Sunday, May 29, 2011

Rooftop Secret Garden of 1 Utama under renovation

The Secret Garden is being renovated part by part so as not to inconvenience visitors. The pathways are being re-surfaced to make them less slippery. At the same time the drainage is being improved for storm water to drain out faster. The big palms are being removed because we are afraid they are getting too heavy for the floor, which is the roof of the shopping mall.

A new free brochure is being designed that will be more informative than the present one.

A new visitor's book will soon be introduced in which visitors will record the time they come to the garden. This will enable us to plan better. Flowers have their times too. Some are morning flowers that fade in the afternoon and several are late afternoon flowers. So far we have favored whole-day flowers. We also prefer plants that flower year round, to give us SPRINGTIME ALL THE TIME. We do not grow night flowers because the garden is not open at night. We are also giving up on plants like petunias that that are quickly destroyed by snails.

The number of visitors average 300 to 400 every weekend. Most visitors are locals. We have just been included in the Ministry of Tourism's new brochure entitled 'Parks and Gardens Trails of Malaysia', which should bring us to the attention of foreign tourists.

If one googles under 'Secret Garden of 1 Utama' one can read about 100 blogs on it. These, together with comments in the visitor's book have provided us with useful guidance.

5 comments:

Autumn Belle said...

Dr. Ng, Congratulations on TSG being included in Tourism Malaysia brochure!

I hope you will maintain/add our native plants. From your showcase at TSG, I have discovered a lot of these beauties which I have never heard of before or ever thought of growing in my own garden, e.g. the Kesidang, Nong Nooch Vine, Shower of Orchids, Arundinas, Clerodendrum wallichii. I especially like the hookeriana, herbs and spices, even rice. Thanks to your efforts, I have seen real coffee and tea flowers, and I just saw a real nutmeg hanging from the tree last Saturday. Oh, how I love the smell of nasi lemak from the kesidang.

I hope you will grow the Hibiscus mutabilis. Am I too greedy if I ask for the rafflesia?

Architecture Fun said...

It is really a great effort for the secret garden and the rainforest. We appreciate your effort to make it happened so near to the urban life. It inspire me to plant more on my limited land, and my passion for it is growing everyday watching them budding. Thanks again.

Cindy said...

Hi Dr.Ng,

We loved your secret garden n the lovely landscaping in 1-U, it is an absolutely beautiful haven and the most precious and delightful gem in this city! You are indeed an inspiration to all of us who love nature and enjoy the beauty of plants and flowers.

Your hard work and dedication is appreciated more than you will ever know. Thank you so much for giving us a piece of heaven on Earth!

Much Appreciation and Gratitude,
Cindy Low and family

Lrong Lim said...

Dear Dr. Ng... greetings from Japan... got here through Autumn Belle... have been reading your blog for a while and would like to pay a visit to the garden the next time we go to KL...

Chan said...

Visited the secret garden today with my hubby & little 3-year old boy. It's really lovely, my son enjoyed the stone walk paths, especially near the paddy plants. it's a mini bridge adventure for him :) thanks a lot for showcasing such a wide array of plants for the public enjoyment. We really appreciate your thoughts & efforts.