The annual display of tulips at Gardens by the Bay is back after a year – this time in October, long after tulip season in the Netherlands in April. It was on display in the Flower Dome until 14 Nov. As a Friend of the Garden, I made use of my annual pass to visit Tulipmania. As usual, most of the plants in the other sections remain the same, except for the lower section with a changing floral display.

Even though we visited on a weekday, the Gardens was quite crowded, with many families.

While most people look to Holland for its famous tulip fields, not many know that the plant originated in Central Asia. Tulips first appeared about 10 million years ago in the foothills of the Tien Shan mountains, on the territory of modern Kazakhstan. In the 16th century, part of what is now Kazakhstan was conquered by the Ottoman Empire, which brought tulip bulbs back to Turkey where they were planted in the gardens of the powerful. Every year, when the tulips were in bloom, a big party was held by Sultan Suleyman the First.

Kazakhstan, a vast and sparsely populated nation in Central Asia, is growing its camel herds by mating two-humped and one-humped camels, producing hybrids that are hardy to cold like Bactrian breeds, while producing copious milk like dromedaries. Camels are an important livestock in the country as they are mainly used as a source of transport, as well as their milk. Some camels may even be sacrificed for their meat to feed many hungry families at one go.

The floral display also includes a bazaar that shows Kazakhstan’s role as a trading hub along the Silk Route, as well as towers and gates inspired by Timurid dynasty architecture, featuring blue and turquoise geometric patterns. The tiles forming intricate linear and geometric patterns decorated the facades of buildings. Sometimes the interior was decorated similarly, with painting and stucco relief further enriching the effect. The Gūr-e Amīr, Timur’s mausoleum in Samarkand, is the most notable example.

Tulip flowers occur in a wide range of colours except true blue—from purest white through all shades of yellow and red to brown and deepest purple to almost black. Almost 4,000 horticultural varieties have been developed from a number of species and hybrids.

Besides admiring the tulips, one can also admire the unique architecture of Kazakhstan, as this exhibition is also proudly partnered with the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Singapore.

The picture above shows a yurt – the dwelling of Kazakh nomadic tribes in the steppes of Central Asia – handmade by Kazakh craftsmen using traditional techniques without the use of nails or screws. This type of dwelling can also be found in Kyrgyzstan or Mongolia. I got a chance to stay in one of these yurts during my graduation trip to Mongolia back in 2015. It was really a cool and fun experience.

Fresh, blooming flowers are a rare sight in Singapore, so enjoy Gardens by the Bay’s Tulipmania exhibit while it lasts. For those of us who do not have a chance to visit Netherlands during the annual tulips bloom or to Kazakhstan to learn more about its rich culture, this temporary display at Gardens by the Bay is the best opportunity to do both at the same time.