Singapore Garden Festival 2008
25 Jul – 1 Aug 2008
Suntec City Convention Centre
Singapore

SINGAPORE GARDEN FESTIVAL UNVEILS STAR DESIGNERS FOR 2008 SHOW

- New Expo Component Provides Platform for International and Local Experts to Network and Exchange Ideas -

Singaporeans and visitors can expect more elaborate garden and floral creations when the biennial Singapore Garden Festival (SGF) returns on 25 July 2008. Continuing with the tradition of showcasing the best international garden and floral designers under one roof, the National Parks Board (NParks), organiser of the festival, unveiled its list of 18 international and local garden designers who will participate in SGF 2008 at an evening event tonight.

The special curtain-raiser, organised in celebration of the launch of SGF 2008, was officiated by Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, Parliamentary Secretary for National Development and Guest of Honour for the evening.

The 18 garden designers come from 13 countries including Singapore. The foreign designers were in town to take a brief on the competition. Last year’s big-time winners return to compete again – Singapore’s Henry Steed (winner in the category, Best of Show for Landscape Gardens), Peter Cheok (Best of Show in the Fantasy Gardens category) and Australia’s Jim Fogarty (Royal Horticultural Society, UK Award of Excellence and Gold Award in the Landscape Gardens category).

In addition to the awards for the designers, next year’s SGF will also recognise the talents of contractors who partner with these designers to implement the designs. Gold, Silver and Bronze awards will be handed out to the winning partnering contractors, who are mainly Singapore-based firms.

Engaging the Trade

Another new key component of SGF 2008 is the launch of the SGF Expo. The three-day trade and business event will kick-start on 24 July 2008, a day before the Singapore Garden Festival opens to the public. Targeted at landscape and horticulture professionals from around the world, it seeks to provide an international meeting place for industry players to network, exchange ideas and explore all facets of landscape design and horticulture in Asia. The event, which comprises a trade exhibition and conference, will also showcase new technologies and trends on innovative landscape designs.

Of this trade component of the Festival, Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman said: “The trade exhibition aims to boost the vast business potential of this industry, while the conference will bring together leading practitioners to share best practices and provide insights into emerging markets and trends driving the industry. The expanded Singapore Garden Festival will be the first international landscape and horticulture event of such scale in Singapore, reflecting our desire to develop Singapore as a centre for horticultural excellence.”

Popular Highlights Return to the Festival

Aside from the new SGF Expo component, and the return of the Show Gardens, the other key highlights will return to the festival:

• Floral Windows of the World will showcase stunning cut-flower displays by 16 floral designers from Singapore and abroad. (Details to be confirmed)
• Singapore Orchid Show, a dazzling display of Southeast Asia’s rich and diverse heritage of orchids
• Garden Fiesta, including fringe activities such as talks, demonstrations and other exhibits catering to the public, families, serious gardeners as well as hobbyists
• Vibrant Marketplace, offering a wide array under one roof of plants, gardening and landscape products and services, and arts & crafts for sale

Visitors can enjoy the 8-day event which will be housed at the Suntec City Convention Centre from 25 July to 1 August 2008. Ticketing details will be announced early next year.

For now, the public can log on to www.singaporegardenfestival.com for more information.