ISTANA PARK

This was Istana Park before the National Day banners were up. Soon, the floral display would also be changed to reflect national celebration.

ISTANA PARK

I have not been here for some time now. It had been almost 8 years since I started the floriculture display of annuals at this bed in front of the reflective pool.


The recent display using Celosia cultivar, Cosmos cultivar and Gomphrena globosa is so refreshing.


At the other end of the park, the Dendrobium secundum and either the Rhycostylis, Rhycorides or Aerides (common name: Foxtail Orchid) I tried out on the Filicium decipiens and coconut palm are still around although they were not in flower. I have not seen them in bloom there but I am quite sure they would have done so sometime even though I do not know if anyone has ever noticed or appreciated them. Other orchids, such as the Oncidium on the Angsana tree, were either dead or were presumably removed from the tree branches after pruning.

ISTANA PARK

This is a view of the Festival Arch at the park and the changing display in front of it. I miss those days doing the changing displays and the improvement works I implemented at the park. I really love the things I did when I was managing the place. It gave me a great sense of achievement, no matter how small it may seem.

SARAWAK - ASTANA

This is their Astana, or the equivalent of our Istana, when viewed from across the other side of the Sarawak River.

ISTANA FRONT LAWN

I love the greenery in front of Istana's Front Lawn. Whenever I walk past the area, I get drawn to the Calathea loeseneri (common name: Brazilian Calathea; Family: Marantaceae) with its sweet pink inflorescences. The link on the Calathea is shown here for reference:

http://www.plantcare.com/encyclopedia/calathea-loeseneri-2051.aspx

On the center Rain Tree was another beautiful Hoya that was tied and grown on the tree. Then there was also the brilliantly coloured but demanding Costus curvibracteatus that is not easy to grow. However, if it grows well, it can be very, very immensely rewarding to just look at it. And did I say I love to eat the fleshy orange bracts?

ISTANA PARK

It was drizzling outside but from where I was, I could still see Istana Park. The festival arch, Giraffe's F&B and the underpass exit were what stood out.

The view of the reflection pool's water and the grass on the mezzanine level was possible only because of my camera. In the background, new condominiums are sprouting up like germinating seedlings.

ISTANA PARK

I started the floriculture display at Istana Park years ago and it is definitely a consolation to know that it is still being done on site.

ISTANA PARK

I used to manage this park. That was at least 5 years ago. Time flies.

These white mushrooms were sprouting from the base of the Bougainvillea planted in the trough lining the trellis along the front of the park facing Orchard Road.

When I was there, I made two structural improvements that I was proud of. In line with making the park more barrier free, I proposed the changes to the 25 years old park which was built in the early 80s.

I lowered the stainless steel bum rests facing the pool and shelter because every time there was a concert or stage performance, there were insufficient seats for the audience. The bum rests were originally constructed too high for anyone to really rest their bums on it without resorting to jumping onto the seats. They were lowered down so that anyone, and I really mean anyone, would be able to rest their behinds on these seats with ease and comfort.

I also broke away from the formal and symmetrical design configuration of the shelter and pool by hacking away part of a planter bed and converting it into a staircase to lead park users up from the walkway to the shelter and vice versa easily. Previously, access to the shelter was only possible via the back of the shelter beside the pump room. This small improvement also facilitated park performances and interaction by allowing the performers, audience and recipients of prizes etc to go up and down the shelter cum stage in the shortest possible time.

Finally, for once a year for one whole month, the red Singapore banners are put up before National Day to commemorate the occasion. National Day is around the corner, so here's an early happy National Day greeting to Singapore and all its citizens and residents!