Distinguished Guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen;

          Good Morning. It is my pleasure to join you for the ‘Community in Bloom’ awards presentation ceremony today. I am happy to be here as part of this gathering of the best gardening groups and garden-lovers in Singapore.

Community Ownership for our Garden City

2        The beautiful Garden City that Singapore is today is the result of our dedicated efforts at greening our living environment over the past 40 years. We recognise that the community will have an important role to play in enhancing our urban greenery going forward. It was with this in mind that we launched the Community in Bloom programme in 2005. Through this programme, we hope to promote a strong gardening culture among the people, raise public appreciation and support for greenery, and through the process mobilise the community to participate more actively in the greening of Singapore. Community ownership and involvement is a key pillar behind our efforts to make Singapore a City in A Garden.

Nurturing A Gardening Culture, Growing Communities

3        In the few years since its launch, I am encouraged to note that the Community in Bloom movement has grown very quickly. We now have more than 250 active community gardening groups in Singapore, based in housing estates, schools, and various organisations. To date, the Community in Bloom programme has attracted more than 15,000 people of all ages. They come together, roll up their sleeves, take out the spades and gloves, and get into the fun of growing their favourite plants and herbs. We hope to see more people joining this group.

4        Gardening is a healthy activity that not only beautifies our surroundings, but also offers social, emotional and physical benefits. I am told that just looking at trees and plants reduces stress, eases muscle tension and lowers blood pressure. Gardening can also help improve physical health by promoting active muscular movement and strength.

5        Through the Community in Bloom programme, many schools are also incorporating gardening into their teaching curriculum. The aim is to help students learn about science and the natural environment through fun, engaging and hands-on gardening activities. Community gardening also provides opportunities for students to develop softer skills, such as teamwork and creativity. The principal of Jurong Primary School recently shared with me her belief that gardening would make better adults out of her students.

6        Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to visit some community gardens in housing estates and schools, and I was very impressed with what our community gardening groups have achieved. Many of these gardens were well designed and maintained, with colourful ornamental plants growing alongside herbs and vegetables. These pleasant community gardens not only enhanced the ambience of the living environment, but have also created new social and recreational focal points within the community.

7        In my interactions with the gardening groups, I could sense their collective pride and enthusiasm for their community gardens. More importantly, I was heartened to see how the residents and students had grown closer together in the process of setting up and caring for their community gardens. There is an old proverb that says, “More grows in the garden than the gardener sows”. Community in Bloom has indeed helped communities to grow closer and stronger through their shared passion for gardening. When people of all ages and races come together to till the land, it bonds them together. It also enhances the sense of ownership the community has over its environment, a process that we should continue to facilitate as we strive to build strong and resilient communities.

Community in Bloom Awards 2008

8        The Community in Bloom Awards was introduced in 2005 to recognise the efforts of our community gardening groups, and to showcase outstanding garden creations of passionate community groups. The 2008 awards feature a few new highlights that demonstrate our ongoing efforts to do even more to recognise community contributions to our Garden City. The new Special Awards for “Best Community Garden” and “Best New Community Garden” honour the exemplary achievements of our finest community gardening groups. A new Balcony Gardens category is introduced to reflect the value of skyrise greening in enhancing our urban greenery and to recognise that interest in gardening can be harnessed in every household.

9        I am pleased to hear that many more community gardening groups participated in the competition this year, and that the quality of the entries has also gone up considerably. This year, NParks received a total of 193 entries from community gardening groups, up from 140 in 2006. The competing entries presented the judges with a tougher job this year, as they saw greater innovation in design, closer attention to aesthetics, and more active community involvement in the gardens vying for top honours. It is evident through the Community in Bloom competition that the gardening culture has grown significantly over the past few years.

A City of Gardens, A Nation of Gardeners

10        Going forward, we can and must do more to promote a gardening culture and passion for greenery in Singapore. I urge all of you here who have so enthusiastically embraced the Community in Bloom programme, to share your experiences with your friends and family, co-workers and neighbours. Bring them to your gardens and share with them the joys of gardening. Offer them tips and advice on how they, too, can be a part of the community gardening movement. Inspire them with your passion and motivate them with your creativity. More established community gardening groups should reach out to newer groups starting out and provide them with the necessary guidance and support.

11        Over time, we hope to see the network of community gardening groups in Singapore grow in size and strength, reaching out to a wider spectrum of people and places. A passionate community playing an active role in greening their environment will go a long way towards making Singapore an even more attractive Garden City to live, work and play in.

Conclusion

12        Finally, I would like to congratulate all the winners in this year’s Community in Bloom Awards competition, and also extend my appreciation to the judges and all who were involved in organising this year’s competition. I encourage all participants to strive for even higher standards in the next competition. More importantly, I hope to see the sense of camaraderie amongst our community gardeners grow even stronger. Community gardens are not just about plants, but also about the people, and their relationships. It is this sense of joy and spirit of togetherness in gardening that will help transform Singapore into a City in A Garden.

13        Thank you.

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