Parks and gardens perhaps, but you don't expect to find genuine rainforest in Singapore. In fact, it exists here in abundance, in public areas such as Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Labrador Park and MacRitchie Reservoir, and outside the window of the MRT train as I head to the shopping hub of Bugis Junction. The last two days in Singapore have been nothing if not green - and now I'm horticulturally inspired.
It was the allure of orchids, mainly, that drew me to the gardens. Singapore is famous for them, hosting roughly 900 species and more than 2,000 hybrids, which are grown for the market and simple visual pleasure.
The main commercial centre for these delicate plants is Mandai Orchid Garden, in the island's north. The orchids thrive here, with spectacular sprays ballooning out of rows of robust stands. A highlight is the Vanda Miss Joaquim, a hybrid discovered by a Miss Agnes Joaquim in her garden in the late 19th century. This mauve and white beauty has since become Singapore's national flower.
If Mandai's patent is profusion, then that of the National Orchid Garden is pure art. Established within the Botanic Gardens in 1995, it is three hectares of lush, orchid-friendly forest. The piece de resistance is the Tan Hoon Siang Mist House, where a tropically moist atmosphere is maintained in utter stillness. It spawns some dazzling blooms, among them the phalaenopsis hybrid, the deep pink linear markings of which seem to be the work of a graphic artist. Chilly mountain-top climes are likewise reproduced in the recently opened Cool House. Tropical montane orchids bloom here in profusion and the unacclimatised visitor is blissfully refreshed with a cool, misty spray.
Endowed with three impressive ornamental lakes, the Botanic Gardens proper cover 52 hectares. They were established in 1859 and have been a favourite with Singapore's nature lovers, as well as early joggers and exponents of tai chi, ever since. They serve also as a proving ground for the many new plant species introduced from other parts of Asia, Europe and Australia.
A perennial drawcard for Singapore's visitors is Sentosa Island, with its theme park, aquarium, forthcoming casino and, yes, plenty of rainforest to explore.