The document describes the Cloud Forest Dome at the Gardens by the Bay in Singapore. The Cloud Forest Dome is designed to replicate the environment of a cloud forest through features like a tall central structure housing various tropical plants, a large interior waterfall, and misting systems. It allows visitors to observe epiphytic plants, orchids, pitcher plants, and other species found in real cloud forests while protected from the actual outdoor conditions. However, the dome is primarily a botanical garden rather than an authentic recreated forest ecosystem. Photos illustrate some of the dome's interior plants and design elements, as well as comparisons to natural cloud forests in Malaysia.

1. First created 8 May 2017. Version 1.0 - 1 Jun 2017. Jerry Daperro. London.
The Cloud Forest Dome
All rights reserved. Rights belong to their respective owners.
Available free for non-commercial, Educational and personal use.
A Singapore’s Garden by the Bay

2. The Gardens by the Bay was opened in 2012 in Singapore. It is made up of several botanic gardens, each with
its own theme – Flower Dome, Cloud Forest Dome, Supertree Grove, Children’s garden and the Horticultural
Themed Gardens. The Cloud Forest Dome is its star attraction.
Plan of the Gardens by the Bay

3. Rose grape (Medinilla magnifica), native to the Philippines.
Rose grape

4. Rose grape (Medinilla magnifica) has leathery leaves and pink bracts.
Rose grape

5. Flowering Rose grape (Medinilla magnifica) can grow up to 3m tall.
Rose grape

6. Inside the Cloud Forest Dome is a tall building with a roof top pond and planted with flowers & plants
suitable to the Cloud Forest environment.
The Dome - A schematic diagram

7. Angel Trumpet
A pink Angel Trumpet flower Brugmansia (Family Solanaeae). They are poisonous.

8. The most spectacular feature of the Cloud Dome is a 6-7 stories high water fall, which humidity within the
dome for the plants and for the visitors.
The Dome - Waterfall

9. Nepenthes Trumpet Pitcher.
Pitcher plant

10. Nepenthes Trumpet Pitcher.
Pitcher plant

11. Nepenthes Tentaculata (Fringed pitcher).
Pitcher plant

12. Nepenthes Ampullaria (Red Green Lips Pitcher).
Pitcher plant

13. Sarracenia Trumpet Pitcher.
Pitcher plant

14. Nepenthes ampullaria Pitcher.
Pitcher plant

15. The ornamental pond on the top of the roof.
The pond

16. Vireya Rhododendron. Rhododendrons are native to Asia.
Rhododendron

17. Rhododendron
Vireya Rhododendron.

18. Rhododendron
Vireya Rhododendron.

19. Rhododendron
White bell or trumpet shape, rhododendron.

20. Sands hotel, looking through the dome.
The Dome - View

21. Begonia
Begonia maculata (Spotted Begonia) from Brazil.

22. Begonia
Begonia maculata (Spotted Begonia) from Brazil.

23. Begonia
Begonia maculata (Spotted Begonia) from Brazil.

24. The Cloud Dome is basically a large green house under a control artificial environment.
The Dome

25. Begonia
Begonia brevrimosa exotica (Exotica Begonia), Native of New Guinea.

26. Begonia
Begonia brevrimosa exotica (Exotica Begonia), Native of New Guinea.

27. There are a couple of high level walkways extended out of the central building, to allow visitors to look
back onto the external wall, which is covered with plants.
The Dome - Walkway

28. Anthurium
The humid atmosphere of the cloud forest is created by spray generators.

29. Anthurium
Anthurium (Flamingo flower) native from Mexico to Argentina.

30. Anthurium (Flamingo flower) is an epiphytes that is growing on other plants
Anthurium

31. The humid interior of the Cloud Dome.
The Dome

32. Stalagmite
A sample of small stalagmite are included in the display.

33. Stalagmite
A sample of small stalagmite are included in the display.

34. A view of the nearby Supertree Garden, part of the Gardens by the Bay complex.
The Supertree Garden

35. Arundina graminfolia – A budding Bamboo Orchid.
Orchid

36. Orchid
White Moth Orchid.

37. Zygopetalum Ordchid, found in humid forests at low-to-mid-elevation regions of South America.
Orchid

38. The Cloud Dome is the enclosure on the far side. On the foreground is the Flower Dome.
The Dome

39. Lady’s Slipper Vine
Thunbergia mysorensis (Lady’s Slipper Vine), cultivated in southern Spain and native to tropical India.

40. Cloud Forest
This is a typical view of a cloud forest in the wild (taken in Gunung Brinchang, in the Cameron Highland
Malaysia), with lingering clouds, plenty of mosses and algae. It looks very different from what we saw in
the Cloud Dome. The Cloud Dome is really a botanic garden of tropical flowers growing on a tall building,
with only a few trees.

41. Cloud Forest
This is a simple wild orchid growing in the cloud forest. Occasionally you find flowers in a natural cloud
forest. Most of them are not as showy as those grow in the Cloud Dome. The flowers in the Cloud Dome
are most cultivated tropical species.

42. Cloud Forest
Mountane cloud forests are found only near the equator, typically on high mountain tops, where their
climates are much cooler and wetter. Because they are on mountain tops, each cloud forest become a
unique habitat for its plants, often not found elsewhere. Many cloud forests are isolated by the hot
surrounding lowlands. Mountane cloud forests are islands of unique species.
After saying all that the Cloud Dome in Singapore is
still worth a visit. If you want to find out more about
the Cloud Forest you can look up my Powerpoint on
‘A Cloud Forest’.

43. All rights reserved. Rights belong to their respective
owners. Available free for non-commercial and personal
use.
The End
Music – Ernesto Cortazar, Serenade

44. Singapore & Malaysia Powerpoints