See the beauty in rocks at Gardens by the Bay

Remote video URL
Designed by Japanese landscape designer Jun-ichi Inada, The Canyon features Singapore's largest collection of sculptural rocks. Shaped by weather and time, several of them are more than 1,000 years old. The 10m-high granite Huabiao, or Chinese totem,
Designed by Japanese landscape designer Jun-ichi Inada, The Canyon features Singapore's largest collection of sculptural rocks. Shaped by weather and time, several of them are more than 1,000 years old. The 10m-high granite Huabiao, or Chinese totem, is also part of the garden. PHOTO: TIFFANY GOH FOR THE STRAITS TIMES

Gardens by the Bay unveiled a brand new attraction yesterday and this time, the focus is not on the plants, but rocks.

Designed by established Japanese landscape designer Jun-ichi Inada, the park's newest attraction, The Canyon, features Singapore's largest collection of sculptural rocks, with over 60 one-of-a-kind rock forms on display.

"Nature has many marvellous elements, and while flora is much celebrated at Gardens by the Bay, The Canyon offers a different perspective by showcasing the beauty in rocks," said Dr Kiat W. Tan, CEO of Gardens by the Bay.

"We hope that this is a place that will inspire a sense of wonder in children, especially since the young have such unfettered imagination."

The team at Gardens by the Bay spent close to three years sourcing for rock forms in Shandong, China for use in the garden, selecting each specimen for its aesthetic appeal, impressive size and unique shape.

Naturally shaped by weather and time, several of these granite rock forms are more than a thousand years old. The widest rock measures 9m across, while the tallest towers over visitors at 7m.

The Canyon also features 200 exotic plant species from arid regions specially selected for their unusual appearances or surprising qualities to complement the unique rock forms, as well as four sculptures.

Mr Lee Kum Weng, 72, a retiree who visits the park regularly, was impressed.

"It's a very special rock garden. Some of the rocks resemble lions," he said in Mandarin.

"You have to look at it slowly to admire it."

Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on November 11, 2016, with the headline See the beauty in rocks at Gardens by the Bay. Subscribe