Uncle-nephew duo win big at S'pore Garden Festival

A garden designed by an uncle-nephew duo that reimagines an Orchard Road where buildings are connected by bridges filled with greenery won big at this year's Singapore Garden Festival.

To symbolise the bridges, local landscape designer Eliam Eng and his nephew Andy Eng created a spiral structure taller than 4m made of metal, fibreglass and rattan that sits in the middle of the 64 sq m garden, with fruit trees such as the strawberry guava, as well as nutmeg light installations.

Titled The Orchard Bridge, the garden and five other show gardens are now on display at the biennial festival, which is being held at Ngee Ann City, Ion Orchard and the Singapore Botanic Gardens.

At a ceremony held at Ion Orchard yesterday, Mr Eliam Eng, 69, and Mr Andy Eng, 46, won the Gold Award, Best of Show and Best Construction awards in the festival's Show Garden competition.

The younger Mr Eng, who is passionate about landscaping, said: "I hope the public will appreciate landscaping and young people will start to join our trade."

National Development Minister Desmond Lee also gave out awards for the festival's Community Garden Edibles competition, where unique edibles such as a silver skin onion and a polar bear pumpkin - white, as its name suggests - were brought in by gardening enthusiasts.

Winning fruit and vegetables can be viewed at the Cavern of Edibles outside Ion Orchard.

Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, who was guest of honour, said he is confident the festival will galvanise a growing interest in community gardening.

He said: "In my ward in East Coast, and in other constituencies around Singapore, community gardens are blossoming and flourishing."

Mr Heng added that beyond the festival, the Government plans to transform Orchard Road into a lush green urban corridor.

Part of this year's festival is held in Orchard Road in support of ongoing efforts to rejuvenate the shopping street with new retail experiences and more greenery.

Organised by the National Parks Board, the festival features 28 displays by local and international professional designers and community gardeners.

Australian designer Christian Jenkins, 49, also received a Gold Award for his show garden titled Inner Growth Garden, which focuses on mental wellness and features rare plants such as a 60-year-old fan palm.

He said that as people become busier with work, gardens can help them recharge.

"I'd like visitors to feel a nice connection inside their hearts, a sense of calmness and happiness," he added.