The Garden City of Singapore meets its match in the Garden City of Toowoomba at the Flower Dome and you don’t want to miss it. Gardens by the Bay’s latest Australian-themed showcase, Carnival of Flowers, is dubbed after the similarly named event in Toowoomba – an Australian city famous for its spectacular display of spring flowers during its own annual Carnival of Flowers. The showcase on our shores pays homage to the iconic Queensland festival by including the most colourful blooms native to Down Under. You’ll find stunning Australian flora like kangaroo paw, snapdragon, manuka myrtle, and banksia under one roof – no need to book a flight ticket. At the heart of the showcase, inspired by Toowoomba’s Grand Central Floral Parade, you’ll find charming floats adorned with preserved flowers – keep an eye out for the picturesque Ferris wheel and a rotating merry-go-round.
But it's not just florals that take centre stage at this showcase – there’s plenty of unique art to admire too. Look closely and you’ll see that among the flowers are 400 vibrantly painted wooden ornaments of beloved Australian wildlife, from fuzzy koalas to beloved kangaroos. These were done by students from Canberra Primary School in Singapore and Rangeville State School in Toowoomba, representing a cross-cultural collaboration transcending physical distance.
Local artist PeiPer also amps up the colourful showcase with sustainably crafted, larger-than-life flowers not too different from the real thing, giving life to recycled and repurposed materials. Along with admiring the symbolic Aboriginal art on the ceremonial poles throughout the showcase, you must stop by the specially reworked Genestreaming Journey Sculpture, which fuses Aboriginal and contemporary field naturalist art. Find out more about this unique showcase and get your tickets here, or check out Gardens by the Bay’s Philippines-themed orchid showcase at Cloud Forest.
