The second edition of National Parks Board’s (NParks) publication “Trees of Our Garden City” was launched on 21 Oct 2009 at the ASEAN Conference on Biodiversity. Dr Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), launched the book at the conference’s welcome dinner.
Dr Djoghlaf, who penned the edition’s foreword, complimented the book and read out an excerpt from its first chapter “Our Garden City Story”, a brief history of tree planting since the founding of Singapore. He was also presented with a signed copy of the book by Mr Tee Swee Ping, the book’s team facilitator and editor.
This book is a must-buy for anyone who is keen in the trees that are part of Singapore’s landscape. Gardeners, horticulturists, teachers and students who want to learn more about the various species of trees commonly planted around Singapore should grab a copy. There is an addition of 70 species of trees and palms to the 80 from the previous edition! Although information on a large number of trees found in the book can be found on the Internet and various books, what I like about this book is that the information you are reading are put into the context and relevance of Singapore.
What I find particularly useful is the inclusion of some self-sown ‘wild trees’in this edition which include the albizia (Falcataria moluccana), African tulip (Spathodea campanulata), wattle (Acacia auriculiformis), snakewood (Cecropia peltata) and rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) and the reader can now know why these are not or no longer planted by the authorities and are often seen in areas that are disturbed and left alone afterwards.
This second edition of Trees of Our Garden City includes various new chapters such as tree care, function of trees in Singapore, including tree biology and trees and the environment. Many people have always asked me how they should plant a tree in their garden and care for it. I am glad this book has appeared where the public can now refer to it for guidance. Planting a tree involves more than just digging a hole and plonking the sapling into it! Read up the chapter on tree care to know more on the various aspects of growing trees such as tree planting, tree pruning, tree inspection, pests and diseases and tree conservation.
There is also an important chapter for all Singaporeans to read which is the ‘Our Garden City Story’. It details how Singapura was turned into a Garden City in a short span of 190 years! The format of this book is also revamped to make it reader-friendly. The reader can look forward to seeing many colourful photos too. Trees of Our Garden City (2nd edition) can be purchased at the Singapore Botanic Gardens Library Shop, and at major bookstores from the first week of November. Its retail price is $35.
