CHRISTALIA CHANDRA

OUR TASK

During our time at Gardens by the Bay, we were placed under our mentor, the assistant director of the Conservatory Operations at Gardens by the Bay, who is in charge of the maintenance and designing of flower field in the Flower Dome. This meant that we were involved both in helping the workers there, known as the ‘Green Army’, with the maintenance of the current display, as well as in doing some research work. We were tasked to complete research and collect inspiration for an upcoming showcase that would be displayed in late 2021. At the time that we joined, our mentor already had several themes in mind, so we were assigned to research on one of the themes, with some basic structures and topics she had instructed us to learn more about. To complete what we were given, we decided to split up the workload and research on our specific topics, before later coming together to compile all our findings.

Researching

We started off simple, each choosing a topic to further delve into. At this stage of our research, we were able to get a general idea of the culture and environment needed for inspiration for the showcase, as well as better understood the significant structures required as centerpieces for the display. We also found new interesting concepts such as that of desertification and what is being done to combat it that may help serve as further inspiration for the showcase.

We then went further in depth with our research, zooming in on the more relevant topics. In digging deeper into our theme, we managed to compile a list of specific plants, and also found more information on patterns, symbols, and art there to help with our research. As a result of the research done on art, our mentor was able to pick out another structure that she wanted to use in the display, which she then instructed me to get more information on for a storyboard.

SKETCHING

We then began planning the layout and sizing of the structures she wanted in the display. This was done using an A3 field plan they provided. It was helpful for us to be able to walk around the flower field area where the display would be at to allow us to gain inspiration on what better for our proposed display.

Later, we were also given the task of gaining a better perspective on the structures and layout, so one of the other students was assigned to do some sketches and a 3D modelling of the plan on Blender, while I was taught to create borders and designs to be used for the display boards. In doing so, I gained valuable insight on designing and how they come up with such boards, and learned that it is good to simplify your designs to bring visitors’ attention to the words and stories on the boards rather than your design. I later also familiarized myself with how to digitize these ideas for my mentor's reference.

Modelling

Nearing the end, our mentors also provided us with some floral foam blocks and taught us how to use them to carve and sculpt models of the structures needed to give them a better perspective of the design, and hence help them better plan the layout of their display. This was both exciting and beneficial as it was something new to us and we were excited to see what we could do to help make the idea come to life even further. We were told that this idea had been brought up by other interns before us, and that they have since continued using the idea to allow them to bring about displays of better quality by putting themselves in the point of view of the visitors.

In the end, we were able to present our mentor with a booklet of the final research we had completed, as well as a few models for their use in deciding the display’s final look. Through completing the project we were assigned there, we gained valuable insights on the behind the scenes of how they come up with their displays, gained new knowledge on topics we had not thought to research before, and learned new skills such as 3D modelling, designing and carving models that are interesting and may prove to be useful in the future.

Pruning

As we were also involved with the gardening works at the Flower Dome, we spent a great deal of our time with the workers there responsible for the maintenance of the gardens and for caring for the plants. We were lucky to be able to learn from them how to prune the dahlias in the Chinese New Year “Dahlia Dreams” display in order to ensure that the flowers would look neat and healthy for the visitors. We learnt that pruning was done to allow energy from the plants to be put into forming new flower buds instead of fruits, and that they usually bloom every 2 weeks. Due to the use of pesticide, we were also taught that we were not supposed to give away the flowers we cut to visitors despite their insistence.

We did the pruning and maintenance work regularly every morning to help the workers, and hence always came across many visitors. While at first it was daunting to explain to them what we were doing, after some time there and with the help of explanations from the people there, I got used to helping the visitors and trying to answer their questions as best as I could.

We were also able to help the workers receive new shipments of dahlias and aid them in moving them around, or separating those with pests for spraying. This taught me the importance of being careful with how we dealt with them so that the dahlias would not snap as their stems were delicate and could break easily. As they only had a limited number of plants, we had to ensure that we were handling them properly to avoid costing them.

Mosaiculture

We were lucky enough to be able to come across workers from the Beijing Florascape, who are gardeners specialized in creating display from mosaiculture. At the time, they were at Gardens by the Bay to help with creating the main structures for the CNY display which are now up in the Flower Dome. Despite them only being able to speak Chinese, they were still extremely friendly and were open to allowing us to help with making of their displays.

