Even if you aren’t a plant enthusiast, you might well turn into one after a visit to the new Far East Flora HQ along Clementi Road. The 11-storey building (which includes a rooftop garden and a basement) is a plant paradise, stocking all sorts of flora, greenery and then some.
Far East Flora HQ at Clementi Road: A Vertical Horticultural Hub
Located on the former site of Union Farm, famous for its “paper chicken”, and beside the Singapore University of Social Sciences, Far East Flora HQ is the first vertical horticultural building.
While most plant nurseries are spread out across a broad swath of land, the Far East Flora HQ takes it upwards towards the sky.
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The building invites exploration, even if you don’t have a green thumb. Some have even gone so far as to describe it as a mini-Gardens by the Bay because of the lush greenery found within and the many floral delights inside as well.
Level 1: Gardening and Accessories
Level 1 of the building is where you’ll find the indoor houseplants and other small plants like succulents that can be kept indoors. When you first enter in, you will find yourself greeted by a variety of plants. What’s more, then often change with the season as well. During Chinese New Year, you may find Chinese New Year plants while at other times of the year, you may come across something more seasonal.
The gentle music playing in the background made shopping amongst the plants feel like a relaxing and therapeutic experience. It is like taking a walk through a green sanctuary.
Level 1 is also where you will find the gardening care accessories like watering cans, garden lights, gloves and tools. We were surprised that we didn’t come across any gnomes here though. However, it is easy to stock up on your gardening needs here.
From Level 1, you can choose to go up to Level 2 or down to the Basement via the escalator.
Basement: Lifestyle Gardening
We loved taking the escalator down from Level 1 to the Basement. Walking into the basement floor, the many plants provided a burst of colour that brightened up the room.
This is the section with flowering, exotic and temperate plants. You will also find beautiful orchids on display.
You can also pick up a terrarium that suits your lifestyle and home.
There are also a variety of knickknacks that you can pick up to decorate your own home garden, whether it be an outdoor garden or a balcony garden.
During peak seasons such as Chinese New Year, you may even find the basement car park converted into a display area for the many different Chinese New Year plants on sale.
Level 2: Wholesale Fresh Market
Head up to Level 2 where more surprises await; there is a cold room with fresh cut flowers. It is a bit chilly in here but you can expect to find fresh flowers like roses and more in this section. It is worthwhile braving the chill to get some beautiful flowers.
And it is not just plants being sold at the Far East Flora HQ; there is a fruits and vegetable section and grocer too.
Along with fresh produce, you can also pick up dried nuts, snacks, floral gifts, hampers and more. There is a whole line of frozen foods available too.
Pet Lovers Centre occupies a corner of the Level 2. This makes it convenient not just for plant lovers but for pet lovers too.
Levels 3, 4, 5
On practical note, there are car park spaces on Levels 3, 4, 5 and 9. Those who are driving can reach the parking lots via a circular rampway.
Level 9: Specialty Gardening
“Why are there car park lots at Level 9,” you may be wondering? Well, they actually come in quite handy if you are planning to pick up something from the Specialty Gardening section on Level 9.
These are water features for the garden, along with other types of garden supplies.
Want a vivarium? Or a garden shed? Make your way up to Level 9 where you can find them on sale. We were actually very tempted to pick up a water feature while we were there.
Sky Garden: Outdoor Gardening
Head up to the rooftop Sky Garden for outdoor plants, big pots and even fruit trees. This is located right at the top of the Far East Flora building and it is a “forest” of plants and trees.
There are rows and rows of plants on sale up on the rooftop. These include large trees, plants in large pots, even air plants, and more.
Far East Flora HQ Food: F’east
If you want to get something to eat while shopping around Far East Flora HQ, there is a cafe / restaurant on Level 1.
F’east offers a full menu that includes All Day Breakfast items like Avocado Toast ($19) and Shashuka ($16). There are also mains like a Beef Burger ($19.90), Beef Sirloin Steak ($32.90) and Chicken Cutlet ($19.90). Other menu items include pasta, cakes, beverages and desserts.
You place your order and then wait for your number to be called to pick up the food.
We tried the Fish ‘n Chips ($17.90), Mushroom Soup ($8) and Pasta Carbonara ($17.90). While the presentation was nice, we felt that the prices were on the high side for the quality of food for the dishes we got and the cafeteria-style setting.
They do have a bakery section and the breads looked nice. While we did not have the chance to give it a try on this visit, we may have to go back again to try those on another day.
If you are thinking of heading there for a drink, prices for hot beverages start from $3 for a single Esspresso. Cappuccino and cafe latte costs $5 each.
All the prices quoted above are before GST.
Far East Flora HQ: Plant Paradise at Clementi Road
Far East Flora HQ at Clementi Road is a place that plant parents would want to pay a visit to. It is a nice showcase of different types of plants and worth exploring even if you don’t think you have green fingers.
We enjoyed viewing all the different types of plants on sale, and even visiting the grocer which seemed to stock less commonly found items.
Pay it a visit for a dose of plant-spiration and you may turn into a green enthusiast at the end of your visit.
Far East Flora HQ is located at 435 Clementi Rd, Singapore 599873.
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