You don’t have to journey across continents to experience the beauty of tulips. In fact, you can even do it just a short jaunt away in Singapore. That’s because Gardens by the Bay is hosting, Tulipmania: Origins of the Tulip, one of the most well-loved floral displays in the country.

Tulips Up Close

With long, pointed petals often in red and yellow, Tulipa acuminata bears little resemblance to the conventional cup-shaped tulip. Also known as the Fire Flame or Turkish Tulip, it is one of the three tulip varieties cultivated from native tulip species originating in Türkiye, that are a highlight of the ninth edition of Gardens by the Bay’s Tulipmania floral display. Such tulip varieties are a rare sight in this part of the world.

This year’s display is held in collaboration with the Embassy of Türkiye in Singapore and is supported by Bloomberg. Tulips are native to Eastern Türkiye and were first cultivated by the Ottomans. The tulip is also the country’s national flower and interwoven into the country’s culture and history.

More Than Just Flowers

Tulipmania: Origins of the Tulip runs until 21 May 2023. But for visitors, this provides a unique opportunity to discover up to thirty varieties of tulips of diverse colours and forms on display. Complementing the tulips are blooms native to Türkiye such as hyacinths and fritillarias. But more than just the tulip, the beautiful landscape of Türkiye has also been recreated in the Flower Dome.

Visitors can experience a recreation of the Galata Tower, Safranbolu houses and the Library of Celsus. There are also nine hot air balloons that adorn a landscape reminiscent of the scenic Cappadocia region at sunrise.

In addition to that, there will also be curated exhibition of traditional Turkish art pieces in Flower Dome’s Mediterranean Garden, featuring art forms such as Iznik ceramics, copper works and kilim rugs, many of which are adorned with botanical motifs like tulips. These art pieces are on loan from the Turkish embassy and specially shipped from Türkiye.

(Images: Gardens by the Bay)