A Garden Paradise: The Ultimate Guide to HortPark
Are you looking for a fun and unique way to spend your day? Why not consider visiting a farm or garden?
Luckily, Singapore has many options for you, and one of them is HortPark.
HortPark is a gardener’s paradise. There are several themed gardens here, and you can also attend gardening-related events.
Non-gardeners can also have fun here by hosting a picnic, hiking, or dining!
If you want to visit HortPark, this article can help you prepare better for your trip!
Things to Know
Address: 33 Hyderabad Rd, Singapore 119578
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday—6 am to 11 pm
History and Background
HortPark was founded in the hopes of providing a one-stop resource hub for all gardening lovers in Singapore. Here, gardeners can gain more knowledge about gardening methods or showcase different garden designs.
Despite catering to gardeners first and foremost, HortPark has become a recreational destination for non-gardeners as well. In particular, families, hikers, and nature lovers enjoy frequenting this space.
How to Get There
Bus: Riding the bus is the best way to get to HortPark. You just have to ride bus services 51, 61, 93, 97, 100, 166, or 963; these will pass by the park.
MRT: If you prefer riding the MRT, the nearest stations are Labrador Park (CC27), HarbourFront (NE1/CC29), Queenstown (EW19), and Commonwealth (EW20).
Car: For people who prefer driving, there are 151 parking spaces available on-site. Rates are S$0.60 per 30 minutes; if you park sometime between 10:30 pm and 7 am, you’ll have to pay S$5 per entry.
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit HortPark is during the morning. This is because the gardens look the prettiest when the sun is out; plus, you don’t have to worry about the harsh heat that usually comes during the afternoon.
Additionally, I recommend visiting HortPark on a weekday. There won’t be many people during weekdays, so you can explore without bumping into a crowd.
What to Do
Check out the various themed gardens
Since HortPark is meant to be a gardening hub, it’s not a surprise that there are several gardens here for you to relax in. The best part is that these gardens are themed, so your experience varies depending on which one you’re visiting.
Here are some of the gardens in HortPark that are worth checking out.
HortCenter
— From: murali.deena
Technically, HortCenter is a visitor center, but it does have a small garden that’s worth checking out. This garden is designed to look like an English garden, with a swing under a rustic pergola that’s overrun with greenery.
This garden is tucked away in a quiet corner, so you can enjoy a peaceful time by the swing before you move on to other destinations. Oh, and don’t forget to take a quick selfie with the colorful murals on the garden’s walls!
My Backyard Garden
As the name suggests, My Backyard Garden is designed to look like a backyard garden. So, you’ll find all sorts of edible plants that you can usually see in makeshift gardens of people’s homes; examples include herbs, spices, and even edible flowers!
My Backyard Garden also has a simple, almost pastoral atmosphere. Exploring this space is very comforting; plus, it’s fun looking at all the plants grown and nurtured here.
Valley of Edibles
Valley of Edibles is similar to My Backyard Garden in that it features garden plots full of edible plants. From your typical leafy vegetable to heirloom varieties, you can find many plants here that are used in culinary dishes.
Another great thing about this garden is that it shows off sustainable gardening practices. So, if you’re planning to create a garden of your own back home, you might want to check out Valley of Edibles and take down some notes.
Nature Playgarden
— From: littledayout
If you’re visiting with your little ones, they’ll love the Nature Playgarden at HortPark. As you can guess from the name, this is a combination of a garden and playground, making it perfect for children to engage with nature and the outdoors.
Additionally, the Nature Playgarden has several features that make playtime even more fun. For example, there’s an area where children can create their own huts, a series of tunnels where they can play hide-and-seek, and logs for them to jump around.
My favorite feature is The Singing Seeds, which features hanging bamboo poles that make music when you hit them. If your child is musically inclined, they’ll love creating beautiful melodies here!
Pitter Patter Potter Garden
— From: honeykidsasia
While the Nature Playgarden is intended for children ages five and below, the Pitter Patter Potter Garden is for older children.
