Media Room

More than 60 taxa of stunning orchids, including those from Thailand or with origins that can be traced to Thai species, will be showcased in Cloud Forest’s new floral display – Orchids from the Land of Smiles (微笑之国兰花展). The floral display, which is presented in collaboration with the Royal Thai Embassy of Singapore, takes place in the year of 60 years of diplomatic relations between Singapore and Thailand, as well as SG60.

Orchids from the Land of Smiles is the first event of 2025 where we also celebrate 60 years of diplomatic relations with countries through various garden-themed collaborations with Gardens by the Bay. Visitors can look forward to a special series of such events throughout the year.

The floral display was launched today by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Finance and National Development Ms Indranee Rajah, together with Ambassador of Thailand to Singapore Her Excellency Mrs Ureerat Chareontoh and Assistant CEO of Gardens by the Bay Ms May Yeo.

Gardens by the Bay Assistant CEO Ms May Yeo said, “Singaporeans have a longstanding and warm relationship with Thailand, whose culture has always been a source of fascination. Gardens by the Bay serves as a floral window to the world, and in our first Thai-themed orchid display, we worked with the Royal Embassy of Thailand to weave in many familiar elements of Thai culture that have been intricately recreated by Thai artisans. Against this stunning backdrop, we introduce exquisite Thai orchids, which our horticulturists were inspired by Thai landscaping techniques to put together in organic and naturalistic ways.”

Orchids set against a backdrop rich with Thai culture

The blooms on show include iconic vandaceous orchids of the country such as Vanda, Rhynchostylis and Aranda, as well as diverse groups of Dendrobium.

Highlights of the Orchids from the Land of Smiles include:

• Dendrobium Snowflake ‘Red Star’: A cross between Dendrobium Cassiope and Dendrobium nobile, this traces its lineage to Dendrobium nobile, a key species in its ancestry. Dendrobium nobile is well known for its cane-like growth habit, deciduous nature, and ability to produce clusters of fragrant, long-lasting flowers along its stems.
• Paphiopedilum exul: The species epithet exul originates from the Latin word meaning “exiled” or “banished”, reflecting its geographical isolation from its close relative, Paphiopedilum insigne. Initially classified as a variety of Paphiopedilum insigne, it was later recognized as a distinct species. Endemic to the eastern shores of the Phuket-Krabi Gulf in Peninsular Thailand, it flourishes in rock crevices at elevations of up to 50m.
• Rhynchostylis gigantea: First described in the 1920s by botanist and orchidologist, Carl Blume, the Rhynchostylis genus is known for its distinctive spicy fragrance. Its inflorescence, a closely packed spray of orchids tapering like a fox's bushy tail, is a hallmark feature. The unique colour forms and long, tapering inflorescence have captivated collectors worldwide, making it a highly sought-after species in the orchid community because of their varieties.
• Vanda Somsri Blue Classic: A cross between Vanda Somsri Pink and Vanda coerulea – the famous Blue Vanda – this hybrid showcases large, vibrant purple flowers, enhancing its ornamental appeal.

Thai orchids have developed certain characteristics to cope with a wide range of habitats and attract pollinators. In Thailand, landscaping practices tend to leverage on these characteristics, which Gardens by the Bay’s horticulturists were inspired by.

For instance, vandaceous orchids are mostly epiphytes that grow on tree trunks, with long aerial roots that draw moisture and nutrients from the air. To best exhibit their trailing roots, they are mounted on tree trunks creating an organic visual flow. Meanwhile dendrobiums, with their arching flower sprays and clusters of flowers along their canes, are used to design a mass of colourful, eye-catching blooms. This composition highlights their natural growth habit, by emphasising the way they are carefully mounted or planted.

They are on show against a sweeping backdrop of legends and cultural icons of Thailand – intricate recreations which were hand carved by a team of award-winning sculptors who flew in specially from the country to work on the pieces at Gardens by the Bay. These include the Royal Pantheon, a landmark of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and the Grand Palace in Bangkok, built to honour the kings of the Chakri dynasty; the revered serpent the naga which represents the connection between humanity and the divine; and majestic yakshas – the mythical guardians from the Ramakien epic.

A verdant celebration of 60 years of international diplomatic relations with Singapore

Many of the countries who are commemorating 60 years of diplomatic relations with Singapore in 2025 will be collaborating with Gardens by the Bay on a line-up of diverse events that aim to share aspects of their culture with Singaporeans.

These events will include some of the changing floral displays in Flower Dome, such as Lilytopia with Italy, Rose Romance with the United Kingdom, Orchid Extravaganza featuring Malaysia, Sunflower Surprise with India and the Christmas Train Show featuring Denmark.

More details will be released soon.

