THE 2ND ANNIVERSARY GATHERING
Green Culture Singapore ("GCS") celebrated its second anniversary in the Viewing Gallery at The Serangoon on 16 September 2006. Like the first gathering we had earlier this year, the weather was wet and gloomy but it did not dampen the spirit of our members. Some 40 members were in attendance and quite a handful were new faces whom we met for the first time. Being genuine plant-lovers at heart, the ice was quickly broken and it did not take a long while before everyone started to mingle and chat as if they were long-time friends.
As usual, we had a potluck where various delicious foods including McDonald's cheeseburgers made their appearance. A birthday celebration for Green Culture Singapore cannot go without a cake. And in fact, we had two cakes - one contributed by Cindy, our carnivorous plant moderator and another, from and by Daniel (danielmah2001). We also took the opportunity to sing Lynnette (Velvetine) a birthday song as her birthday was just two days before.
A gathering for plant lovers would be odd without any plants. Members brought in cuttings and plantlets to exchange or to give away to those who were game to try their green hands on. There were also plants available for sale and auction. We even got a member who brought along his miniature African violets to inspire others and to recruit potential new fans to grow them.
We had also invited our Community in Bloom ("CIB") partners from the National Parks Board ("Nparks"), Mr Ng Cheow Kheng and Shirley Ling to join in our celebrations. This year marks our first collaboration effort. Together with the National Library Board ("NLB"), we have successfully brought the gardening hobby to Singaporeans from all walks of life via introductory talks in community libraries across the island. The talks were very well received and numerous requests have been streaming in for repeats in the coming year. In his speech to our members, Mr Ng briefed everyone on the mission of his team and the value of community gardening. On our end, we see that community gardening is another avenue for plant lovers, who for the most part reside in high-rise apartments, to grow their plants. This is especially valuable to individuals who do not have good light and ample space to grow their plants. It is also an activity that provides the opportunity for one to meet like-minded friends, For assistance to set up a community garden in your housing estate or to join an existing group, please refer to the link titled "Community in Bloom" located on the NParks' website. Many thanks to those of you who took time off their busy schedules to attend this birthday celebration. Log on to the GCS discussion forum to view more pictures contributed by our members.
This
year has been a fruitful one for us. Besides the successful collaboration
with NParks' Community in Bloom to bring the gardening hobby to
the masses, Green Culture Singapore has also been invited to participate
in the Singapore Garden Festival. Now, a link has also been placed
on NParks' recently revamped website!
Green Culture Singapore and its members have been featured on daily broadsheets such as the Straits Times, Lianhe Zaobao and Berita Harian. One of our members has also been interviewed by a local interior design magazine - Home & Décor. The founders have also been interviewed on radio 938LIVE. It is hoped that Green Culture Singapore can reach out further to serve more members of the local gardening community. As we continue to grow, the forum will need more individuals as moderators to lead, inspire and guide members from the various plant interest groups. Do send us a private message or email to indicate your interest if you are keen! Green Culture Singapore also invites write-ups from members to share their gardening experiences. Information specific to gardening in the tropics is obviously scarce. We hope that articles from our own members can offer some helpful directions to novices who are often in need of information to get their gardening hobby going. We are also looking for members who are comfortable with giving talks or conducting workshops on any aspect of gardening so that the masses can be encouraged to take up gardening. If you got any novel idea or are keen to work with us, just drop us an email. Let's work together to bring the gardening hobby a step further for all Singaporeans. Last but not least, I would like to thank all members, whether you are a long time participant or a newbie, for participating so actively in this forum and for all the support given which has allowed Green Culture Singapore to achieve the many milestones in 2006.
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