Today’s SA2L post, is all about Singapore’s magnificent Supertree Grove. I had the pleasure of experiencing this at least three different times and everytime I went, there was something new that I hadn’t noticed before. I was in awe each time while there, and was in awe even more after taking some time to research the reasoning behind the very existence of these so called Supertrees.
First thing – there’s way more to this attraction than just pretty lights, flora and fauna, and weird gianormous robotic looking trees. These were created for a very specific purpose and contribute immensely to Singapore’s initiative in making their city in a garden rather than the other way around. The Supertrees are obviously man-made but they make an amazing difference to the environment by utilizing the energy of the sun and then converting that energy to power up numerous conservatories that are below the trees.
You see, these gigantic trees are particularly eye-catching but the trees are actually apart of something much larger which is the garden itself, “Gardens by the Bay.”
The trees supply this energy to two large conservatories made up of plants that come from various parts of the world:
“The biomes are the equivalent size of four football fields and will become the new home for 220,000 plants from almost every continent.” “The remainder of the Bay South garden will pay homage to the ethnic makeup of the country. In the Heritage Gardens, visitors can explore the Chinese, Malay, Indian and Colonial-themed areas and learn about the links between plants and Singapore’s history.”
– CNN, Lauren Said-Moorhouse
The Supertree Grove is an impressive science and environmental project indeed, but it also acts as an extraordinary space for entertainment as well. Every night, there’s two shows and the supertrees are the stars – literally! This includes an impeccable 15-minute light show set to music that is different each weekend. The three times I visited, I experienced a Singaporean music themed show (in honor of Singapore’s Independence Day on August 9th), a Disney music themed show, and a musical theater themed show. I loved them all and fell into an intrinsic trance while laying down in the vast grass field below staring into the sky while the lights danced on the tree’s branches.
Traveling with B. 