Gardens by the Bay

This guide traces the surprising choice behind Gardens by the Bay: in 2005, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong chose to build a garden, not towers, on some of Singapore's most valuable waterfront land. You'll hear how a British landscape firm's design beat out over a hundred international rivals, and how the winning plan borrowed its shape from Singapore's national orchid, with the Supertrees standing in for its blooms. Along the way, budget pressure forced planners to cut their number in half.