Ever wonder how many different kinds of ginger there are? Here at the Ginger Garden, you are about to find out. Welcome. The Ginger Garden in Singapore is a dazzling display of the family Zingiberaceae. This garden is a one-hectare haven. It is located next to the National Orchid Garden. The Ginger Garden officially opened in 2003. It replaced the previous Orchid Enclosure.
The Ginger Garden is home to over 550 species, varieties, and cultivars of the ginger order. This includes ginger, canna, spiral ginger, heliconias, prayer plant, bananas, and bird-of-paradise. That is quite a family. You will find members of the family Zingiberaceae here in all shapes and forms. Many have surprisingly beautiful leaves. Many also have very attractive flowers.
Botanists continue to research the ginger family in Southeast Asia. They keep discovering new ginger species. The National Parks Board published a study of a critically endangered ginger in 2014. This ginger is native to Singapore. It is named Zingiber singapurense Skornick. It is also known as the Singapore ginger.
Ginger plants flourish in the equatorial zone. They can even survive at altitudes of over 5000 meters. Ginger is incredibly versatile. It is used in cooking. It is also used in medicine and beauty products.
One of the earliest records of ginger cultivation comes from 6th century China. Ginger was mentioned on the Malabar coast of India during Marco Polo’s voyage in the 13th century. It was a common trading commodity among Arab and Chinese merchants.
Johann Gerhard Koenig was the first to collect ginger specimens from the Malay Peninsula. He did this during his expeditions in 1778-79. His descriptions are considered among the best in the classical literature.
The most economically important spice crops under the ginger order are ginger and turmeric. Cardamom, galangal and torch ginger are also important. Over 80 percent of the nearly 1500 species in the ginger family are grown in Asia and the Pacific.
The torch ginger is cultivated throughout the tropics. It is easily recognizable with its attractive flowers. The immature flower buds are commonly used in Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand as garnish. In Singapore and Malaysia, the finely chopped flower bud has a unique piquant and floral fragrance. It is added to rojak and Penang laksa. It is also used in Peranakan fish curry.
Turmeric is also known as the golden spice. The curcumin pigment gives it a bright yellow-orange color. The harvested rhizomes are boiled and sun-dried before use. The dried turmeric rhizome is ground into a fine yellow powder. It is commonly used in curry powder mixes. It is also used as a coloring agent in processed food and sauces.
As you explore the Ginger Garden, you will see a waterfall. There is also a restaurant called Halia Restaurant. This garden is a feast for the senses. Take your time. Enjoy the sights and smells of this amazing collection of gingers and related plants.