These extraordinary gardens, part of Singapore’s strategy to transform itself from being a Garden City to a City in a Garden, were only opened in 2011, after an international competition which was, in part, won by a firm of Bath landscape architects. As Robin Lane Fox said in last weekend’s FT, why on earth did we in London not use our own talent  to create a similar legacy in the Millennium Dome Gardens? Which have now been ploughed over…after £1bn was spent on them.

The major defining landmark of these gardens are the enormous metal ‘Supertrees’, with a 22m high suspended walkway, which overlooks the bay. At night time they are lit up like fairyland! While not yet mature enough, you can see the idea is to have a living vertical carpet of plants – orchids, bromeliads, begonias etc growing up towards the respective crowns. Stunning.

The other highlight is the  Cloud Forest, a recreated highland plant environment, with a 35m gushing waterfall and the cold damp climate of tropical rain-forest and montane areas – again spectacular orchids, pitcher plants, and fine totems from East Timor.

The gallery of photos should give you some idea of this amazing place – even if only taken with my little iPhone. Ross’s website – see link opposite – has much better photos!