THAT trip to the Gardens - Taman Botani Putrajaya

I remember the time when I got furious with my eldest sister upon her insisting that we made a trip to a botanical garden instead of settling for Zoo Negara (Malaysia’s National Zoo). I remember how disappointed I was at giving up the chance of being able to catch the animated antiques of the animals in the Zoo and instead having to settle for what to me was the still and less exciting version of nature…and not to mention how unhappy my parents were at me being difficult in coming to a compromise. This happened, of course, was when I was very much the little hyperactive girl who only knew that she wanted to catch live animals in action. But upon hearing from Sue-Anne that we are to make a trip to Taman Botani Putrajaya (Putrajaya Botanical Gardens), I was reminded of that fateful day and how I have concluded that my one and only trip to a botanical garden was tainted by the disappointment of something I looked forward to so much more. However, this time, it was different. I was almost raring with enthusiasm to go – almost as if I wanted to challenge the recreational facility to engage me with its botanical heritage – all 63 acres of it!

So, early on a Saturday morning, Sue-Anne, Toon and I made our way to Taman Botani Putrajaya. Awang who’s our tour-guide for the day was already there bright and early ready to take us on what was to be a trail in the Gardens that would change my take on all things green. In a nutshell, the 3 of us combined said an astounding amount of “oooooohs” and “aaaaahs” (I’m sure Awang found that amusing). We were first taken into the Visitor Centre, which is a building with its white oval roof reminiscent of traditional Minangkabau forms with a touch of the futuristic. And the Botanical Gardens is not just a place to feast one’s eyes on the lush greenery that exists in our climate but in every corner you look environmental consciousness is incorporated into the entire Gardens. Many of the designs employed derive their inspiration from nature. Where possible, natural materials are used to create nature friendly surroundings – including the use of oil palm shells on certain parts of the Garden to give it a different feel, laterite curbs lining the walkways and even a recycled railway sleeper just to give the area a ‘jungle-y’ feel. And with the use of nature comes the replacement of it where to compensate for the use of Chengal timber in the garden structures, many Chengal trees have been planted around the Garden.

Leaf imprints on the concrete that welcomes visitors at the Visitor Centre

Upon entering the Visitor Centre, we were then greeted by a too-gigantic-in-size replica of praying mantis.

It is said that the praying mantis is displayed at the entrance of the Visitor Centre because it plays a vital role in maintaining the balance in the botanical eco-system. I was a wee bit disappointed when told that the mechanism of the gigantic insect was not working at the time of our visit. I can only imagine what an interesting form of welcome for the bus-loads of kids that come in to visit. There was even a Mushroom Room that displays the different types of mushrooms including the ones that glow-in-the-dark! Awang gave us a quick tip on how to spot and differentiate a poisonous mushroom from an edible one. But the one thing that truly caught my attention and intrigue was when I saw and discovered Malaysia’s very own version of the Venus Flytrap – the Nepenthes Rafflesiana.

Lo and behold the Nepenthes Rafflesiana – otherwise known as the Raffles’ Pitcher Plant

We then made our way out to the 170m long Canopy Bridge that is suspended high across a valley that linking the Visitor Centre with the Heliconia Trail. In a few years’ time, visitors will have the unique experience of walking through the canopy of a rainforest (hence the aptly named Canopy Bridge) – but as yet, it is a work-in-progress by Mother Nature. As we were walking along the bridge while stopping to take pictures of the view of the Gardens from what works like a long observation deck, we saw the Sundial standing tall at the end of the bridge. Almost like moths to a flame we hurried our way over to the where the Sundial stood in the Sun Garden. Having never looked at the time on a sundial, I went up-close to try to identify the time shown on the Sundial. It took a while to understand how the readings work but after confirming with modern day time-telling devices, the Sundial showed an estimated time of 10:30 am (give or take 15 minutes).

And we walked along the Canopy Bridge...

Catching the view of the Gardens from the Canopy Bridge

The view of the Visitor Centre from the Canopy Bridge

And as we walked, watch us all be drawn towards the Sundial...

And walked…before finally feeling a little pooped out from all the walking. We were told that there was the alternative of renting a bike or even taking a buggy-like tour. In which we thought would have been a better choice to have made in attempting to cover as much of the Botanical Gardens as we could. So Awang suggested we took a quick break at the seafood restaurant that was situated right next to the lake that fringes the Garden. After recharging ourselves we then made our way to the Astaka Morocco (Moroccan Palace). For the breathtaking architecture and view of the palace we witnessed, well, I’ll let the pictures do the talking.

Every piece of material of the palace is brought in straight from Morocco.

What the people of Taman Botani Putrajaya have to say:

“Once all phases of the Garden are up and running, Taman Botani Putrajaya will be the leading institution dedicated to the preservation of the country’s rich botanical heritage. It’s 3-pronged mission is encapsulated below:

A venue for the display of tropical flora and a centre providing educational information on plant.

An organization contributing to the scientific and cultural understanding of plants.

A sanctuary for the conservation of rare and endangered species.

What I have to say:

Personally, not being one who is very close to nature, it was a surprisingly pleasant experience for me. With the right development, conservation, maintenance and support, Taman Botani Putrajaya is definitely a beneficial necessity (on so many levels) to the country and its nation. But if one is on the lookout for a getaway from all the hustle and bustle of daily humdrum, we can take a cue from the visiting birds from Zoo Negara who does a daily stop-by at the Gardens and make it a trip - be it with family, friends, that special someone or even if it is only to for a major oxygen or shutterbug therapy. And you know what they say about the benefits of green for that perfect vision. ;) My only wish was that if only as a little girl, if only there already existed this botanical garden during the time when I made that trip with my family then…

Byte-size geography:

Taman Botani Putrajaya is located south of Kuala Lumpur, at about latitude 3 degrees north and longitude 102 degrees east. The climate is uniformly warm throughout the year, seldom falling below 25 degrees Celsius at night or rising above 30 degrees in the day. The annual rainfall of about 240 cm is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. Rains usually occur in the afternoon and rarely last more than an hour or two. The day length varies by only half an hour between the shortest and longest days of the year.