Save the date for Gardeners’ Day Out 21 November at HortPark, NParks’ final session of 2026, where almost everything on the programme is free. Doors open 9am to 3pm, with a plant marketplace, four free talks, three free workshops (registration needed) and guided garden tours. There is even a free twilight acoustic set on the lawn from 6pm.
If your HDB corridor plants have been looking sad after the haze, this is a good excuse to restock. Bring your own bag, because the marketplace runs on BYO.
Gardeners’ Day Out 21 November: the key details
- Date: Saturday, 21 November 2026
- Time: 9am to 3pm (twilight music from 6pm to 7.15pm)
- Venue: HortPark, 33 Hyderabad Road, Singapore 119578
- Theme: Wellness through gardening
- Admission: free for talks, demonstrations and the exhibition, unless stated otherwise
- Workshops: free, but pre-registration is required
The nearest MRT stations listed by NParks for HortPark are Labrador Park, HarbourFront, Queenstown and Commonwealth, though all of them involve a walk or a short bus ride. Drivers get 149 car lots on site, and parking charges apply.
What to buy at the marketplace
The marketplace is the main draw for most regulars. Hobbyist growers and small nurseries set up booths selling plants, gardening accessories and nature-inspired products, and NParks’ own Pasir Panjang Nursery runs a booth too.
A few things to look out for if you are shopping for a flat:
- Air plants and small hanging plants, which suit corridor railings and window grilles
- Edible herbs such as basil and chilli for a kitchen window ledge
- Pots, potting mix and tools, which are heavy, so plan your ride home
Go early if you want the pick of the plants. By lunchtime the popular booths tend to thin out, and the Saturday crowd at HortPark builds quickly.
Free talks and demonstrations in the Fruit Room
All four sessions are free with no pre-registration, so you just turn up. Seats are on a first-come basis.
- 9.30am to 10.15am: Lessons from the wild: What plants really want, by Mr Siaw Yu Zhang
- 10.45am to 11.45am: Flavours of the garden, a cooking demonstration by Ms Lilian Kwok of NParks
- 1pm to 1.45pm: Garden moment, by Mr Tan Jing Xiang of Wethefarm
- 2pm to 2.45pm: Bloom & brew, a kombucha-making session by Mr Widjaja Surja Kentjana of Botaniko
The cooking demo is the one I would plan around. Seeing what to actually do with a pot of home-grown herbs is a nice push to keep them alive.
Free workshops that need registration
These have limited places, so book on the NParks event pages before the day.
- Plant-based essential oils: Benefits & beyond, 10am to 11.30am, Flower Room, with Ms Chen Kaixian
- Anthotype and chlorophyll printing, 1pm to 2.30pm, Flower Room, no experience needed
- Nature immersion (sketching), 10am to 11.30am, outdoors, with the Botanical Art Society (Singapore), for ages 18 and above
Note that the sketching session is adults only. The printing workshop, which uses sunlight and plant pigments to make images, is the more family-friendly pick.
Garden tours, plant bingo and a free twilight concert
Two free guided walks start at 9am from the Visitor Services Centre, with no pre-registration but subject to availability. NParks asks you to show up 15 minutes early.
- 9am to 10am: Garden Trail tour
- 9am to 10.30am: Beginner Friendly Garden Tour and Horticulture Introduction Garden Tour
For the kids, the National Gallery Singapore travelling art cart parks outside the Multi-Purpose Hall from 9am to 3pm. Plant bingo runs at the Visitor Services Centre from 10am to 3pm, with souvenirs for winners.
The evening slot is a nice bonus. From 6pm to 7.15pm, Jack & Rai and John Klass play a free acoustic set on the Hortlawn, so pack a picnic mat and lepak after the bazaar crowd clears.
Is it worth the trip?
For a free Saturday morning, yes. If you missed the August edition at HortPark, the format is similar, but the wellness theme and the twilight concert make this one feel a bit different.
This is also the final session for 2026. The next Gardeners’ Day Out is on Saturday, 16 January 2027, so if you are planning a bigger balcony or corridor makeover, use this one to scout plants and prices. Those keen to grow more than a few pots can read our guide on getting an allotment garden plot, since the latest NParks ballot closed on 2 November.
Quick tips before you go
- Bring your own bag, plus a sturdy box or trolley if you plan to buy pots
- Carry cash and have PayNow ready, as payment methods vary by booth
- Register early for the workshops, since places are limited
- Check the NParks page on the morning itself, as programmes can change
