[Gardens By The Bay] - Waterfall in Cloud Forest

After had our hand stamped with re-entry pass, we walked to Cloud Forest Conservatory which is just opposite Flower Dome.

Tadaa~! This is the highlight of this dome!

35-metre tall man-made "Cloud Mountain"
 shrouding the world’s tallest indoor waterfall.

Yes, you'll be greeted with a little bit of splashing water from the fall and chilly air once you open the glass door to Cloud Forest.

Welcome to the mysterious world veiled in mist;
entirely different from the Flower Dome.

Vintage car covered in lush vegetation.

It looks like Tuk-Tuk car in Thailand
 or Bemo (Becak Motor) in Indonesia.

Come~! Let's hike up and climb to explore Lost World!

Hah~?! but how if you don't any mountain climbing or hiking experience?! Sorry... sorry, I mean take lift to Level 6 then climb the stairs to Lost World. :P

 

Lost World, the highest point of the mountain, 

 replicates the cloud forest vegetation at around 2,000m above sea level.

  Soothing splashing Waterfall from the top of the mountain.

Awesome fantastic views of  Marina Bay Sands and...

Marina Bay Waterfront skyline from Cloud Bridge.

Can you find any carnivorous plants such as pitcher plants 

and the Venus Fly-catcher here?

Closed-up view of the of epiphytes plant species that clad the side of the mountain.


Squeeze and smile everyone~!

After stroll one round, take escalator down to the next lower level...

 You will be surrounded by the many interesting shapes of 

real stalactites and stalagmites at Crystal Mountain.

Happy 'Mogu' Cheerry to find Mushroom-shaped stalagmites.

You can also learn about geology on how the continents formed, the age of earth, and the importance of fossils in understanding our planet’s past.

Treetop Bridge is at the same level with Crystal Cave.

Spotted Morning glory instead of carnivorous plants such as 

Pitcher plants and the Venus Fly-catcher on Treetop Bridge railing.

Monster Me or Mini Me at Treetop Bridge.

 My tummy said this Cloud Bridge looks like 'Pretzel' heart-shape :P

So difficult to take family photo using monopod because

it kept turned down as Samsung Galaxy Note 4 too heavy.

Thanks to the garden staff helped us to take this nice shoot ^^

Lovely green mountain and the Falls from

Waterfall viewing balcony.  Isn't it cool?!

 

But, it's even cooler because there's no pillars to support this Dome. 

Even the bridges are supported from the man-made mountain!!!

 Small waterfall at Secret Garden.

Do visit Earth Check to understand more on underlying concept of Gardens By The Bay. A concerted effort made to design for sustainable cycles in energy and water. 

At this special lab will find facts, figures and amazing statistics for a unique view of the state of the earth today and the problems we are likely to face due to climate change and habitat loss. Check the video below on cycles of nature, cycles of air, cycles of green energy,...

Pale Crocodile - Secret Garden

Cloud Forest and Flower Dome Conservatories are a statement in sustainable engineering and apply a suite of cutting-edge technologies that provide energy efficient solutions in cooling, ensuring at least 30% savings in energy consumption compared to conventional cooling technologies.

The conservatories' structure is fitted with spectrally selective glass  and light-sensor operated shades that allow optimal light in for plants but cut out a substantial amount of heat to minimise energy costs.

 After that, take escalator and go down to +5 Degrees.

You will virtually experience the effect of temperature increase around the planet. This interactive voyage through time and space allows you to see the world from a different perspective, unlocking a new dimension of visual experience.

  Secret Garden

End your journey in the Cloud Forest at the foot of the mountain. Go on a stroll through a gorge that will take you close to plants that belong to families that were once growing in abundance on earth, yet are increasingly rare today.

 Secret garden view from Cloud Bridge.

My eyes really thanks for soothing and relaxing green therapy from these two conservatories.

The exits of Flower Dome and Cloud Forest 

will bring you to Garden Gift Shop.

 Paintings of Supertree Grove and two conservatories 

in Gardens By The Bay.

(Ok, let's go to Supertree now~^^)

 

 Entrance to Cloud Forest - Upright Totems

 Do wear long sleeves if you're visiting Cloud Dome by night
especially in the rainy season ^^

 Please check this link for more information, how to get there,
purchase tickets, and maintenance schedule of Cloud Forest.

