More than 7,000 orchids bloom in the Flower Dome of Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay for Orchid Extravaganza: Rhythm of the Rainforest, where vibrant floral displays are complemented by striking artistic and cultural elements.
This year’s edition, which will run till 10 August 2026, draws inspiration from Indonesia’s biodiversity and cultural heritage, with highlights including intricate large-scale anyaman sculptures – handwoven creations crafted from natural plant materials using a centuries-old tradition that is rarely seen outside the country.
Native Indonesian Orchids
Home to an estimated 5,000 orchid species, Indonesia is one of the most orchid-diverse countries in the world, a richness owed to its vast tropical rainforests, varied landscapes and year-round warm, humid climate. Orchid Extravaganza: Rhythm of the Rainforest has on display some of Indonesia’s most storied native orchids.
Among the highlights:
- Ground orchid, which produces vibrant magenta blooms and was among the first plants to naturally recolonise Krakatau following its 1883 eruption.
- Moon orchid, one of Indonesia’s three national flowers, with elegant sprays of broad white blooms with soft yellow centres.
- Tiger orchid, the world’s largest orchid species, whose flower spikes can exceed 2m in height and bear hundreds of tawny yellow blooms richly marked with maroon blotches.
A Journey Through Centuries of Indonesian Heritage
Drawing inspiration from regions across Indonesia, the display also pays tribute to some of the country’s most iconic architecture, cultural traditions, and folklore.
Nine larger-than-life handwoven sculptures showcase ‘anyaman’, the centuries-old Indonesian art of weaving plant materials. The sculptures were handcrafted by a team of 27 Balinese artisans over more than 900 man-hours, and depict Indonesia’s wildlife, cultural icons and folklore, including the mythical naga (dragon), Komodo dragon, critically endangered Sumatran tiger, hornbills, peacock, Rafflesia and ondel-ondel, the towering ceremonial puppets of Jakarta’s indigenous Betawi community.
Other highlights include:
- The ‘candi bentar’ split gateway traditionally used to mark the transition into a sacred space, and recreations of Meru towers, the tiered shrines central to Balinese temple architecture
- Traditional Batak communal houses distinguished by their sweeping saddle-shaped roofs, traditionally built without nails to withstand the region’s seismic activity.
- A recreation of the ‘uma mbatangu’, or peaked house, known for its dramatic central tower, with taller peaks traditionally signifying more prominent ancestral lineages.
- References to ‘wayang kulit’, Indonesia’s centuries-old shadow puppet tradition, which uses intricately carved leather puppets to retell ancient Hindu epics and moral tales, and recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage.
- Guardian poles inspired by the indigenous Dayak people of Borneo, an island shared between Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. The Dayak people comprise many distinct ethnic groups, each with their own traditions of carving protective spirits believed to guard against evil.
