Bonsai trees at rooftop garden for Tree Planting Day
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong planted Bonsai trees at a rooftop garden in Hougang yesterday morning to mark Tree Planting Day, an occasion that scored several firsts in the history of the annual event.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the event was held without participation from residents for the first time in its 49-year history.
It was also the first such event held at a rooftop garden and the first time bonsai trees were planted.
Armed with shovels, PM Lee and fellow Ang Mo Kio GRC MPs - Mr Darryl David, Mr Gan Thiam Poh, Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin and Ms Ng Ling Ling - planted 10 Podocarpus macrophyllus trees, commonly known as the Buddhist pine, in their Bonsai form at the rooftop garden of the multi-storey carpark at Block 933 Hougang Avenue 9.
Kebun Baru MP Henry Kwek and Yio Chu Kang MP Yip Hon Weng joined them at the event.
The origins of the event go back to June 16, 1963, when founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew started a tree planting campaign by planting a mempat tree in Farrer Circus.
The annual event is usually held on the first Sunday of November. Each town council usually holds Tree Planting Day activities with its own Members of Parliament.
The event yesterday was livestreamed on the Ang Mo Kio Town Council's Facebook page.
The Buddhist pine is a tropical evergreen tree that can grow up to 20m. It responds well to pruning and trimming, and is largely resistant to pests and diseases.
After planting the trees, PM Lee visited the rooftop garden's herbs and spices area, which houses plants such as basil, rosemary, pandan and lemongrass, and was presented with various leaves and seeds from the garden.
From today, Ang Mo Kio Town Council will give out 160 bags of salad crop seedlings.
Participants can go to the town council's Facebook page for details on how to get the bags.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now
