Welcome to the Sun Pavillion, one of the myriad themed gardens in the Gardens by the Bay! If you think Singapore is hot, this garden will feel like you’re in one of the many dry deserts in the world. If you ignore the humidity, I am sure the ambient heat will make you feel just right at home with these plants.
As you amble through the garden, you’ll be surrounded by succulents and cacti galore, and you can learn about some of the more charismatic species featured in the garden from the information boards. Just try not to prick yourself on the many thorny flora that you’ll find here in the garden.
And… since you’re reading this – here’s a pop quiz: do you know the difference between cacti and succulents?
Succulents are a broad group of plants that can be found in every continent except Antarctica and are defined by their ability to store water in their leaves and stems, which makes them especially resilient to long periods of drought. The term is not a taxonomic one i.e. it doesn’t define a specific family or order of plants, but rather adaptation features of certain plants. The succulents technically include almost all cacti, the aloes, baobabs, yuccas, palm trees and even some unexpected ones, like orchids and figs.
Cacti (the plural of cactus) are plants from the family Cactaceae, which are only native to the Americas. Yup, there are no (native) cacti in the Sahara! The cacti all share one very distinct feature, which are their thorns. The thorns are modified leaves and branches, designed to minimise surface area from which water may be lost from and to deter animals from grazing on them. The water is stored in the rather substantial stem of the cactus, which is the succulent part of the cactus. There are three distinct types of cacti: the bulbous (round, squat cacti), columnar (tall and slender) and arborescent (tree-like). You’ll see a good variety of cacti in the garden and, better still, you’re now armed with this new-found knowledge.
And about the cache: please do not step off the trail or damage any plants while searching for it! You’ll be able to retrieve the cache with no harm to both you and the plants’ lives and limbs. The cache is well-camouflaged, but I am sure it’ll not escape your eagle eyes (and there’s the additional hint to assist as well). Please replace and recover the cache carefully to keep it safe from muggles. Thanks for visiting and happy hunting!