He helps turn barren hill in Woodlands into a garden for all

It is now the largest community garden here, home to hundreds of plant and animal species

- Koh Ming Lun

When the clouds part and sunlight pours in, the Woodlands Botanical Garden (WBG) springs to life. Amid the chirping of crickets, butterflies flit from flower to flower while dragonflies dart around a pond.

It all started in 2020 when Mr Ganesh Kumar, 40, decided to plant a pink hibiscus tree in memory of his late mother.

Gardening was a family activity he regularly did with his parents and grandparents, who used it to instil in him the value of being responsible and caring for things.

Mr Ganesh’s meticulous care for the garden is evident.

He would observe the biodiversity closely to understand which plants the animals liked.

"In nature, butterflies are sensitive to air quality and dragonflies are super sensitive to water quality," he said. "So if you see these two in a garden, you know that everything is fresh and clean. It is a space you would want to be in."

The presence of such wildlife was unthinkable just five years ago.

Located on the northern slope of Woodlands Town Park East, the garden used to be a barren nine-storey-high hill covered with grass and lalang, with few signs of fauna.

Mr Ganesh, who can see the hill from his flat, decided to plant a pink hibiscus tree there to help him overcome his grief of losing his mother. He also knew the “flowers will make people happy”.

“My intention was to share how this (garden) can help others to overcome their grief... I wanted other people to experience the healing that I received from it,” he said.

Mr Ganesh said he would see families carrying seniors on wheelchairs up the stairs to the garden. “It’s so lovely to see families actually doing this for their loved ones,” he added, noting that the climb up the hill took them 30 to 40 minutes.