Gardens by the Bay
Gardens by the Bay
Sunflower Surprise: Garden by the Ocean
Gardens by the Bay, Singapore
Shantarin Editora as Official Cultural Partner
This autumn, the sights, stories, and soul of Portugal make port in Singapore with the first-ever Portuguese-themed floral display at Gardens by the Bay: Sunflower Surprise: Garden by the Ocean.
Marking 45 years of diplomatic relations between Singapore and Portugal, this landmark showcase brings together over 5,000 radiant sunflowers across 20 varieties — from delicate blooms to supersized stems reaching up to 1.8 metres tall — evoking the sun-drenched fields of the Portuguese countryside.
Visitors are invited on a sensory journey through Portugal's most iconic landscapes: wander the cobblestone alleys of Lisbon's Alfama, marvel at the striped houses of Costa Nova and the 6-metre-tall Farol de Belém, and stand beside the bow of a traditional Portuguese carrack. Moving inland, the display pays tribute to time-honoured agricultural traditions through vineyards, olive groves, and cork oaks, set against recreations of historic Porto shopfronts and Lisbon's classic street kiosks.
As the event's Official Cultural Partner — presented in partnership with the Embassy of Portugal in Singapore and supported by AICEP (the Portuguese Agency for Investment and Foreign Trade) — Shantarin Editora brings the transformative power of literature and poetry to the heart of the Flower Dome. Within this living botanical tapestry, literature takes centre stage, giving voice to Portugal's most profound literary legacies while echoing themes of universal humanity.
Throughout the showcase, Shantarin Editora weaves botanical art together with the written word, bringing three towering figures of Portuguese and world literature to life: Fernando Pessoa, whose vast universe of heteronyms offers a dizzying exploration of modern thought and human identity; Florbela Espanca, whose visceral passion and bold assertion of the female voice still resonate today; Luís de Camões, the foundational epic poet whose verses once sailed these very waters of Southeast Asia, linking Portugal to Singapore and Malacca.
Through poetry readings in the Flower Dome, interactive literary sessions, book launches, and international cultural exchanges, Shantarin Editora celebrates poetry not as a static archive, but as a living, breathing experience that transcends geographic boundaries.
Join us in Singapore in celebrating the written word as a universal bridge — connecting cultures beneath a canopy of golden sunflowers.