Living in a public flat often means having little space to grow vegetables and herbs. These innovative suggestions will make gardening a weekend to-do.
Due to space constraints, gardening in Singapore is a hobby that goes beyond one’s backyard.
This year, 213 community gardens in public housing estates vied for the Community in Bloom Awards by the National Parks Board (NParks). In 2014, a total of 174 such gardens took part, The Straits Times reported.
NParks facilitates the setting up of these gardens as they “bring people together and enable them to contribute towards the realisation of our City in a Garden Vision,” said Mr Ng Cheow Kheng, its Group Director of Horticulture and Community Gardening.
Beyond these gardens, there are outlets for those looking to grow or even harvest vegetables and herbs in the island nation. Here are four that the Aerinlé team loved:
1) Comcrop
Farming doesn’t have to be inconvenient. Comcrop spans 6,000 square feet and is located at the rooftop of *SCAPE, in the heart of the Orchard Road shopping district. It provides herbs to restaurants and hotels in the vicinity. Visit its Facebook page for upcoming volunteer sessions.
2) Urban Farm & Barn
Credit: Urban Farm & Barn
Besides helping to set up a garden at one’s doorstep, the farm at Bukit Panjang Hill conducts tours and has seeds and seedlings for sale. It also has a cool initiative where members of the public can adopt a vertical farm, meaning that they can sow seeds and return 10 days later for the harvest. This method doesn’t involve the use of chemicals and can be used to grow adult vegetables.
3) Project 33
If you’re bogged down by space constraints, be part of a community started by someone who isn’t. Project 33 is the brainchild of Mr Alexius Yeo, who has an urban farm at the backyard of his home in Serangoon North. It shares 33 per cent of produce with the group, such as herbs and vegetables. Members meet regularly for gardening workshops and potluck sessions.
4) The Plant Story
Credit: The Plant Story
This is the perfect place for someone looking to create a miniature home garden. We guarantee that the aesthetics will please; just check out the company’s wide range of apothecary jars and DIY kits. You can even shop online.
Have you caught a case of green fingers? Send us pictures of your garden at enquiry@aerinle.com.
