DRIVE in and even those with not-so-green fingers will know that they are in a green oasis called HortPark. This 23ha 'superpark' off Alexandra Road will have a carpark that is unabashedly called Car Park Garden.

It is no idle boast, though, for when it is completed in April, it will have more than 220 trees and 8,000 shrubs sprinkled among the lots.

But you don't have to wait till then to show up at this park. Half the size of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, it boasts 20 themed gardens and a horticultural mart among other features.

Since Friday, it has played host to GardenTech, a biennial carnival with 100 exhibitors manning booths showcasing the latest in plants, landscaping, water features and garden furniture.

Some 50,000 to 80,000 visitors are expected to turn up at the event which will go on till Tuesday.

You can still visit HortPark after GardenTech ends.

Developed at a cost of $13 million, it is touted as the first gardening and lifestyle hub in South-east Asia that brings together gardening, educational, research and retail activities under one roof.

About 12ha of the place is open to the public. The rest serves as the working nursery for the National Parks Board (NParks) which owns HortPark.

This nursery, which has been around since the 1970s, provides the plants, shrubs and trees for various public parks as well as Singapore's roads.

Free guided tours will be conducted for visitors.

Its 20 themed gardens include the Silver Garden where a variety of silver plants are grown, and the Golden Garden where the plants are yellow or gold.

Make time, too, for the Recycling Garden, where trash such as water bottles, unwanted tyres and even hats are turned into containers for gardening.

A treat for the senses

From silver-hued plants to fantasy characters, these are the highlights at HortPark:

Recycling Garden (main head picture)

It showcases how items and trash can be recycled, like turning drink bottles and even a pair of boots into home garden accessories.

Prototype Glasshouses

Six glasshouses serve as research stations for the upcoming Gardens at Marina South where there will be two cool conservatories.

Fantasy Garden

Based on the story The Wizard Of Oz, the fantasy garden has characters such as Dorothy, Toto, Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion surrounded by lush greenery. This garden is a hot spot for photography.

Silver Garden

One of 20 themed gardens at HortPark, it has a collection of silver-, grey- and white-hued plants - such as the Bismarck palm, senecio and leucophyllum - set against a green backdrop.

Living Walls

The Living Walls are eight 6m by 4m concrete walls on which various types of plants grow. Dr Tan Puay Yok, NParks' assistant director of research, says these walls are an example of how vertical gardens can be created, and help improve ambient temperature.

HortMart

Run by leading nursery Far East Flora, this 928 sq m garden centre is a one-stop spot for green enthusiasts looking for garden supplies and shoppers getting tips on growing plants or landscaping their gardens.

GardenTech is on at HortPark, 33 Hyderabad Road, till Tuesday from 10am to 9pm daily. Admission is free.