With gardening expertise from Shanghai, the winter-blooming plum blossoms have successfully bloomed in Singapore's tropical climate, where daytime temperatures hover around 30 C, allowing local residents and international visitors to enjoy the beauty of such flowers at the signature Chinese New Year floral display.
Cold-loving plum blossoms breaking free from the constraints of the seasons is a key horticultural highlight of this Year of the Horse floral display that is ongoing at Singapore's Gardens by the Bay, a world-renowned tourist attraction.
Themed Spring Blossoms: Gallop into Prosperity, the floral display was jointly designed and set up by teams from Shanghai Garden Group Corporation and Gardens by the Bay. The Shanghai team lent their expertise in Jiangnan (referring to the southern regions of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River) gardens, while the Singapore team provided guidance on the overall set-up, plant palette and horticultural knowledge specific to the Singapore context. The floral display opened on Jan 16, and will last through March 1, offering a cultural feast blending Jiangnan garden artistry with Chinese traditions.
The achievement of having cold-loving plum blossoms bloom in the tropical Lion City is a testament to the technical prowess of the Shanghai team. According to project leader Ju Xiaodan, the team embarked on a meticulous preparation process three to four months in advance, developing a comprehensive system integrating selection, control, transportation, and maintenance to overcome challenges.
The first hurdle was selecting robust plum saplings with stable blooming periods. This set the foundation for their off-season flowering. The next critical phase was vernalization, where the saplings underwent about 20 days of continuous low temperatures to transition from growth to reproductive flowering, simulating their natural winter environment.
"Finally, after the saplings arrived in Singapore, they underwent a gradual warming and acclimatization process to slowly adjust to a constant temperature of 22 C, ultimately ensuring that they would bloom steadily during the exhibition," says Ju.
With such technological breakthrough, the "flower street", one of the 10 scenes in the floral display, becomes a focal point, featuring the "four gentlemen" among Chinese flowers: plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum. They symbolize qualities of resilience, elegance, integrity, and tranquility, respectively, and represent the pursuit and aspiration for noble characters in traditional Chinese culture.
"In a stunning display, plum blossoms, peonies, and chrysanthemums bloom simultaneously, defying seasonal boundaries. This floral spectacle, a testament to advanced horticultural techniques and meticulous craftsmanship, invites visitors to appreciate the profound aesthetics of Chinese culture," says Ju.
Beyond the vibrant seasonal blooms, the floral display intricately weaves Jiangnan garden elegance with auspicious themes for the Year of the Horse, according to the design team. Inspired by the ancient Chinese painting Eight Horses, the scene "dancing horses among flowers" features horse lanterns crafted using the traditional lantern-making technique from Zigong city, Sichuan province, whose lantern festival was inscribed as a national-level intangible cultural heritage.
"These vibrant lanterns, made with steel frames and fabric, embody the dynamic spirit and cultural richness of horses, symbolizing prosperity and success for new year blessings," Ju says.
