Singapore, our Garden City, is lush, green, and has many beautiful orchids that can be found in gardens, on sidewalks, and even on top of trees. Sadly, over time, many of them have become extinct.

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Before humans decided to make Singapore their home, there were 220 native orchids in existence on the island. However, only 80 of them have survived to this day, and many are still in an endangered state. Thanks to NParks and the National Orchid Garden, several orchid species have been restored.

The orchids have very unique behavior: some flower for just one day after it rains; others release their scent only in the mornings; and one even smells like fish (or perhaps better described as ‘dead organic matter’). This pungent scent attracts flies, which helps reproduction – perhaps this is the reason why this orchid has survived for so long.

There are many other interesting orchids; one I found to be very curious is Bulbophyllum vaginatum. This species is yellow in color and has a beautiful, light, citrus smell. For orchid-lovers, perhaps Dendrobium secundum has a lot to offer: commonly known as the toothbrush orchid (all the flowers are on the same side of the stem, like the bristles of a toothbrush), it is not only pleasing to the eye, but it also has a beautiful, floral scent.

And here’s something special for little kids - an orchid that smells like chocolate! Oncidium Sharry Baby is not native to Singapore, but it is a beautiful flower that deserves a mention. The Singaporean version of this orchid can be seen in the National Orchid Garden, and its name is Vanda Mimi Palmer.

And one cannot complete the orchid discussion without mentioning our very own national flower, the Vanda Miss Joaquim. Miss Joaquim - a Singaporean woman of Armenian descent, who passed away in 1899 - bred the world’s first hybrid orchid, which bears her name. It was chosen as Singapore’s national flower in 1981, selected from forty other contenders for its resilience and year-round blooming, mirroring Singapore's uniqueness and hybrid culture.

If you would like to sample native orchid oils, you can visit our perfumery at Good Man Art Center. We have been able to get oils from 50+ species and we are working on others.