Tucked away at Jurong Innovation District at the edge of Nanyang Technological University, The Potter’s Garden is a hidden park with greenery for nature lovers and play opportunities for families. Originally launched in 2014 as Jurong Eco-Garden, the tranquil green space has been renamed The Potter’s Garden in tribute to Jurong’s pottery legacy. The Potter’s Garden’s playgrounds also provide kids fun climbing opportunities and there are different areas for exploring, including a forest area that gives off Ghibli vibes.
The Potter’s Garden gets its name because of the park’s connection to Singapore’s last two dragon kilns – one at Thow Kwang Pottery Jungle and the other at Jalan Bahar Clay Studios. The two pottery establishments are located next to The Potter’s Garden.
The pottery industry’s association with Jurong dates back to the 1950s. At its peak, the area housed 12 dragon kilns. Today, only two survive in the entire Singapore. The naming of The Potter’s Garden remembers and honours the Pottery Industry both past and present, and also serves as a reminder of the industrious nature of the early generation of Singaporeans.
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Part of the Jurong Innovation District and the CleanTech Park, The Potter’s Garden serves as an outdoor spot for those who are working in the surrounding buildings. It is also a favourite spot for bird watchers and those simply looking for a quiet spot to getaway.
To reach the park, if you drive, you can park your car at a car park at the end of Lorong Twas. Alternatively, there is parking at the Surbana Jurong Campus car park, adjacent to The Potter’s Garden.
And once you reach The Potter’s Garden, don’t be surprised if have it largely to yourself (except perhaps when there are wildlife photographers in the area).
The Potter’s Garden: Jurong Innovation District’s Green Park
Located within Jurong Innovation District’s CleanTech Park, the “garden in an industrial park” occupies an area the size of seven football fields in an area that was once a secondary forest.
There are multiple areas that make up The Potter’s Garden and it is a great idea to pair a visit to the park with a visit to its “neighbour” Thow Kwang Pottery Jungle.
The Potter’s Garden Playground: Climbing Nets, Swings & Sand Pit
Families will gravitate towards the The Potter’s Garden playground that can be found at the park’s Central Plaza. The playgrounds were curated following surveys with Jurong West residents.
The The Potter’s Garden playground is divided into two play areas.
Older kids will be awed by the chance to challenge themselves on the towering rope pyramid set in the middle of a sand pit.
Scaling up the ropes, they can head upwards towards the goal of the platform on top.
On the way to the top, they can get a good view of the park.
This platform is linked by a rope bridge to a second elevated platform where an enclosed tube slide awaits.
Younger kids are not forgotten either. They have a playground area that is set under the shade of mature trees just beside the amenities at Central Plaza.
This wooden play structure is where they can practise their climbing and balancing skills while enjoying some fun.
You will also be able to find play equipment like a see-saw at this playground area. Seating at the fringe of the sand pit provides a spot for parents and care-givers to watch over the kids.
Thoughtfully, there is a water point for kids to rinse off after playing in the sand too.
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Other Play Equipment at The Potter’s Garden
There are even more play opportunities at the The Potter’s Garden playground.
There is a set of four swings at the sand pit, just beside the tall rope pyramid. These swings are set facing each other, encouraging communal interaction while swinging back and forth.
There is also a sheltered merry-go-round. Up to four persons, whether kids or adults, can pile into this cute contraption and spin themselves about using the wheel in the centre.
There are also musical drums for those who want to play a beat.
We loved how these various pieces of play equipment at The Potter’s Garden are designed for communal use. It encourages parents to join in the fun together with the kids.
The playground at The Potter’s Garden is the work of playground provider CT-Art Creation.
In addition, there is a fitness corner with exercise equipment such as pull-up stations and power bikes.
Nature at The Potter’s Garden: Butterfly Garden
Beyond play, there are more opportunities for kids and parents to explore around different areas of The Potter’s Garden.
A short walk away from the Central Plaza is the Butterfly Garden where fluttering insects can be spotted flying around the plants and flowers. At least 26 butterfly species have been spotted at The Potter’s Garden.
Pottery and Art Sculptures at The Potter’s Garden
Throughout The Potter’s Garden, you will find pottery on display.
Or view the sculpture called Another Way to Perceive the Rain of the Forest. This work by sculptors Yeo Chee Kiong, Tay Swee Siong, Lim Soo Ngee, Chua Book Kee and Baet Yeok Kuan and curated by Tay Swee Lin reflects on the cycle of life by putting the ideas of rain droplets and stone together in one work.
An interesting fact is that the stones are made out of boulders quarried from the Jurong Rock Caverns.
This is not the only sculpture in the park. Another one is The Singapore Spirit, a piece inspired by the old school game or goli or marbles. This was a community project in collaboration with JTC Corporation, Thow Kwang Clay Artists and the public. It represents the energy, determination and can-do Singapore spirit.
You will also find many pieces of pottery around The Potter’s Garden.
You will also find a Composting Station, made up of four barrels, close to the Butterfly Garden.
Freshwater Swamp
Another feature of The Potter’s Garden is its freshwater swamp.
You can take a walk around the water body and at its far end, you will find the Swamp Pavilion where you can cross from one side of the swamp to the other.
Another water body is the Eco-Pond, located beside Thow Kwang Pottery Jungle. With a bubbling fountain, the Eco-Pond serves to store storm water during periods of heavy rainfall.
Summit Forest: A Forest With Ghibli Vibes
Looking for more to explore? Then make your way to the Summit Forest at The Potter’s Garden.
This spot is located a short distance away from Central Plaza and main section of The Potter’s Garden. You will need to go around Thow Kwang Pottery Jungle and cross the Cleantec Loop road and take the walkway that leads up towards CleanTec One.
A gravel side path leads into the forest.
The first spot that you will come to is a lookout point.
Venture further and you will arrive a spot at the top of the hill where the Summit Forest hides a little spot known as the Sculpted Maze. Clay mounds have been sculpted and stand mysteriously amongst the trees, making the place look quite magical and Ghibli-ish.
The artwork was created in the Thow Kwang Dragon Kiln by ceramist Steven Low Thia Kwang.
Biodiversity at The Potter’s Garden
With so many nature areas, The Potter’s Garden also serves as a habitat for different animals.
Conservation significant birds that have been spotted at The Potter’s Garden include the Straw-headed Bulbul (Pycnonotus zeylanicus), Grey-headed Fish Eagle (Icthyophaga ichthyaetus), and Oriental Magpie-robin (Copsychus saularis).
Rare butterfly species such as the Common Birdwing (Troides helena cerberus) can occasionally be sighted in The Potter’s Garden and the critically endangered Harlequin (Taxila haquinus haquinus) has been sighted at the Summit Forest.
Visiting The Potter’s Garden
The Potter’s Garden is a relatively less-visited park.
The public and nearby residents can easily access The Potter’s Garden via the pedestrian overhead bridge located near Block 864A Jurong West Street 81.
If you do visit, we suggest pairing your visit with a stop at the Thow Kwang Pottery Jungle and the Jalan Bahar Clay Studios and their dragon kilns. If you do have young kids with you, you may wish to keep a close eye on them while at Thow Kwang Pottery Jungle because of all the fragile items on display.
The Surbana Jurong Campus also has a modern-looking dragon playground too.
It is also useful to know that the Surbana Jurong Campus has a food court and a KNS restaurant, as well as a 7-Eleven. However, these only open on weekdays and not on the weekends.
If you wish to explore another park at NTU, you could head over to Yunnan Garden.
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Read about the Jalan Bahar Clay Studios at The Potter’s Garden.
