SINGAPORE - Two new community garden trails were launched on Tuesday (Oct 24) to allow people to learn more about gardening and meet those who do so in their area.

The new trails, in Bukit Gombak-Hong Kah North and Teck Ghee, bring the total number of such trails to five, said the National Parks Board (NParks) in unveiling the new routes.

The 6km Teck Ghee trail runs through 12 community gardens, including those growing squashes, bitter gourds and tropical fruits.

The one in Bukit Gombak-Hong Kah North runs through nine gardens, including those with bonsai, passion fruit, yellow cosmos flowers and red button ginger. The trail is also around 6km long.

Visitors can explore the routes by downloading guides from the NParks website. The guides include a map of the gardens along the trail, as well as each garden's features, opening hours and gardeners' contact information.

There are more than 1,300 community gardens in Singapore, with the first trail in Bukit Panjang opening in 2015.
The other trails are in Tampines and Fengshan, and were developed to create greater awareness of community gardens and unite like-minded residents to share their love for gardening, said NParks.

Retired hawker Lim Yong Moi, 63, said the trails liven up community gardens. Mr Lim, who has been gardening for about 20 years, is among residents in 120 households tending to two gardens in the Bukit Panjang area, which students from primary and secondary schools visit on field trips.

Housewife Kavitha Palanivelu, 43, who lives in Bukit Gombak where one of the new trails is, said: "The trails are a good way for families to explore the neighbourhood and spend time together, instead of staying at home."

NParks will be organising guided tours of the two new trails on Nov 11 and 12, in conjunction with the Community Garden Festival, which will be held from Nov 3 to 5 in HortPark, off Alexandra Road.

The guides can be downloaded here.