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| Bonsai Gardens at the Chinese Garden, Jurong. |
Saturday’s sketchwalk began the day before: I had a pot of green tea
late in the evening and did not get to sleep till 4 a.m., Saturday morning. The
morning showers dampened the spirit to venture to the west too (a 90-minute
train journey, no less).
Since I had already packed for the trip the evening before, I
thought, “Might as well…”
So it was in the late afternoon, after another brief shower, that I
found myself with the tranquil grounds of the Chinese Garden.
Designed by Taiwanese architect Prof. Yuen-chen Yu and built in
1975, the space is modelled after the northern Chinese imperial style of
architecture and landscaping, particularly during the Sung dynasty period. The
‘Bai Hong Qiao’ bridge, for instance, follows the style of the 17-Arch Bridge at
the Summer Palace in Beijing.
One of the other highlights include a Bonsai Garden, which houses a
collection of over a hundred beautifully manicured bonsais imported from
Malaysia, China, Taiwan, Japan, Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand. Opened in
June 1992, the Suzhou-style Bonsai Garden cost an estimate $3.8 million to
build. This 5,800-square-metre garden with Suzhou-style buildings
(incorporating a main hall of 50 square metres) and landscape houses a
collection of over 2,000 bonsais imported from China and other parts of the
world.
The Bonsai Garden has taken on a new look. Newly revitalised, it is
designed as a largest Suzhou-style Bonsai garden of its kind outside of China.
Within the enclosure, a Bonsai Training Centre has been launched. The public
are encouraged to sign up for the course, taught by resident Bonsai experts
from Shanghai and Suzhou and learn how to prune and care for Bonsais and how to
appreciate the beauty of this unique artistry.
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