Related Post:

~ [Gardens By The Bay] - Grandeur Yuletide in Flower Dome

~ [Gardens By The Bay] - Garden Rhapsody Christmas Wonderland

[Gardens By The Bay] - Grandeur Yuletide in Flower Dome

Finally stepped our feet to Singapore's most beautiful garden after few unsuccessful attempts to bring two kiddos there...

They complained too tired after visited 2 Degree Ice Art in Feb 2014.

and I forgot when since it's quite long ago...

 either weather not permitted or other reasons.

Gardens by the Bay is an integral part of a strategy by the Singapore government
to transform Singapore from a "Garden City" to a "City in a Garden". 

The stated aim is to raise the quality of life by enhancing greenery and flora in the city.

 

 The Gardens captures the essence of Singapore as the premier tropical Garden City...

 

 with the perfect environment in which to live and work...

making Singapore a leading global city of the 21st century.

Gardens by the Bay has two cooled conservatories that allowing a whole new world of plants including rare species - to be sustained in Singapore. Currently, about 94,000 plants comprising more than 1,200 species are featured in the two conservatories:

Flower Dome

The Flower Dome is the lower but larger of the two, at 1.2 hectares. It replicates the cool-dry climate of the Mediterranean and other semi-arid tropical regions of the world such as Australia, South America, South Africa.  

 

The Flower Dome features 7 different "gardens" as well as an olive grove with a bistro and 

a central changing display field has also been incorporated to enable flower shows 

and displays to be held within the conservatory.

The Flower Field on the lower ground features changing displays of flowers to reflect different seasons, festivals and themes.

 It's now displaying Grandeur Yuletide until 6 Jan 2015.
 

