private landscape companies to develope some playgrounds in the spirit of public-private partnerships (PPP). Obviously the daughter was delighted and she hopped from one to another. She appeared to enjoy it, and i was thinking Hort Park could be a good alternative to Botanic Gardens, of course the drawback is that it is much further. We'll see.


We din go further to the greenhouse because it was drawing late. Apart from flowering plants, the fruit and vegetable gardens and the spice gardens were sth i like. Wow, it must have been a while since i last saw Blue Pea plants. Kind of reminiscing in memory lane... when i was in primary school, there were this programme by Science Centre or MOE to nurture the interest in science in students, and we could do many mini projects to qualify for badges such as "I am a Young Botanist". Yours truly is proud owner of one, and seeing these plants which we had read so much in science books in yester years, it kind of rekindled the interest in me. Well, i guess it would be the daughter's turn in few years' time!

Of course the trip would not have been completed w/o a walk on the bridges. We crossed the Alexandra Arch and progressed to the Forest Walk. Missus thought it was running late, and urged us not to go further. Actually this is only half the reason, or should i say excuse. Why, it was because she did not have a strong stomach for height and walking on the Forest Walk actually allowed you to admire the plants underneath your path as you walk.

But she took my challenge that we would complete it one day, provided we dun stop walking. We'll see if the weather is kind on this weekend - which is a super long one. We'll see... :)
http://www.nparks.gov.sg/southernridges.html