Wednesday 20 May 2015

What happened to the trees that Mr Lee Kuan Yew planted?



Mr Lee Kuan Yew planted more than 60 trees since 1963. Of these 39 have survived. 

My Paper managed to trace the locations of 33 of them. The exact locations of the remaining 6 could not be verified. 

The trees are mostly in good condition and many of the older ones tower overhead with verdant crowns. 

Flower tributes could be found lying next to five trees, including a single rose nestled by the foot of a young bintangor bunut in Holland Drive.

National flags were placed near two other trees in Mei Chin Road and Telok Blangah Crescent.

The rest of the trees planted by Mr Lee no longer exist, largely due to redevelopment.

These include the first tree he planted, a mempat tree at the now-defunct Farrer Circus on June 16, 1963; a broad-leafed mahogany planted at the old National Stadium on Nov 5, 1976; and a golden penda tree planted at Block 6, Everton Park on Nov 8, 1994.

Known for his pragmatic ways, Mr Lee was quoted in 1985 as saying: "Trees die off. They have to be replaced. It's ceaseless... I hope to do it every year for as long as I am in office."

He planted at least one tree per year, mostly in conjunction with the annual Tree Planting Day that began in 1971.

Most of the trees Mr Lee planted were in parks and Housing Board estates - mainly in the Tanjong Pagar area - in November or December, when monsoon rains meant that less watering was needed.

Mr Lee, who was also called Singapore's Chief Gardener, planted his last tree, a sea teak, at Block 123, Bukit Merah View on Nov 2 last year.

http://mypaper.sg/top-stories/trail-mr-lees-trees-20150520

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