• NParks Commemorative “Heritage Tree” NETS FlashPay cards and flower magnet set
• The Tale of the Magical Seeds book

NParks Commemorative “Heritage Tree” NETS FlashPay cards and flower magnet set

We are giving away 3 pairs of Commemorative “Heritage Tree” NETS FlashPay cards with a set of flower magnets each. Simply answer this question:

What type of tree was planted by then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew on 16 June 1963?

Contest closes 16 May 2013. Email your answers to nparks_communications@nparks.gov.sg with the subject title “My Green Space Contest – FlashPay Card”, together with your name, IC/passport number and contact number.

The Tale of the Magical Seeds

Nickolas Yip shared how he attempted to grow some plants after being given a starter kit under the “Every Child a Seed” programme.

We are giving away 3 copies of The Tale of the Magical Seeds. Simply answer these questions:

1. What seeds was Nickolas trying to grow?
2. What did he forget to do that killed his seedlings?

Contest closes 16 May 2013. Email your answers to nparks_communications@nparks.gov.sg with the subject title “My Green Space Contest – Seeds”, together with your name, IC/passport number and contact number.

See Terms & Conditions.

My Green Space Contest Winners – January – March 2013

Congratulations to the lucky winners of our previous contests! These winners have been notified by email.

Orchids of Singapore Botanic Gardens

• Rosie Tan
• Tan Peck Ha

Hornbills in the City: a Conservation Approach to Hornbill Study in Singapore books

• Teo Tiong Kwee
• Francis Joshua Tan Jwee Yan

Question: I tried growing sunflowers, but they all died after a week or two. Why did my sunflowers die? Is it because I did not put them in a bigger pot or add fertilisers when they have gown bigger?

- Nickolas Yip

Reply:
Dear Nickolas,

Growing plants are easy once you understand their needs. I applaud you for your determination, don’t lose heart!

Your first tiny seedling likely flopped over as the soil was not firm enough. In preparing for sowing, fill your pot up with soil and press down lightly (tamp) on the soil to make it slightly more compact. Make sure to sow your seed about 1 inch into the soil and again tamp the soil around the seed before giving it a generous watering. Tamping will help to firm up the soil around the growing seedling and provide a more solid hold for young roots to grasp. This will help to support the sunflower’s upright growth. If this step is done right, seedlings will not need to be staked.

Your green instincts were right! It is important to handle young seedlings very gently as they are very delicate (like tofu!) – overwatering, too much sunlight and staking too tightly can cause damage. To prevent overwatering, test if the first inch of soil is moist, if it still is moist, there is no need to water yet. Place your seedlings in a semi-shade condition with good airflow – it is best to avoid direct sunlight until they are a bit older. If it becomes necessary to stake your seedling, it is important to use a non-abrasive material and to tie it loosely (slightly larger than the stem) to allow space for the seedling to grow and move.

Young plants are the favourite food of bugs and pests, so be sure to check that your seedlings are healthy and to nip off any bugs before infestation takes hold.

Hope this helped and good luck to your seed-sowing adventure!

- Soh Weijing

Ask the Expert team is made up of NParks horticultural and gardening experts. If you have any questions on plants or plant-related subjects, please send your question to Ask the Experts at nparks_communications@nparks.gov.sg.

Located just a 5-minute walk from the Visitor Centre, the 1-hectare Fragrant Garden currently has over 30 species of trees, shrubs, cacti and herbaceous plants with either fragrant leaves, flowers, fruits or rhizomes. Some of the fragrant blooms attract butterflies, which visitors can spot in the day.

Visitors can also explore the garden in the evening, as that’s when many of the plants give off their scents. At the same time, some of these flowers are pollinated by moths, which can be observed in the garden after dark.

The sign at the Fragrant Garden incorporates a design of the Tembusu tree flower. The blossom of this native tree gives off a rich sweet-smelling scent in the evening.

Over the year, more than 100 fragrant plant species will be added to the collection at the Garden. But do be patient; as the garden is newly planted, it will take about a year for the plants to be established.

Thus it is hard to believe that there are actually ‘jungle cacti’ that grow naturally in a moist and lush jungle, an environment that is almost the complete opposite of a desert.

What is jungle cacti?
Jungle cacti are a group of cacti that grow in rainforests. Unlike their desert relatives, these plants do not resemble one another and many do not have spines.