Just like the Nature Playgarden, the Pitter Patter Potter Garden comes with a spacious area for children to run around and engage with nature. There’s also an adorable playground adorned with nature-themed play features like the mushroom stools.
Additionally, this garden acts as a second classroom where children can learn about garden diversity, seed dispersal, and the plant life cycle. There are also paid workshops if your child is keen to learn even more.
Therapeutic Garden
— From: shooooelaa
Feeling stressed lately? Visiting the Therapeutic Garden at HortPark might ease your worries away!
The Therapeutic Garden at HortPark is the first of its kind in Singapore, and it really is calming and serene. Greenery is everywhere, so you can breathe in the crisp, fresh air and relax.
I also love that there’s an area that looks like the Bandstand at the Singapore Botanic Gardens. You can sit here and rest for a bit—maybe read a book while enjoying the sounds of leaves rustling and the wind gently caressing your face.
Butterfly Garden
The beauty of nature awaits you at the Butterfly Garden. Here, you’ll be able to enjoy the sight of countless colorful critters as they fly around the garden and land on equally colorful flowers.
Walking around the garden will let you see a variety of butterfly species. Some of the most commonly spotted ones are the common rose, the tawny coster, the common birdwing, and the blue glassy tiger.
Aside from the butterflies, keep an eye out for unique plants like the candle bush, blood flowers, and the Dutchman’s pipe.
Orchid Area
Flower enthusiasts will take delight in HortPark’s Orchid Area! Located near the Butterfly Garden, the Orchid Area is a haven full of beautiful orchids.
This area is pretty straightforward, but it’s still fun to walk around and look at all the flowers. Vanda Miss Joaquim, a type of orchid that’s considered Singapore’s national flower, is also spotted here, so be on the lookout for this type of bloom.
Native Garden
— From: mir.ror.rim
Despite being a small island nation, Singapore is rich in flora, with countless plant species currently thriving in it. At the Native Garden in HortPark, you’ll be able to see at least 100 of these native species!
The garden is divided into several zones, so you can find all sorts of native plants. For example, you’ll find edible fruits in the Food Zone, medicinal herbs like the bamboo orchid in the Medicine Zone, and the Cengal tree in the Timber Zone.
If you want to see even more native plants, you should stop by the Vibrant Horticultural Showcase at HortHouse, which is located near HortPark’s entrance. The horticultural display there is resplendent!
Rock Garden
Rock Garden is named as such because of its unique rocky landscape; the paths are canyon-like and lined with rocks.
But other than that, this garden showcases plants with spiky or twisted leaves and stems and plants with a droopy form. There are even plants that look like creatures!
Rock Garden is smaller compared to the other gardens in HortPark, but you’ll definitely find unique sights everywhere. So, don’t miss out on this one!
Run around the playground
Are your children still in the mood to play despite having already played in the Nature Playgarden or the Pitter Patter Potter Garden? No worries because HortPark has yet another playground available for them.
This playground has several cool play features that your children will love. They can race to the top of the climbing frame or squeal in glee as they go down the slide; they might also want to take photos with Singa the Lion.
Have a picnic on HortLawn
— From: davide_tan
Tired after spending a long time walking around HortPark? Then, come and sit down on HortLawn; better yet, bring your own blanket to sit on and a picnic basket full of snacks so that you can fill your empty stomach while resting.
Sometimes, I even take a nap on the green lawn! I recommend you do the same if you’re feeling tired.
If you’re not feeling tired, you might want to engage in fun activities on HortLawn. For example, you, your children, and/or your pets can play tag, or if it’s a windy day, you can try teaching your child how to fly a kite.
Hike
— From: iamcha_moh
Aside from being a public park and a gardening hub, HortPark is also a place for hikers. The park is spacious enough that you can get a decent amount of exercise in; the sight of greenery is also refreshing, inspiring you to hike even further.
You’re free to hike however you want, but if you prefer following a specific route, you might want to try any of the following hiking trails.
Bee Trail
Hiking on your own is boring, so if you want to spice things up, consider doing the Bee Trail. With this trail, you’ll have bees as your hiking companion!
