Nothing like going on a walking trail through Fort Canning Park’s Spice Gardens on Sunday morning to make me realise how bad I am at recognising local plants and foliage.

For instance, what do you think this is?

If I recall correctly, it’s a ginger flower — and a beautiful one to boot. It was just in front of the archaeological dig exhibition area on Fort Canning Park.

But the Spice Trail, organised by the Singapore Philatelic Museum and guided by its enthusiastic general manager, wasn’t so much about flower-spotting as about enjoying the smell of spices so fresh they were still hanging on the plants, and learning about what they were good for (besides, obviously, flavouring all the food that Singaporeans know and love).

The tour took us up the hill and down a list of familiar spice names, though I didn’t always knew what they looked or smelled like: nutmeg, vanilla, pandan, lemongrass, dill, bay leaves, lime (several varieties, including the exquisitely fragrant kaffir lime), turmeric, cinammon, assam, buah keluak, buah keras, elephant’s foot or something colourfully named like that, another butterfly-shaped flower that I’ve forgotten, and some Malaysian aphrodisiac — among others.

Fortunately, there are little signs posted around all the plant species, so you can identify the plants even if you aren’t on a walking tour. But then you’d miss all the fabulous — and easy! — recipes our guide shared with us, from making a lemongrass drink to whipping up a spicy stir-fry dish. Not to mention anecdotes about how little buah keluak used to cost and how popular betel chewing used to be.

After the walking tour, we got to sample some of the food and drink that had been talked about on the trail, plus check out the Singapore Philatelic Museum. I had no idea it had an entire replica section devoted to old Singapore, with replica storefronts and kopitiam setting.

Clearly, they’re not just all about stamps.

The Singapore Philatelic Museum will be running a World War II Civic District Trail next weekend, Saturday 18 November & Sunday 19 November, 9:30 – 11:30 am. Tours cost $5 per person and are limited to 20 persons per tour, so call 63373888 to register.

See my full Flickr: Explore Singapore! set.

Tags: Explore Singapore, National Heritage Board, Singapore Philatelic Museum, Singapore, walking tour, walking trail,