Many species of jungle cacti are epiphytes, that is, they are similar to our local bird’s nest ferns that grow on the branches of trees, while others grow in spaces between rocks.

They have adapted to growing in an aerated growing media and in cultivation, they require aerated and well-draining conditions. Thus a popular potting media would include large coconut husk chunks. For fertilising, plants are fed using slow-release fertiliser pellets.

Jungle cacti do not tolerate drought and the roots should be kept moist at all times. Depending on the growing conditions, it is usually sufficient to water these plants once a day. More frequent watering may be required if the weather is very hot and dry. Dehydrated plants will show symptoms like wrinkled stems.

Depending on the species, jungle cacti, in general, prefer to be exposed to filtered sunlight for at least six hours daily, but there are species that can be grown under full sun. If you grow them on the balcony or corridor, they will do fine if they are exposed to direct sunlight that streams in during the morning, but they should be protected from the harsh afternoon sun.

Introducing the species
If you are a reader of houseplant books, you would have come across the Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti which are jungle cacti that belong to the genus Schlumbergera. These plants are imported during the festive period and feature bright red or pink flowers.

Another jungle cactus that is most popular with Chinese families in Singapore is the Queen of the Night, which produces large white flowers at night. Two species, Epiphyllum oxypetalum and Epiphyllum strictum, are commonly grown here.

Below is a selection of plants from the genera Rhipsalis and Epiphyllum that are occasionally available in local nurseries and are worth looking out for, if you are looking for candidates to put in a hanging pot or in a vertical garden. Many jungle cactus species adopt a pendulous growth habit where their leafless stems grow long and cascade over the rim of the pots. They can be easily be propagated via stem-cuttings.

Rhipsalis teres
Bearing some resemblance to the mistletoe plant, this epiphytic cactus produces thin, green, cylindrical branches that cascade downwards. It produces small white flowers that are followed by attractive white berries that adorn the dark green stems. This plant prefers moist, semi-shaded conditions.

Rhipsalis micrantha
Another epiphytic cactus with a pendulous growth habit, Rhipsalis micrantha produces long green stems that can either be flattened or three-sided. It also prefers moist and semi-shaded conditions. The plant produces small, white flowers which are then followed by white berries that are reddish at the apex.

Pseudorhipsalis ramulosa

Commonly called the Red Rhipsalis, the pendulous stems of this plant are flattened on both sides and take on a vivid red colouration when grown under direct sunlight. Due to this, it was marketed recently in local nurseries as a lucky festive plant for the Lunar New Year.

Epiphyllum anguliger
Still an uncommon jungle cactus species locally, this plant is commonly known as the ‘Fish Bone Cactus’ due to the interesting appearance of its flattened, deeply-toothed stems. It prefers to be grown under semi-shade and is ideal for growing in a section of the garden with other plants whose common names are derived from animals – a great way for children to learn about such plants!

Epiphyllum phyllanthus
This plant is another lucky festive plant that was sold for the Lunar New Year festivities. A mutated form of Epiphyllum phyllanthus, it is labelled as ‘mini dragon fruit’ due to the small, oval, pink fruits it produces, which bear superficial resemblance to the much larger fruit, also produced by a cactus species. This plant is admired for its numerous twisted and curled stems.

Epiphyllum pumilum
This species of Epiphyllum is sometimes thought to be the miniature version of the more frequently grown Epiphyllum oxypetalum or Epiphyllum strictum due to its much smaller size and similar-looking white flowers. It has gained popularity as a houseplant in Singapore due to its free-flowering and space-saving attributes.

By Dr Wilson Wong

Before you grab a pair of scissors to give your plant a ‘hair-cut’, stop and check to see if you are using the right tools to perform the job.

In horticulture, specific cuttings tools have been devised for specific roles to ensure the comfort and safety of the gardener, as well as to ensure the plant gets a clean cut.

Depending on the thickness of the branch or stem you are intending to cut, the right cutting tool needs to be used. Using the wrong type of tool can lead to excessive exertion of effort, which may lead to undue strain on your hands after prolonged use. It can also cause damage to the plant.

The two hand pruning tools most commonly used by home gardeners include hand pruners and pruning saws. These tools are popular because they are small and portable. They also offer an additional advantage of not requiring a large storage space.