Each waypoint has a bee hotel where hundreds of bees reside. Even when there’s no bee hotel in sight, you might be able to spot wild bees among the flowers, so keep your eyes peeled for them!
Aside from seeing the bees, this trail also educates you about bee conservation and the different species of bees. In other words, you’ll be able to exercise and gain knowledge at the same time!
Streets of Singapore Walk
Another cool trail you can take while in HortPark is the Streets of Singapore Walk. Technically, the Streets of Singapore Walk is more of an exhibit, but since it covers a decent amount of distance, it works well as a trail.
As you can guess from the name, this route honors the different trees found in Singapore and the streets that are named after trees. In a way, you’ll get a glimpse at how Singaporeans treat the trees here—both common and rare.
Some of the trees on this trail that I’ve found interesting are Casuarina trees (they grow along sandy coasts and coastal forests) and Gaharu trees (their resin produces oil and incense that’s widely used).
The Southern Ridges
Are you an experienced hiker? Or maybe you just want to challenge yourself further? Then, you might want to take on the Southern Ridges.
Technically, the Southern Ridges isn’t in HortPark; instead, it’s 10 km of connected trails, and you can start your trail in the park. After HortPark, I recommend you follow the trail to Henderson Waves, then finish your hike at Mount Faber Park.
This hike will be long and challenging, but it’s definitely worth taking. You’ll find yourself in the greenest oasis of Singapore, and once you reach the peak of Mount Faber, you’ll be able to treat yourself to a gorgeous view of the harbor.
Attend Gardeners’ Day Out
— From: littlebotany
On every third Saturday of the month, HortPark hosts Gardeners’ Day Out, a whole-day event that celebrates all things gardening. During this event, you can catch exciting talks, guided tours, family-friendly activities, and more!
There will also be a marketplace with usually 60 or so booths selling a varied selection of house plants, gardening accessories, and other products. So, if you’re a newbie gardener, this is the perfect opportunity to get all the necessary tools.
Join workshops and other events
If you missed the Gardeners’ Day Out event, don’t worry because HortPark regularly hosts workshops and events. These events are usually educational talks, so if you’re interested in deepening your gardening knowledge, you should attend at least one.
But educational talks aren’t the only ones to look forward to; sometimes, there are also hands-on workshops available. Once, I attended a workshop about gardening methods, and I really got down with my gloves and tools working on a small plot of land.
I’ve also heard about artsy workshops where artists create nature-themed artwork pieces. I’ve never attended this kind of workshop, but it sure does sound fun (even for someone like me who doesn’t have any artistic bone in my body)!
Where to Eat
Canopy Garden Dining
Location: 01-01
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Friday—10:30 am to 10 pm
- Saturday and Sunday—9 am to 10 pm
Pricing: $$
Contact Number: +6565561533
Canopy is wonderfully located in HortPark. The restaurant sits amidst the lush greenery, so you’ll feel serenity while drinking your coffee and eating your meal.
As for the menu, you’ll find a great variety of options. If you’re coming for brunch, you might want to try the grilled breakfast, which comes with several components (sourdough toast, eggs, and more!).
Other options you can’t pass up are the grilled Angus ribeye with red wine sauce and rosemary chicken with rosemary garlic sauce. For dessert, I recommend the burnt cheesecake; it’s so light and decadent!
Vineyard at HortPark
Location: 02-02
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Friday—11:30 am to 3 pm, 6 to 10 pm
- Saturday and Sunday—10:30 am to 10 pm
Pricing: $$
Contact Number: +6564797977
You don’t have to fly to Europe to enjoy their delicious cuisine; you can simply dine at Vineyard!
At Vineyard, you can enjoy several classic European dishes. My personal favorites have been the tuna steak tartare and confit duck leg; I’m also a big fan of the bombe Alaska (the rum flambé elevates the dish!).
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can try some of the daring dishes served here. For example, you might be interested in escargot (snails drenched in garlic butter) or frog leg en persillade (with lemon and anchovy).