Set out to be Singapore’s third national gardens after Singapore Botanic Gardens and Gardens by the Bay, Jurong Lake Gardens (JLG) is developed with an emphasis on nature, community and play. The first national garden to be in the heartlands, JLG is located a stone’s throw away from Lakeside MRT station. Lakeside Garden, the 53-hectare western section of JLG is the first phase to open in April 2019 as part of the 90-hectare JLG. Finally opened after 7 long years of work, the gardens comprise a myriad of spaces landscaped to provide respite from the hustle and bustle of life for people of all ages.
For starters, children aged 5 to 12 can play to their hearts’ content at a massive 2.3-hectare play area called Forest Ramble. Forest Ramble is a nature-inspired playground with 13 play zones named after animals that inhibit freshwater swamps. It is designed to incorporate elements that would encourage children to imitate the movements of the freshwater swamp creatures. For instance, Crab Play is a passage of wooden crates with pop-up ‘windows’ for children to play peek-a-boo with the outside world and it is meant to mimic the experience of a crab popping out from the sand to spy on the world around it. Frog Play, on the other hand, is made up of a series of sunken trampolines, allowing children to pretend to be a frog and jump from one ‘lily pad’ to the next. The wooden structures that dot Forest Ramble allow children to reconnect with nature through active and creative play. Finally, it is worthy to mention that Forest Ramble is all-inclusive as it has wheelchair friendly play areas that would cater to the needs of the disabled.
With the advent of social media platforms such as Instagram, everyone is rushing to capture ‘instaworthy’ photos that can garner the likes of their followers. Though newly established, Lakeside Garden has since proven itself to be a new photography hotspot place as I have witnessed scores of photographers and their subjects on photoshoots the multiple times I visited!
The Grasslands, an area dotted with slopes and troves of tall grasses, make for a picture-perfect spot for just about anybody! It also features the Lone Tree, a sculpture made from recycled iron bars salvaged from old park pathways. The distinct structure stands erect among the tall grasses and make for an ideal perch for raptors such as the Brahminy Kite.
If you are seeking some fun in the sun, you can even embark on a kayaking or pedal boating adventure for a small price!
Despite the Gardens being located in the heartlands, it does not fail to match up to our two other national gardens – the Singapore Botanic Gardens and the highly coveted Gardens by the Bay. Take time to visit this ravishing nature-scape when you can!
(Up next: Nature Reserves)