Hand Pruners
The most common hand tool available is the hand pruner, also known as secateurs or hand shears. Two main types are available locally and can be operated by using just one hand:

• Flower/Bonsai shears: This tool has two straight cutting blades that narrow towards the tip. The narrow blade and sharp tip allow access to tight areas of a plant and permit delicate pruning work to be done. It is mostly used for pruning thin branches in bonsai and trimming flower stems and leaves by the florist.
• Bypass secateurs: This tool is most commonly used for general garden cutting duties and should only be used to cut up to 2cm-thickness. The cutting portion consists of one curved, sharpened blade that slips past a thicker, unsharpened hook.

Pruning Saw
Another commonly sold hand tool in local nurseries is the pruning saw. This tool is used to prune branches that cannot be cut with secateurs and lopping shears. It comes in many sizes, with either straight or curved blades and teeth that are either fine or coarse.

Compared to lopping shears, pruning saws are preferred by some gardeners as they can be folded and carried around easily. They also require a smaller storage space compared to the former.

As a rough guide, pruning saws can be used to cut branches that are up to 6cm in diameter. A finely-toothed pruning saw can be used to remove thinner branches whereas a more coarsely toothed saw is used for thicker branches. The alignment of the teeth on the pruning saw is also designed to cut when the saw is being pulled.

For safety, make sure the pruning saw you use has a blade guard. The blade can be folded into the handle when not in use, and locked in a closed position to allow the tool to be carried around easily and safely.

The pruning saw is a hand pruning tool that can be folded so that it can be carried around safely. It is used to cut thicker branches that are up to around 6 cm in thickness.

How to maintain your tools

• Sharpen blades regularly.
• Wipe the blades of all cutting tools clean after every use. Clean them with turpentine if there is plant sap stuck on them. Apply a few drops of light lubricating oil to the blades and moving parts before storing the tool.
• Tools can spread disease pathogens from one diseased plant to another that is healthy. Cutting blades can be disinfected with rubbing alcohol. Do not use bleach for this purpose as it is a corrosive agent.

By Dr Wilson Wong

The therapeutic value of plant-people interactions has long been known. In ancient Egypt, some doctors would prescribe a walk in the park as a treatment for their royal patients, while others would encourage patients to participate in farming activities.

Still, it was only during the 1900s that these types of therapeutic applications expanded to include people with limited mobility, mental conditions, and at-risk youth.

Why care about greenery?
As a person who is passionate about horticulture and is an avid gardener, I am concerned about the next generation, which appears to be little-interested in nature. I have noticed that as we become more urbanised, children’s exposure to nature has become less frequent.

This is unfortunate, as various studies, dating from 1984 to one conducted more recently in 2008 by the University of Michigan on “The Cognitive Benefits of Interacting With Nature”, have concluded that interaction with greenery is an important way to reduce stress, improve well being and develop character.

This is something our former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew realised too, when he started on a campaign to green Singapore in the 1960s. He believed that a city filled with lush greenery will help improve the morale of people, as well as make them proud of their environment.

Children who join their parents on nature-based activities, such gardening, usually develop a much more appreciative mindset towards nature and have an environmentally-conscious attitude.

The value of starting young
It is best to inculcate from a young age a greater awareness of the value of nature, so that children will have an appreciation of nature and recognise the importance of having nature in their environment; this is especially important for children raised in towns and cities.

The value of nurturing in children an interest in nature is supported by studies, one of which was conducted in the U.S. in 2004. A 20-minute telephone survey was carried out in 112 of the most populated metropolitan areas across the U.S., among adults aged 18 to 90 and across different demographics, to find out their current attitudes towards nature The survey also drew relations to their childhood experiences. The results showed that respondents who, as children, were active participants in outdoor activities that included gardening or other nature-related programmes were more appreciative of the value of having greenery in the city.

Children in urban areas can be exposed to nature through bringing them to play in open fields, doing handicrafts with plant parts like floral press, and through gardening activities. This can be achieved by bringing children to play in an open field, doing handicrafts using plant parts – and gardening activities.

Every child can benefit from nature
Children with medical conditions should not be excluded from gardening, as they will also enjoy the benefits of being outdoors and working with nature. Furthermore, as they grow into adults, their decisions will also impact the environment they live in. One example is given by the Osaka Prefecture Medical Centre for Respiratory and Allergic Disease (Japan), which provides horticultural therapy to its long-term asthmatic child patients as a form of supplementary holistic treatment.

