On 26 August 2021, President Halimah Yacob launched the enhanced Japanese Garden at Istana by planting a Dacrydium elatum (Sempilor), a tropical conifer with a soft elegant form reminiscent of the Japanese garden landscape and grows naturally in topical Southeast Asia. She also hosted around 20 frontline workers and their families on a tour of the enhanced Japanese Garden.
For the first time since its completion in 1967, the Japanese Garden has been sensitively enhanced to provide a better experience for all visitors, including foreign dignitaries and members of public. The garden will also be a key feature in the picnics and garden tours@Istana that President Halimah regularly hosts for beneficiaries visiting the Istana grounds.
Ticket holders to this weekend’s National Day Istana Open House will be among the first members of public to enjoy both the enhanced Japanese Garden and the new Inclusive Garden at Istana which President Halimah launched earlier this year.
Speaking to the media after the launch, President Halimah said:
|
“NParks and renowned landscape designer Junichi Inada have done a great job in enhancing the Japanese Garden at Istana. What strikes me most about the enhancements is how peaceful and close to nature one feels when you are walking around it – from the sound ofwater flowing through the stream and water fixtures to admiring the new features, such as the dry rock garden and the traditional Japanese lantern. Visitors will truly enjoy the experience this unique garden provides, where tranquillity meets beauty and tradition.” |
PRESIDENT’S OFFICE
26 AUG 2021