If you consider yourselves to have green fingers, then you might have heard of uncle Tan whose ‘Sky Garden’ has shot him to instant fame almost overnight amongst the gardening community in Singapore.
“My Papa loves farming. He does not own a plot of land but that does not stop his green fingers from working their magic in the comfort of his home! Rockmelons, grapes, apples, lantern chili, bitter gourds, golden melons… the sky’s the limit. So proud of my Papa and his sky garden!” in a Facebook post by Wan Jun.
Showcasing his plethora of fruits and vegetables ranging from bitter gourds, golden melons to Barbados cherries and even grapes with most still on its stalk, this uncle proudly presents the home-grown fruits of his labor with full glamour.
Home grown with love
Intimately dubbed his ‘Sky Garden’, Uncle Tan skillfully slices up his homegrown rockmelon and serves it on a beautiful platter for his family to enjoy. Those hues of orange on a contrasting green would surely entice anyone looking to sink their teeth into a fleshy slice of goodness for sure!
Despite the common widespread myth that grapes grow only in colder climates, the ideal climate for growing grapes is actually the Mediterranean climate which is characterized by mild wet winters and warm to hot, dry summers.
Who would have known that grapes can be grown in our very own backyards, or in this case, window ledges of our HDB flats! Just look at how huge and luscious those juicy globules are.
Perhaps, someone would be keen to start a Gofundme page for Uncle to own his own plot of land to potentially expand on this favorite pastime of his.
Surge in interest for home gardening activities
Several others have chimed in to share about their equally successful reaps of gardening efforts right in the comfort of their homes…and corridors (be sure to keep it tidy and check that your neighbors are cool with it first)
There are other ways to exercise your green fingers if you lack the space or amenities at home. One way is by renting a plot of HDB approved communal garden space via your nearest Resident Committee Centre. Another way is through renting under the allotment garden scheme initiated by NPARKS with an annual fee of just $57 for a typical period of 3 years.
Displayed below are some of the information retrieved from the NPARKS website which can be found here: https://www.nparks.gov.sg/gardening/allotment-gardens
| Park | No. of Plots | Lease Status |
| Aljunied Park | 26 | Application is closed. All successful applicants have been informed. |
| Ang Mo Kio Town Garden West | 50 | All plots are currently leased. |
| Bedok Reservoir Park | 80 | All plots are currently leased. |
| Bedok Town Park | 166 | Plots are available for ballot in 3rd Quarter of 2021. |
| Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park | 100 | All plots are currently leased. |
| Bukit Gombak Park | 120 | Application is closed. All successful applicants have been informed. |
| Choa Chu Kang Park | 60 | Plots are available for ballot in 3rd Quarter of 2021. |
| Clementi Woods Park | 80 | All plots are currently leased. |
| East Coast Park – Areas A, B & D | 120 | Application is closed. All successful applicants have been informed. |
| HortPark | 240 | All plots are currently leased. |
| Jurong Lake Gardens West | 300 | All plots are currently leased. |
| Lower Seletar Reservoir Park – Plots 1 & 2 | 54 | All plots are currently leased. |
| one-north Park | 30 | Application is closed. All successful applicants have been informed. |
| Pasir Ris Park | 30 | Plots are available for ballot in 3rd Quarter of 2021. |
| Punggol Park | 150 | All plots are currently leased. |
| Punggol Waterway Park | 100 | All plots are currently leased. |
| Sengkang Riverside Park | 100 | Plots are available for ballot in 3rd Quarter of 2021. |
| West Coast Park | 80 | All plots are currently leased |
| Yishun Neighbourhood Park | 30 | All plots are currently leased. |
| Yishun Park | 44 | Plots are available for ballot in 3rd Quarter of 2021. |
Guests from all over flock to visit
Uncle’s sky garden has not only garnered the interest of gardening enthusiasts but also friends from our local wildlife that built their nests within this edible haven of his. A heartwarming sight indeed.
Uncle Tan’s post has definitely inspired a new wave of gardening enthusiasts, ourselves included, in a bid to improve our methods of self-sustainability as seen in government efforts over the recent years after COVID-19 has sent a shockwave of a realisation that we need to learn to become more self-dependent when it comes to acquiring food sources.
Link to original post https://www.facebook.com/wanjuntan/posts/10165519765260113