Gardening helps children express themselves better and improves their attention span.

Time to enjoy the greenery

I believe that reducing children’s time with nature or the amount of greenery around them will create a generation that is less sensitive towards nature and with less appreciation of the importance of greenery in the living environment.

Active involvement in horticultural activities is a direct way of reaping the benefits of greenery. As a gardener, I find that this activity is a simple and enjoyable way to help build muscle tone, enable me to de-stress, and clear my mind. In addition, gardening with other people has helped me to expand my social circles and improve overall life satisfaction.

For those who have difficulty indulging in gardening, perhaps due to medical conditions, do consider using modified structures or working with others. Even if you cannot physically participate in the planting, you can provide advice or just enjoy sharing the time outdoors. Even without active participation, simply looking at a garden through a window or sitting in a park has been proven to be beneficial to a person’s mental and emotional state.

By Maxel Ng

Climbing up a cat ladder and getting an exclusive bird’s eye view of Universal Studios Singapore (USS) at Resorts World Sentosa was something Nur Faezah Mohd Sanif, 30, didn’t expect she would be doing when she first started her job as a manager in the Skyrise Greenery team under the Horticulture and Community Gardening Division in the National Parks Board.

As part of her work, Faezah aids building managers in setting up skyrise greenery – either as a rooftop garden or a vertical green wall. Hence, inspecting the possible sites to examine the environmental conditions, measuring of the area and assessing its suitability has brought her to many building rooftops with great views that are inaccessible to the general public.

Why the passion for skyrise greenery?

Greening rooftops and walls will reduce the heat effect of a built-up environment and helps to soften the harsh cityscape.

Faezah said, “My job is to promote and encourage the installation of skyrise greenery to both public and private developers, and to raise the awareness among professionals such as architects, landscape architects and building managers about the value of skyrise greenery. In addition, I also promote it to members of the public.”

Faezah continues. “As Singapore is highly urbanised and land is scarce, there is little available space for greenery. Hence, skyrise greenery is the new frontier in greening. Plus, it has the benefits of mitigating the heat effect of a built-up environment like ours, and helps to soften the harsh concrete-and-glass urban landscape. Skyrise greenery also provides a much-needed ‘green lung’ and space for people working and living in such an environment to relax and unwind. Thus, I personally value the concept of skyrise greenery.”

What’s a typical day at work like?
A typical day in Faezah’s job would be to visit developments which are keen to have rooftop gardens or vertical walls, meet up with the relevant parties and discuss ideas, resources, technical requirements, and explore possible funding opportunities.

Visiting and inspecting site conditions of rooftops is part of Faezah’s daily routine.

She also visits existing sites under the NParks Skyrise Greenery Incentive Scheme to aid applicants with the application, reimbursement, and also troubleshoot existing green roof issues and problems. Through these regular visits, Faezah gets to connect with building developers, architects, industry players. Occasionally, she organises sharing sessions where everyone can come together to exchange ideas and solutions on how to improve skyrise greenery practices in Singapore.

“My job can be summarised in one word – exhilarating!” quips Faezah. “Skyrise greenery is exciting and fun. I get to see new and ground-breaking ideas in the incorporation of greenery into the built environment. Most importantly, I get to influence others to bringing greenery closer to their everyday lives.”

Skyrise greenery is not just for the outdoors. It is just as effective indoors in softening bare walls. Here, Faezah stands amid the lush vertical greenery of an office at Cecil Street.

It helps that Faezah also enjoys working with people from different industries as well as members of the public. “It’s fulfilling and enriching to share my knowledge and passion on greenery and nature, and to inspire them to bring nature and greenery closer to their lives in their homes and workplace. Plus, I also get to visit several interesting sites with very nice views of the city!”

But the satisfaction of the job doesn’t end with the perks of spectacular views from rooftops.

“What I like about my job is that I know I’m contributing towards the greening of Singapore vertically through promoting and raising awareness of skyrise greenery. Rapid urbanisation is a challenge, but landscape engineering methods have enabled us to easily integrate greenery to the built environment. We just have to find creative solutions to continue our vision of transforming Singapore into a city in a garden.”

By Ang Wee Foong & Nur Faezah Mohd Sanif

For more information about skyrise greenery, do visit the website.