Gardening enthusiasts and more families can nurture their own small gardens as the National Parks Board (NParks) is doubling the number of available plots to 2,000 over the next year.
The new plots, each slightly larger than a queen-size bed, will be spread across 18 parks, including Aljunied Park, Choa Chu Kang Park, Punggol Waterway Park and West Coast Park.
Applications are open until Nov 8.
Along with the extra allotments, NParks will also distribute about 60,000 seeds – such as for kangkong and Chinese spinach – to the public, and hold free online master classes on how to grow more difficult varieties like capsicums and tomatoes.
These virtual classes, which were launched as part of NParks’ fourth Community Garden Festival at HortPark yesterday, are running this weekend.
Participants can redeem free seeds of edible plants and learn planting tips and techniques through live demonstrations.
The classes will also be available for free on the NParks YouTube channel.
NParks also announced two new attractions yesterday – My Backyard Kitchen and Valley of Edibles – at HortPark, showcasing edibles such as lady’s fingers and brinjal.
The Community Garden Festival is part of the edible horticulture master plan, launched by NParks in 2017, to increase knowledge and interest in community gardening by providing support to the public through practical and material resources.
Under this master plan, NParks will add more spaces for gardening, training opportunities and outreach programmes.
At yesterday’s event, the winners of the Community In Bloom awards, which recognise excellence in gardening efforts by community groups, were also announced. All participating gardens were awarded an achievement band of bronze, silver, gold or platinum.
Gardens that have achieved platinum awards for three years in a row were elevated to the diamond band, which was accorded to 17 gardens this year.
NParks said this was the highest number of diamond awards given out in a year, representing a “rising quality in community gardens”.
The award winners said the gardens have forged a community-building spirit among those who work on them.
Mrs Rina Lai, 49, of the Toh Yi residents’ network, a diamond award winner, said she had difficulty reintegrating into the Singapore community when she returned eight years ago after being in Britain for six years.
Through the community gardening programmes, she was able to meet other people and form a sense of belonging in her estate, said Mrs Lai, who is self-employed.
Minister for National Development Desmond Lee, speaking at the opening of the event, also highlighted the positive effect gardening can have on social well-being, especially in the midst of the pandemic.
“This is a meaningful activity that can strengthen bonds between friends, families and society. It can bring us hope and cheer during challenging times,” he said.
