PICTURE this: Sipping drinks on top of a 50-metre tall "tree" with views of the Marina Bay Sands integrated resort and the Singapore Flyer.

That will become a reality when the Gardens by the Bay at Marina South opens in late 2010.

The first of three waterfront gardens broke ground on Friday morning, setting in motion Singapore's bid to create the world's premier public gardens in the tropics.

Spread over 54 hectares, it is scheduled to be ready by end 2010, at about the same time when the Marina Bay Integrated Resort and other developments at Marina Bay will be completed.

Gardens by the Bay will eventually cover a total 101 ha, with three themed gardens at Marina South, Marina East and Marina Centre.

National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan officiated at the groundbreaking ceremony by planting a Golden Rain Tree ( Samanea sama)

Originally native to South America and the West Indies, the Golden Rain Tree has been widely planted throughout the tropics as a shade tree, including in Singapore, where such yellow variants were first deployed as a valued cultivar. This tree will be re-planted along the avenue framing the new 1km-long boulevard bordering the East side of the Gardens at Marina South.

"Gardens by the Bay will provide Singaporeans a new dimension of city living experience right in the heart of Singapore's New Downtown District. Setting a new standard in the way gardens are developed and managed, it will become Singapore's premier urban outdoor recreation space at Marina Bay - a national icon and a source of pride for Singaporeans," said National Parks Board statement on Friday.

The Gardens at Marina South is designed by UK-based design firm Grant Associates and will showcase the best of tropical horticulture and garden artistry, with a mass display of tropical flowers and coloured foliage and more.

Among the attractions will be displays telling the story of 'Plant Use by Man', focusing on economically important plants in Singapore and Southeast Asia. Active spaces for vibrant programming will be incorporated and will enable the Gardens to host a suite of international and national events.

It will feature a a 'Cool Moist' Conservatory and a 'Cool Dry' Conservatory (1.4 ha), displaying plants and flowers from the Tropical Montane and Mediterranean environments, and an all-weather 'edutainment' centre.

Visitors will be enthralled by "SuperTrees" towering 25 metres and 50 metres in height (9 to 16 storeys). These tree-like structures are uniquely designed vertical gardens, with emphasis placed on creating a 'wow' factor through the vertical display of tropical flowering climbers, epiphytes and ferns.

At night, these canopies will come alive with lighting and projected media.

The SuperTrees will also be embedded with sustainable energy and water technologies that are integral to the cooling of the Cool Conservatories.

Horticultural show Gardens will take up 2.6 ha, displaying the best of tropical horticulture and garden artistry. Together with another 10 ha of mass flowering and coloured foliage landscape, they will form a spectacle of colour and texture.

The show gardens will include a cluster of SuperTrees, an Orchidetum featuring orchids, a cluster of beautiful gardens and flower displays representing the very best of Singaporean horticulture, and a mix of permanent and temporary themed gardens in and around the entrance plaza to the main buildings.

Greeting visitors at the main entry precinct into the gardens will be a 2.8 ha flower market, which will comprise an indoor events space, retail and various food and beverage outlets.

This will also be 2 ha event lawn with a stage, which can host up to 7,000 people during international and national events.