Is it a flower show or a dog show at this year's Chinese New Year floral display at Gardens by the Bay?
Well, a bit of both.
Providing the canine factor for the Year of the Dog are huge topiaries in the shape of man's best friend, Chinese guardian lions (also known as "Foo Dogs") as well as dog-shaped driftwood sculptures by artist James Doran Webb.
But flowers, as usual, are the biggest star.
More than 30,000 plants, including peonies, azaleas and chrysanthemums, which are associated with Chinese New Year, will be displayed in a Chinese imperial palace garden setting.
Dahlias are the most abundant, with more than 200 varieties on show, over half of which have not been seen in previous years.
One particularly striking breed is the dahlia tartan. Also known as "dinnerplate dahlias" for their exceptionally large burgundy-and-white blooms, they can grow up to 30cm across and are one of the largest dahlias on show.
In addition, peonies are featured in the show for the first time, as it is a flower frequently requested by visitors.
Some 700 blooms will be artistically showcased amid traditional Chinese architecture and landscaping, vibrant umbrella curtains and elegant palace lanterns.
There is also a courtyard where the largest and most colourful flowers are concentrated.
"The imperial palace gardens focus a lot on things like feng shui, balance and energy," said Mr Gary Chua, 47, deputy director of conservatory operations and the person in charge of this year's display. "It's a new kind of experience for our visitors, something we've never done before."
-
BOOK IT / DAHLIA DREAMS
-
WHERE: Flower Dome, Gardens by the Bay, 18 Marina Gardens Drive
WHEN: Till March 4, 9am to 9pm
ADMISSION: Local residents, from $8 for a conservatory and from $12 for two conservatories; foreigners, from $15 for two conservatories
However, it has not been without its challenges. Mr Chua explained that dahlias are especially fragile as they are tall and have hollow stems.
"They break very easily, so this makes them very difficult to transport," he said. "There's often quite a bit of damage when they arrive, so we have to allow for a certain period of time for the dahlias to recover."
First-time visitor to the Flower Dome, Australian tourist Elaine Chew, 36, said that seeing dahlias in Singapore was a "nice surprise".
"The display was beautiful - I'm a florist and dahlias are my favourite flower," she said.
