Speech by 2M Indranee Rajah at the Singapore Gardeners' Cup and the Community Garden Edibles Competition Prize Presentation Ceremony at the Singapore Garden Festival 2026

Introduction

Good morning, everyone. I am delighted to join all of you here this morning on the opening day of the Singapore Garden Festival 2026. This year marks a very special edition of the Festival - the 10th edition!

When NParks first launched the Singapore Garden Festival in 2006, the vision was to celebrate world-class horticultural excellence and to inspire Singaporeans to fall in love with gardening.

Twenty years on, the vision has taken root, with the Festival blossoming into one of the world's premier international garden and flower shows.

I am struck not just by the beauty of the displays, but by what they represent - the passion, the skill, and the sheer dedication of so many people who have made gardening a part of their lifestyle. In fact, some years, the melons have been so huge - it's very difficult to carry.

Growing a Gardening Movement

Just last year, we celebrated the 20th anniversary of NParks' Community in Bloom, or the CIB, programme.

The seeds of the programme were planted in 2005, when a few residents came together to brighten a corner of their estate with greenery, and they approached NParks for advice.

From that small beginning, the CIB programme has flourished into a thriving community of over 2,000 groups comprising more than 48,000 gardening enthusiasts.

To further support our gardening community, NParks has rolled out initiatives such as the Allotment Gardening Scheme, and the GardeningSG online resource portal.

On that note, I am pleased to announce that NParks' most popular publication - "1001 Garden Plants in Singapore: A New Compendium" - is now available as a free digital book.

First published in 2003, this fourth edition features over 2,700 plants commonly found in Singapore, complete with care requirements and plant characteristics.

So I encourage everyone to download it from NParks' GardeningSG website. It is a treasure trove for any gardening enthusiast.

About Singapore Gardeners' Cup and the Community Garden Edibles Competition

One of today's highlights is the Singapore Gardeners' Cup and the Community Garden Edibles Competition - and I am very much looking forward to that.

The Singapore Gardeners' Cup has been a fixture and a key highlight of the Garden Festival.

Gardening groups from across Singapore work closely with NParks staff, landscape architects, and designers to create their own thematic garden displays.

This year, for the first time, participants are also supported by seasoned CIB Ambassadors - who are Master Community Gardeners who have undergone advanced training by horticultural experts from NParks.

These Ambassadors - Mdm Kamisah Atan, Ms Gina Ong, Mr Richard Ashworth and Mr Yeap Keat Tong - have taken part in every previous edition of the Singapore Gardeners' Cup and are now paying it forward, by mentoring fellow gardeners participating in this year's competition.

This is the kind of community spirit we want to see - I am glad that gardeners who have honed their craft over the years are stepping forward to guide and inspire others in the community.

The Community Garden Edibles Competition embodies a similar spirit.

It provides a platform for local gardeners to showcase their ability to grow quality harvests, including uncommon or unique fruits and vegetables.

Over the years, new categories have been added to raise the bar of horticultural excellence within the gardening community.

What I find particularly heartening is that competitors do not just compete - they learn from one another and encourage each other to do better.

To all the participants of both competitions - congratulations on your efforts and I can't wait to see what you have created.

Celebrating SGF's 10th edition with "Carnival of Blooms"

As the Festival marks its 10th edition with the theme "Carnival of Blooms", visitors can enjoy an exciting array of signature SGF competitions and stunning displays, alongside brand-new festival experiences.

You can catch the next generation of landscape talent at the Landscape Design Challenge, where ITE and polytechnic students take on the task of creating a garden from scratch.

There is also the Floral Windows to the World Championship, a world-class showdown between top international floral designers from 17 countries.

On your way in, you may have already noticed some of the striking floral installations, including an eight-metre-high Floral Roller Coaster, and the specially curated themed gardens and light installations designed to engage the senses.

At the Flower Dome, you can admire rare and show-winning orchid varieties at the Singapore Orchid Show, organised in partnership with the Orchid Society of Southeast Asia, as well as Indonesian-themed orchid displays at the Orchid Extravaganza.

Conclusion

So let me close by saying this. What makes Singapore a City in Nature is not just our parks and green corridors - it is really the people - the people who tend them, champion them, and share them with others. Our community gardeners, volunteers, and partners are the heart of this movement, and today's ceremony is our way of celebrating everything you have contributed.

Thank you for what you do, and I wish you all a wonderful time at the Singapore Garden Festival.