Day 3: Flower Dome (Succulents and Boababs)

After vising the impressive Cloud Forest, we headed into the second of Gardens by the Bay’s gigantic domes. This one is called Flower Dome, and it is supposedly the largest glass greenhouse in the world. It showcases plants and flowers from five continents in nine gardens. We started by exploring the succulent garden and the Baobab garden. The former features some Alice in Wonderland sculptures.

As water-storing desert plants, succulents belong to families such as Cacti, Aloes and Crassulas. Look closer and you’ll find that many of these species have sharp spines to protect themselves. A dense cover of blue or grey wax over the surface of their leaves and stems also helps protect them from dehydration and deflect excess UV light in the desert.

The Baobab goes by several common names, this spectacular tree is also known as the Bottle Tree – a hat-tip to its peculiar-shaped trunk – and the Tree of Life, as it provides shelter, food and clothing for African savannah inhabitants. Other plants to look out for in the Flower Dome include the Drunken Tree, Ghost Tree, as well as African Baobab — the largest tree in the Gardens!