Back to the Future – Gardens by the Bay, Singapore

The Frustrated Gardener

I’ve seen the future …. and it’s kind of strange!

There’s been lots in the UK travel press about the development of Gardens by the Bay in Singapore, so I was desperate to squeeze a visit into our 7 hour stop over on the way to Burma. Despite being groggy from a 12 hour flight, our lovely friends Louise, Rick and their little boy Archie treated us to a strong cuppa and then transported us in air-conditioned luxury to this horticultural extravaganza.

To describe the Gardens by the Bay to anyone in the UK, the simplest comparison would be with the Eden Project, in my beloved Cornwall. However this is Singapore, so everything has to be bigger, better and more high tech. And of course, when it comes to the conservatories, the tables are turned. No need to pamper tropical species in hot houses here, so the precious indoor space…

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Keeping Streets Safe and Beautiful

xamary

San Francisco’s busy Powell Street is safer thanks to this beautifully designed stainless steel planter.  Powell Street is crowded with tourists but to keep them from easily crossing the street and perhaps getting hit by traffic and cable cars, this long planter along the curb encourages them to stay on the sidewalk and walk to the intersection.  The edge is just wide enough to allow people to perch to eat their lunch or chat with friends, but sufficiently uncomfortable to discourage loitering.

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Natural Systems Domination by Tres Birds Workshop

KARMATRENDZ

Tres Birds, a design/build architecture firm, created a temporary nature-inspired art installation in downtown Denver, Colorado.

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Curbside Catastrophe: Paramount Plaza

Erbology

This plaza serves as an entry to the stately 48 story building at 1633 Broadway. Located in the heart of the theater district, Paramount Plaza gets tons of foot traffic which is all the more reason for my disappointment when I saw their fall planting.

One large Chrysanthemum was plunked in the middle of each planter. The plantings don’t have any imagination or whimsy and because of the intermixed colors it looks like an afterthought.  There are so many better options for fall annuals and foliage displays that Chrysanthemums are obsolete from a design perspective.

This planting was a missed opportunity to wow visitors and draw attention to Paramount Plaza’s real estate. The planters are screaming for something with height to match the scale of the surrounding street trees. What if they used Pennisetum rubrum for its tall deep red leaves, or even ‘Purple Majesty’ Ornamental Millet. That would set the stage for…

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