At support biome I where they were doing their work, we were able to observe how the workers there tirelessly work to ensure that quality displays would be up by the time the display would officially open. I also noticed that despite everyone’s busy schedules, many staff from the Flower Dome office would take time out of their work to help the team with completing the planting. this made me realize and truly appreciate the great amounts of work put in by everyone in making the showcases a success.

We were taught by the workers how to plant the yellow violas into the bedding of the standing metal structures, and were able to help them with some parts of the pieces to help them complete the work in time. Though it was tedious work and we took time to adjust to how to best arrange the plants for planting, I was grateful to be able to gain these new skills and to be able to have such an experience. It was exciting to know that we were able to help with the pieces now displayed for the CNY showcase.

3 Content Knowledge/Skills Learnt

Pruning & Gardening

We were taught how to prune and were informed that the purpose of pruning is to ensure the plants look neat and healthy for the visitors’ viewing by allowing the plant to dedicate its energy into forming new flower buds rather than fruits. We also learned to cut the plants to the appropriate height to allow the field o have a neater look.

I also gained valuable insight on how to take care of plants, how to water each different variety of dahlia, and how to transport them from one place to another. I also learnt how to recognize and spot pests found in the plants, such as the leaf miner, which is a garden pest that grows and feeds between the leaf layers, leaving lines on leaves.

I also learnt that GB uses its own horticultural waste to produce cooled air to provide an appropriate environment for the plants in the dome.

Designing

I also learnt how the designers at GB come up with different display themes and map out where to put their chosen structures. It made me realize that much research and modelling has to be done before a finalized field plan is decided upon. The way they consider different colors, designs, and layouts also reminded me of the importance of considering different perspectives to allow one to come up with a design best suited to the target audience.

We were always reminded that when designing, it is crucial to consider the visitors and how the displays can be better catered to them, like making the pieces more accessible for them to take photos of.

I was excited to learn how to carve floral foam proportionate to the proposed sizes to form a miniature model of the plans.

Dahlias & Plants

I learnt numerous facts about the plants used in the CNY display. We were taught by our mentor how to determine which flowers were orchids by their petals, and learnt some names of the plants around the garden during our introduction tour of the dome.

Before the official opening of the Dahlia Dreams showcase, the head of the dome conducted a briefing to educate all the staff in GB on the different displays, stories, and plants, which was useful for me in learning more about them. I learnt that Dahlias differ in shape, sizes, heights, and colours - Cactus variety, round (pom poms), dinnerplate (~30cm in width) . They grow from 1-2 inches to 30cm in width and are grown in GB's glass house or in Cameron Highlands. The display also showcases other plants like celosia, longevity flowers and cyclamens.

2 Interesting Aspects of Learning

I

As we spent a lot of time in the domes, visitors would often come up to us to ask for help, or sometimes just to chat. As I have never had the opportunity to be in such an organisation before, it really helped me learn how to better communicate with them and engage with them. While it was scary at first to answer them as we were unfamiliar with the place at times, we slowly got used to guiding them around. It was always a pleasure to be able to have short conversations with friendly visitors occasionally.

II

It was an interesting experience to be able to observe the behind the scenes work of a big organisation like Gardens by the Bay. As the efforts put into these public showcase projects are not often shown to the public, it made me realize how much hard work has to be put in by staff from all sectors for their showcases to be successful. Being able to understand their work better and get a gist of just how much time has to be put in for such projects has made me more appreciative of the workers at these organisations and what they do to ensure that the visitors can enjoy a quality showcase experience.

1 Takeaway For Life

When we had the time to interact with them, we spent our time getting to know the Green Army workers and staff there and offered our help to them when we could. It was interesting getting to learn about their lives and about them, and it made it a much more comfortable environment to be working in to have known more about them. The atmosphere at GB was always a warm and inviting one, which could be seen by the close relations they all seemed to have with one another, even making plans to gather for events like CNY.

Throughout our time there, everyone was always friendly and warm towards us, despite the fact that we would only be working with them for a month and that they didn't really know us. They would ask us about ourselves while also explaining to us more about their jobs and what they do at GB, always willing to entertain our questions. They even often offered us buggy rides to where we needed to go. Because of their friendly natures, it made it much more enjoyable to work together with them and I felt more at ease there.

From this experience, it made me realize the importance of fostering a good work culture and environment, and how it makes working much more enjoyable. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to have worked at GB and to have built meaningful bonds with the workers and staff there.

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