Bursts of yellow, red and browns await at Sunflower Surprise, Gardens by the Bay’s Flower Dome’s latest floral display. Presented in collaboration with the High Commission of India in Singapore, Sunflower Surprise takes place from 22 October to 16 November 2025 and commemorates 60 years of diplomatic relations between Singapore and India.
Sunflower Surprise at the Flower Dome, Gardens by the Bay
The last time that we remember the radiant sunflowers taking centrestage at the Flower Dome, Gardens by the Bay, was all the way in 2018 when the bright and beautiful flowers formed the backdrop for the Land of Oz.
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This latest iteration of Sunflower Surprise takes us to the architectural grandeur of the famed Pink City of India, Jaipur.
Called surajmukhi (“sun-facing”) in Hindi, the sunflower was introduced to India in the 1960s through agricultural research. It has since become both an oilseed crop and an ornamental plant. In India, fields of sunflowers can be found in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu. They are used to provide edible oil and animal fodder by-products.
Take a stroll amongst fields of sunflowers within the Flower Dome.
While you may think that sunflowers only come in the common yellow, at the Gardens by the Bay display, you can discover sunflowers in hues of red and brown too.
Also amongst the sunflowers at Sunflower Surprise are towering varieties that grow up to 1.8m tall.
Complementing the sunflowers are bright and cheerful marigolds.
Pink City of India, Jaipur & the Hawa Mahal Palace
When you first enter into the Flower Dome, you will be greeted by a re-creation of the Ajmeri Gate in Jaipur. Jaipur was founded as a fortified new capital by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II (founder and ruler of Jaipur, r. 1699-1744) to replace Amer.
This was during a period of shifting power between the Mughal and Maratha empires. Enter through the gates, where a camel stands as a reminder of ancient trade routes.
Occupying pride of place in the centre of the flower field is the rose-pink Hawa Mahal palace.
Known as the “Palace of Winds”, Hawa Mahal, was commissioned in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh (ruler of Jaipur, r. 1778-1803) and designed by architect Lal Chand Ustad in pink-red sandstone.
It rises five storeys and has a pyramidal façade that resembles a honeycomb crown with 953 small jharokha (overhanging windows or balconies, typical of Rajasthani palaces).
You can step inside the re-creation at Sunflower Surprise to view various displays.
You can admire the intricate latticework along with the beautiful symmetry of the Amer Stepwell. It functioned as a rainwater reservoir and provided drinking water during the dry season.
Another feature at the Sunrise Surprise floral display is the eye-catching architecture of the Patrika Gate.
There are also other elements on display at Sunrise Surprise are other cultural elements such as block printing as well as a puppet theatre. These provide a glimpse into the rich culture that makes Jaipur a UNESCO World Heritage City.
Also around the Sunflower Surprise display at Gardens by the Bay are elephants and peacocks, animals that are emblematic of India.
Sunflower Surprise, Gardens by the Bay is now on till 16 November 2025.
Sunflower Surprise, Gardens by the Bay
When: Wednesday, 22 October to Sunday, 16 Nov 2025
Opening Hours: 9 am to 9 pm
Where: Flower Dome
Ticketing: Admission charges to the Flower Dome apply
Website: Sunflower Surprise
