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(Daddy plants)
Starting from today, the Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay will add a touch of Holland to its ever-changing flower display field.
Tulipmania is three-week event where a captivating floral display of red, pink, yellow, white and purple tulips, together with other beautiful spring flowers such as lilies, hyacinths, daffodils and muscari, bloom alongside each other to creat a spectacular landscape.
How many tulips exactly? Think one, and multiply that by 20,000! All flown in specially from The Netherlands, courtesy of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines who is the official sponsor for Tulipmania.
And in preparation for the big event, more than 100 volunteers - comprising representatives from Temasek Junior College, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Netherlands Charity Association - lent their green fingers last week to help with the tulip planting.
It seemed like so much fun that I had no qualms getting my hands dirty as well!
Actually it was pretty dummy-proof stuff. The individual tulips already came in their own small pots and all we had to do was to arrange them neatly in rows according to their colour-specified plot areas.
And once that was done, we had to pile on the compost to cover the small pots. Nothing too tiring, and it was made even more fun with the great company all around.
This was my first time seeing the flower field display being totally ripped bare and it truly an eye-opener to see all the work that went behind the scenes into the Tulips Display. And now, all that is left to do is to wait for them to bloom.
I was speaking to a staff from Gardens by the Bay and she mentioned that the Flower Dome Cooled Conservatory tempaerature will be kept at around 18 degrees in the daytime during Tulipmania with temperatures dropping down to a single digit come night, just so that the tulips will not perish that quickly. So do bring along a jacket for the kids if they are afraid of the cold!
And here's another tip - do head on down early if you want to catch the full bloom of the tulips at their finest. Tulips typically stay in bloom for 1 to 4 weeks, depending on the climate and weather. But in our climate, I reckon 7-10 days will be an achievement in itself.
A great time to visit would be during the May weekends, as a host of activities has been planned for the young and old alike - discover interesting facts about tulips with the fun-filled Tulipmania Activity Sheet; delight someone with a handmade tulip clip; enjoy cultural activities like Dutch cheese tasting and music; create a tulip postcard and mail it to an old friend; or celebrate Mother’s Day with a bouquet of fresh-cut tulips. There are also special promotions including a 15% discount on admission into the cooled conservatories during Mother’s Day weekend (10-12 May), and a chance to win a pair of tickets to Keukenhof, Holland, in 2014!
More details below:
Tulipmania Activity Sheet
Join in the exploration and discovery in the Flower Dome, as you learn with more fun facts and fun-filled Tulip-themed activities in the special Tulipmania activity sheet. You can also learn a trick or two, and surprise your loved ones with a do-it-yourself Tulip.
Date: 29 April – 20 May
Time: 9am – 8pm
Location: Flower Dome
Programme Charge: Free with purchase of Flower Dome admission ticket
Suitable for families with children, and while stocks last
Scrambling to find a right gift for your mum this Mother’s Day? Surprise her with a self-made Tulip, and present it to her with your favourite family photograph - it'll surely make her day!
Date: Saturday 4 May & Sunday 5 May
Time: 2pm – 3.30pm
Location: Entrance of Flower Dome
Programme Charge: Free
Suitable for families with children aged 12 years and below
No registration required
Slots are limited for the activities and available on a first-come-first-served basis
Tulip Cheer!
Date: Saturday 11 May & Sunday 12 May
Programme Charge: Free
Details: Refer to tables below
The Therapeutic Gardens – Messengers of Hope and Love
Create your very own postcard and share your Tulip Field experience, sending messages of hope and love to your family and friends! How about creating one to celebrate Mother's Day? Mother's Day poems written by children from the Hollandse School Singapore will also be on display!
Timing: 10am – 6pm
Location: Exhibition Room
Snap It!
Tulips have travelled all over the world from central Asia to Europe, and are currently associated with countries such as Holland. In the spirit of cultural exchange, don a Dutch costume and take a picture in the midst of the beautiful Tulip Fields.
Timing: 10am – 6pm
Location: Flower Dome (admission charge to Flower Dome applies)
Crank it up!
Complementing the visual feast of the Tulip Field, how about treating your ears to a cultural performance using a hand-held organ? This is surely a sight to behold!
Timing: 10am – 6pm (interval: 12pm – 2pm)
Location: Flower Dome (admission charge to Flower Dome applies)
Say Cheese!
Food, something which Singapore has a love affair with everyday, will also feature in this line-up. Get set to taste some lip-smacking Dutch Gouda cheese and buy some home for the family to enjoy.
Timing: 10am – 7pm
Location: The Canopy (Entrance of Flower Dome)
It wasn't the tulip season while we were in Amsterdam last year and the wifey was the most disappointed one among us. So you can be sure that we will definitely be making over way down to the Flower Dome to see all the tulips in their blooming glory!
UPDATED: The tulips have BLOOMED!!!
Click HERE for my return visit to the Flower Dome, this time with my family!
Click HERE for my return visit to the Flower Dome, this time with my family!
What. A. Sight.
Useful Details:
TULIPMANIA
Date: Monday, 29 April – Monday, 20 May
Time: 9am – 9pm (as per Flower Dome operation hours)
Location: Flower Dome, Gardens by the Bay
Charge: Admission charge to the Flower Dome applies.
* During Tulipmania, single conservatory tickets will be on sale for $10 (U.P $12) for Adults and $7 (U.P $8) for senior citizens and children. Do note that this promotional offer is only available to Local Residents, and must be purchased at the ticket booth between 29 April - 20 May, 2013.
Click HERE for other types of admission fees.
* In addition, enjoy a 15% discount on admission into the cooled conservatories during Mother’s Day weekend (10-12 May).
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2 comments :
Hi!
just wondering is it good to visit on the first day? or shld be a little bit ... like 5 days later in case flowers dont bloom??? hmmm
thank you
Hi,
Sorry for my late reply. I think now is a good time to visit. :)
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