More than 23,000 plants such as moth orchids, kalanchoes, and cyclamens were painstakingly inserted by hand, plant by plant, to form a dramatic 4.5m-tall, 26m-long living sculpture of Madam White Snake – the centrepiece of Gardens by the Bay’s Chinese New Year floral display Spring Blossoms (春花盛开之白蛇传).

Spring Blossoms was launched by Minister for Health Mr Ong Ye Kung, Gardens by the Bay CEO Mr Felix Loh, Gardens by the Bay Board Director Mr Eugene Wong, and the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Singapore His Excellency Cao Zhongming in Flower Dome today. The floral display runs until February 23.

Spring Blossoms is inspired by the Legend of the White Snake – one of China’s four great folklores, which tells the story of the love between a mortal man, Xu Xian, and a female snake spirit, Bai Suzhen, also known as Madam White Snake. This beloved tale is brought to life through mosaiculture – a complex horticultural art form that uses plants to create visually stunning living sculptures – in collaboration with leading Chinese landscaping company Beijing Florascape.

Putting together the floral display took about two weeks and involved cross-border collaboration between 33 horticulturists from both Gardens by the Bay and Beijing Florascape. An expert in mosaiculture, Beijing Florascape is also behind large-scale 3D floral installations for major China events such as the annual National Day floral displays at Tiananmen Square and the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Gardens by the Bay CEO Felix Loh said, “The enduring tale of Legend of the White Snake has themes of love, family, friendship, and filial piety, as well as overcoming challenges to achieve a happy ending. This Chinese New Year, we hope visitors will not only marvel at the showstopping floral artistry that Beijing Florascape has brought to Singapore, but also reflect on the timeless themes of love, resilience, and new beginnings that the Chinese New Year represents.”

The beauty of mosaiculture and other highlights

In addition to the sculpture of Madam White Snake, mosaiculture also features in other elements of the floral display, such as the Green Snake Xiaoqing, who is Madam White Snake’s loyal friend, and Jixian Pavilion, one of the iconic landmarks in Hangzhou’s West Lake. In total, more than 31,000 plants were used in all the mosaiculture elements.

Over 1,000 dahlias, all grown in-house, will also be showcased, including five new varieties. After all, dahlias symbolise prosperity and new beginnings, and are a hallmark of Gardens by the Bay’s Chinese New Year floral displays. Among the new varieties are Dahlia Buga Munchen 2005, a semi-cactus dahlia with a glowing yellow centre and vibrant magenta-pink petals rolled halfway to create a striking starburst-like effect, and Dahlia Maldini, a decorative variety with large deep pink blooms that develop delicate white tips as they mature.

There is also a 7m-tall replica of Leifeng Pagoda, where Madam White Snake was trapped as punishment for her love for a mortal man. Displayed within are two intricately crafted wooden models of Chinese pagodas on loan from the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM). These pagodas are part of a historic set of 84 pagodas showcased in ACM’s Pagoda Odyssey 1915: From Shanghai to San Francisco exhibition, and for a limited time, Flower Dome ticket holders can enjoy complimentary entry to the exhibition at ACM. 

The floral display also features a zodiac snake sculpture in a tribute to the Year of the Snake, and paper umbrellas, a reference to how in the story, Xu Xian and Madam White Snake had shared an umbrella on a rainy day. The items are on show courtesy of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Singapore, who is commemorating 35 years of Singapore-China diplomatic relations this year.

Other Chinese New Year events at Gardens by the Bay

To celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year, calligraphers from Peking University’s Calligraphy Education and Research Center will be writing spring couplets for visitors in Flower Dome. The free two-day event will take place on the opening weekend of Spring Blossoms on January 18 and 19 from 10am to 11.30am, or until supplies run out.

In the outdoors, River Hongbao returns to Gardens by the Bay for its fifth edition from January 27 to February 5 with vibrant lantern displays, captivating performances, an array of fun carnival games, and on the first three nights – firecrackers! There will also be a special exhibition that delves into the poignant tradition of early Chinese migrants sending remittance letters back home, which provides a window into the bonds of family that endured across generations and through distance.

Record number of Flower Dome floral displays in 2025

Gardens by the Bay welcomed a record-breaking 14.5 million visitors in 2024 – the highest number since it opened in 2012. To thank visitors for their support and to celebrate SG60 alongside the nation, Gardens by the Bay will present nine floral displays in the Flower Dome this year – the highest number since 2012.

Kicking off the celebrations is Spring Blossoms, followed by the iconic Sakura floral display in March, and then other floral displays featuring popular blooms such as tulips, lilies, roses and more. Each floral display will also incorporate rich cultural elements from around the world, including contributions from countries who will be marking 60 years of bilateral relations with Singapore this year.

Please refer to the Annex for more details on each floral display.

Spring Blossoms: Legend of Lady White Snake

Date: Until Sunday, 23 February 2025

Time: 9am to 9pm

Venue: Flower Dome (Admission charge applies)