First and foremost, I must thank Wee Lee and Rosalind Tan for sharing with me the photos that are posted on this blog.
Just last week, I was informed on the rare flower show put forth by a Euphorbia antiquorum tree grown in the grounds of Alexandra Hospital. The tree is taller than me and is something like 20 plus years old now. The numerous blooms are already attracting the numerous butterflies that Alexandra Hospital is famed for.
A short story written by Andrew Tan was also published on last Saturday’s Straits Time Life! section, as shown below:
Alexandra Hospital, in fact, is more than a just a hospital. It is a hospital in a garden. The hospital has used the greenery and plants to their advantage. Patients who stayed in the hospital find the plants therapeutic towards their healing. Much effort and resources have been pumped into the greening up the hospital grounds since 2000. Now, any visitor who steps into the hospital will be greeted by lush greenery and walking around is also much cooler due to the shade cast by the numerous old trees. This is one advantage of greenery. Do you know that the hospital staff is also known to participate in community gardening. They take part in the maintenance of the gardens in the hospital grounds.
The hospital boasts a butterfly garden that has a record of 100 different species of butterflies, a medicinal herb garden and a banana plantation. They are now going into the process of setting up a grassland and a bog garden to attract natural wildlife. But do you know Alexandra Hospital is going to move from its present location northwards to Yishun? The next tenant of the grounds better preserve what’s left behind! It is a treasure trove of plants and nature!
In 2010, Alexandra Hospital will move to Yishun to the upcoming Khoo Teck Puat Hospital. I was there a year plus ago for the groundbreaking ceremony. Yesterday afternoon, I was invited to attend their Superstructure Commencement Ceremony. I was glad to hear that the new hospital will be having its garden- and nature-oriented environment as well. Do you know that this new hospital will be the only one in Singapore with a pond incorporated into its landscape?
At the event, I met the guest-of-honour, Mr Khaw Boon Wan, who has been recently named by our current Prime Minister as being the best Health Minister to date in Singapore’s history. Also got to meet Ms Jennie Chua, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Ascott Group. I was introduced to them as a friend and supporter of Alexandra Hospital’s greenery and gardens. In the picture below, Ms Chan inspected my fingers and thumb for any trace of greenness while Mr Khaw looks on.
