The rain had subsided by the time we arrived at Irene’s Garden on Saturday afternoon. This was my second visit to AsianOne.com’s Editor’s garden and home, together with me were Mark, Shireen and her cousin. We also met up with Irene’s husband, Ronnie, is the writer of the celebrated book – A Gardener’s Log. They have been great hosts and I must say we all truly enjoyed the visit. I hope I can visit again.
Irene’s garden is a two-time winner of Singapore’s Best Home Gardens award and I think the garden deserves the awards. It is mature tropical themed garden that has been planted intensively with heliconias, gingers, bamboos, aroids, palms and tree. There are ponds and statutes that have been placed at various strategic locations to make the garden complete. It took Irene and Ronnie 17 years to reach what they have today.
A unique signboard (not made in Singapore) that welcomes the visitor.
Irene’s trademark plant – the climbing pothos vine (needs ID) that plasters itself onto walls and tree trunks.
When you turn right from the main gate, the garden path leads you right into a tropical garden paradise.
After the wooden swing, the visitor gets to see the tranquil pond with kois swimming inside happily.
The flight of stairs that brings one up to the wooden deck.
The view from the wooden deck, up above.
The garden is built around the house where all the plants have been planted on both sides of the paths which encircled the house. Towards the back of the garden, there is a narrow brick-lined staircase that brings visitors up to a wooden deck where they can be entertained when the weather is fair. The path then turns around and leads visitors into the kitchen. On the other end of the kitchen, one can sit and relax inside a small wooden hut located just outside. Further, there is another staircase that leads down to Irene’s little plant nursery with a handsome stand of black bamboos on one side, providing the much-needed shade for some of the plants. Before we exit to the main gate, we are greeted by three georgeous specimens of the Weeping Tea Tree.
The garden at the back of the house.
The path down from the other flight of stairs that is flanked on one side by the stand of black bamboos.
The weeping tea tree.
Gardening with Wilson 