Find the Fan Palm Fountain and Farfugium Fountain inside the National Orchid Garden at Singapore Botanic Gardens. Both are plant-inspired sculptures, and both sit within the ticketed garden. Use NParks’ sculpture map or ask at the ticket counter for the two fountains by name.
The Fan Palm Fountain was designed by Garth Bowden. His father, Humphrey Bowden, designed the Farfugium Fountain. The pair makes a short art walk with a simple question to answer at each stop: how did the sculptor turn the shape of a leaf into a path for water?
- Start at the National Orchid Garden ticket counter. Tyersall Entrance is NParks’ recommended drop-off point.
- Look for narrow leaf tips on the Fan Palm Fountain and rounded, scalloped forms on the Farfugium Fountain.
- The featured Hasselblad photo shows Bukit Timah Gate, an alternative starting point for a longer walk.
How to reach the two fountains
Find the National Orchid Garden on the Botanic Gardens visitor map. If you arrive at Botanic Gardens MRT, enter through Bukit Timah Gate and allow time to walk to the ticketed orchid garden. If arriving by car or taxi for this stop, choose the Tyersall Entrance.
Keep the sculpture directory open once you enter. Each fountain has its own name and design, so a meeting message with the full name is easier to follow than one that says only “the fountain.”
What to look for at the Fan Palm Fountain
Garth Bowden used copper joined with a silver and copper alloy. NParks records Lady Yuen Peng McNeice as the donor in 2000. From the path, look for the long tapering forms and watch where water leaves their tips when the fountain is running.
Pick a single point on the sculpture and follow one drop until it falls out of sight. Then compare a second tip. This makes the sculpture easier to read than trying to follow the entire flow at once.
How to recognise the Farfugium Fountain
Humphrey Bowden drew on Farfugium japonicum. Look for rounded copper leaves with scalloped outlines, raised on narrow stalks. NParks records the same donor and year as for the Fan Palm Fountain.
Compare how the outline of each leaf directs your eye. The fan palm leads outward toward its tips. The Farfugium leaves draw attention to their broad surfaces and curved edges. If the water is off, the shapes still give you enough to compare.
Opening hours, entry and a short route
NParks lists National Orchid Garden hours as 8.30 am to 7 pm, with last ticket sales and entry at 6 pm. Check the official admission page for current rates and concessions. The wider Botanic Gardens has separate opening hours.
For a short visit, choose the two fountains and one orchid display. At each fountain, take one wide photograph showing how the piece sits among the plants and one closer image that makes the shape of the metal leaves clear.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a ticket?
The fountains are inside the National Orchid Garden, where the published admission rules apply.
Who made the two fountains?
Garth Bowden made the Fan Palm Fountain. Humphrey Bowden made the Farfugium Fountain.
Are the Cranes part of either work?
The Cranes are a separate artwork at the National Orchid Garden entrance fountain.