 Christmas Town in Flower Dome?

~~~Silent night~~~

Hello Green Reindeer~^^


Aren't they look spirited and livelier at night?


Beautiful Christmas trees lights with
Marina Bay Sands in background...

 and Singapore Flyer is more obvious because it's lighted up at night.

Remember to get the returned stamp,
so you can come back to see this wonderland at night.

I recommend to come in the afternoon to admire beautiful flowers and plants in day time, because at night you can't see them clearly. But, you can wander around to see this Yuletide on Flower Field turns to Magical Wonderland...

Dashing Grass Reindeer.

 Flying Reindeer pulling the sleigh of Santa Bear up to the Tower. 

Round frosty snowman with long carrot nose! 

   

Entrance to Flower Dome.

 Succulent Garden  

Succulents are water-storing desert plants belonging to families such as Cacti, 

 Aloes and Crassulas. Look closer and you’ll find that many of these species have 

sharp spines to protect themselves against animals which may eat their soft tissues.

A dense cover of blue or grey wax over the surface of their leaves and stems also helps protect them from desiccation and deflect excess UV light in the desert. Stroll through the Succulent Garden and venture into the desert without experiencing the heat.

Baobabs Platform on top of indoor event hall

The African Baobab, weighing more than 32 tons, is the largest tree in the Flower Dome. This gigantic tree has many uses for its roots, hollow trunks, bark, wood, leaves, flowers and fruit, from building materials to food and medicine. Flowering at night, this species is pollinated by fruit bats, while terrestrial mammals like baboons and elephants disperse its fruits by passing the seeds through the digestive tract before germination.

 African Baobab (Adansonia digitata).

The African Baobab, weighing more than 32 tons, is the largest tree in the Flower Dome. This gigantic tree has many uses for its roots, hollow trunks, bark, wood, leaves, flowers and furit, from building materials to food and medicine. Flowering at night, this species is pollinated by fruit bats, while terrestial mammals like baboons and elephants disperse its fruits by passing the seeds through the digestive tract before germination.

To me, the bottle tree looks like heart with Aorta, Artery, Vena Cava. 

By the way, some of the plants have tag with their names and belong to which families. 

But, they freaked me out as they reminded me that I had to write and memorised 

these Biology terms in Latin words for exams!

 The left corner Baobabs is the tallest tree in this Flower Dome.

 

Drunken Tree or Palo Borracho (Ceiba chodatii)

Related to the Kapok Tree of the Brazilian Amazon and Western Africa, the Drunken Tree's seeds are surrounded by smooth, light fibres that are usually collected to make pillows and cushions. Take a closer look at their amazing round trunks that are used to store water, and their beautiful ivory-coloured flowers, which are pollinated by hawk moths.

Ghost Tree (Moringa douhartii) 

Originating from South-western Madagascar, the Ghost Tree is often cultivated at traditional tombs in local villages. Despite being related to the edible Horse Radish Tree from India, its foliage, fruits and seeds are not consumed locally. Some cultures claim to use its aromatic sap as medicine for coughs and colds.

 Mediterranean Garden opposite Baobabs Platform.

The Mediterranean Basin is one of the first places in the world to practise agriculture, with crops such as olives, figs, grapes, wheat and lentils. Its coastal location and climate makes it attractive for farming, recreation and urban development, which also threatens the natural habitats. 

Another type of Palm in this garden is the Canary Island Palm from the Canary Island that is also related to the Dragon Tree. Finally, stop by the waterfront and admire the beautiful row of Italian Cypresses, which is reminiscent of Lake Como in Italy.

South African Garden

South Africa is home to an amazing number of exclusive or endemic species of plants, and here you will find ‘Fynbos’ plants, which is ‘fine, delicate brush’ in African. These species have needle-like leaves that form thickets of fire-prone, hard-leaf shrubs that grow in sandy, low-nutrient soil.

 

 Many of the plants found in this vegetation have small, 

dark leaves covered in a waxy outer layer 

that helps them to retain moisture.

Australian Garden

The Australian Garden is a fascinating showcase of plants that have adapted to survive long dry seasons and fires from two regions in Australia – Western and South Australia.

 Looking down to Flower Field from Mediterranean platform...

 Pollen - Michelin-starred Restaurant. 

Modern European cuisine restaurant helmed by renowned Chef Jason Atherton is located within the lush Mediterranean garden in the Flower Dome, with panoramic views of Marina Bay waterfront. dining at Pollen is an extraordinary experience like no other!

 Nice wood burner and Christmas decorations outside

South American platform.

Let's have a shot for family photo here~^^

 

 and here with Christmas tree ^^

 Ah... so many Christmas trees inside Flower Dome :P

 

 Blooming cute little red and white flowers

giving extra power to festive ambience.

Can you see that this flower dome has no pillars.
Only steel grids to hold different sizes of 3,332 glass panels.

  Awesome infrastructure, isn't it?

 

Do I look like Ginseng?

 Plentiful of beautiful and colorful flowers.

 

Cousin It She-Oak flower. What a weird name for 

such a lovely flower!

 Tried new macro lens for handphone to capture this mini cactus flower.

To be frank, I don't know how to use my Samsung NX100 to shoot macro photo!
 

Art at the Gardens 

Gardens by the Bay is home to more than 40 sculptures - featuring unique pieces from Zimbabwe, Australia and the United Kingdom, specially commissioned sculptures by Singaporean artists aimed to celebrate our natural features, intriguing Southeast Asian crafts that fit naturally within the lush plant surroundings, as well as stone works from China, that complement the beauty of the plant displays and add a new dimension to the landscape.

 The Eagle Has Landed 

Cleverly crafted from the polished and varnished Lychee roots, this commanding eagle is supported by a plain Lychee tree stump. The eagle has a reputation as a fierce hunter in the sky and its name also resembles the Chinese word for “hero”. The eagle surveys the Flower Dome from its vantage point, where it overlooks the changing display of the Flower Field and the Mediterranean Garden. 

 La Famille de Voyageurs created by Bruno Catalano

Worked in bronze, ‘La Famille de voyageurs’ (A traveling family) depicts a family visiting Gardens by the Bay before heading home. As they depart Singapore, they take with them beautiful memories and leave a part of themselves behind. Inspired by the universal theme of travel, French sculptor Bruno Catalano’s eye-catching works, with their dashed bodies and the deliberate lack of volume, invite the viewer to mentally reconstruct the possibility of the human potential.

 Do I look like the above sculptor carrying my invisible illusion bag?

Ok, Let's go to Cloud Forest~!^^

For more information, please check this link.

Related Posts:

~ [Gardens By The Bay] - Waterfall in Cloud Forest 

~ [Gardens By The Bay] - Garden Rhapsody Christmas Wonderland