Have you seen a winter melon weighing a whopping 24.06kg or lady’s finger that measured 46.4cm? These giant veggies and other special-themed displays such as underwater aquatic gardens and an “old-school” bus stop nestled amid plants found in public and home gardens in the past were among the key highlights at the Community Garden Festival (CGF) 2019, which took place from 1 to 3 November at the Jurong Lake Gardens.
In attendance at the third edition of the CGF were Mr Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Mr Heng Swee Keat and Mr Desmond Lee, Minister for Social and Family Development and Second Minister in the Ministry of National Development, and Advisor to Jurong GRC Grassroots Organisations, who took a keen interest in learning more about the locally-grown vegetables and plant varieties.
While the heavy winter melon came from Toh Guan Park Community Garden, the lady’s finger came from Bukit Panjang Zone 8 Garden 2. Gardening enthusiasts who attended the event gathered insights on innovative technologies, such as smart gardening, grow lights and garden bed kits, which could be incorporated into the home for novel gardening projects. The festival also featured a plant clinic, which showcased exhibits of common plant diseases and pests, as well as the unique characteristics of various soil types. Plant health experts also did an on-site assessment of the visitors’ plants and provided advice on how to care for their plants.
Community gardeners who have tended to their crops with dedication and love were also presented with awards for their winning gardens in “The Community Garden Edibles Competition”. Community gardening has come a long way in Singapore, starting with only one experimental garden in Mayfair Park Estate back in 2005. Today, the community gardening movement has blossomed into a nation-wide phenomenon with 1,500 community gardens across our island.
Opening the festival, Mr Heng shared plans on how to nurture the next generation of youth stewards and professionals in the landscape, horticulture and ecology sector. Mr Heng also shared that philanthropist Mr Peter Lim will be setting up a Peter Lim Horticulture and Animal Science Scholarship for youths from less privileged backgrounds to take part in this initiative.
