Metro

Friday March 6, 2009

National Landscape Day has 150 participants selling plants, garden ornaments and other products

Story and photos by ZAZALI MUSA


JOHOR has been chosen for the first time to host the National Landscape Day 2009 that ends this Sunday.

The week-long event at the Johor Baru Central Municipal Council (MPJBT) Urban Jungle Park @ Mutiara Rini has 150 participants from all over the country.

A place to chill: A wakaf or a resting hut is a permanent feature at the Johor Baru Central Municipal Council Urban Jungle Park@Mutiara Rini.

The event will be officially launched tomorrow by Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah wife of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

However, visitors have been flocking to the site from the first day. Nurseries selling plants, seedlings, garden ornaments, fertilisers and landscaping companies are among those participating in the event.

There are also booths selling organic and herbal-based products such as food, beverages and beauty and personnel care products.

Many are taking advantage to shop for plants and other related product as the booths are conveniently located and within walking distance.

Nice to look at: Two young girls admiring the water feature garden at the event.

For those planning to beautify their garden or home, this is the venue to get some ideas. Among those hoping to pick up some tips to beautify the home, were SMK Taman Perling teacher Mazlan Hamzah and his wife Hamimi Omar, a lecturer of Institut Kemahiran MARA Johor Baru.

Mazlan said the couple would be moving to their new house soon in Taman Perling and has plans to do their own landscaping.

“We are looking for a suitable landscape design as well as plants for our new house as ours is a corner lot unit with ample land space,” he said.

Mazlan said they would come back again on Sunday to buy some plants and garden deco as exhibitors usually offered good bargains on the last day.

Pretty flowers: Orchids in multicolours are among the attractions at the event.

The 24.28ha park is a popular rendezvous for families as many come here to exercise or take in fresh air daily.

On weekends, the place is popular with kite flyers.

Permanent attractions at the park are 16 traditional Johor Malay wooden houses or Rumah Limas built by 16 local council authorities in Johor.

The biggest of them, is the Rumah Limas MPJBT built on stilts in a man-made lake.

The house can accommodate 100 people and is used for parties or gatherings.

MPJBT president Md Fuzi Ahmad Shahimi said the council would be building the Dataran Sekapur Sireh or public square at the park this year to hold outdoor events such as extreme sports or cultural shows.

He said of the total 24.28ha in the park, 9ha had been dedicated for 150 species of jungle trees with the co-operation from the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia..

Getting some tips: Mazlan Hamzah and wife Hamimi Omar getting some advise from landscape architect from the National Landscape Department Wan Fakaruddin Wan Abdul Aziz.

“We hope to educate Malaysians especially youngsters to appreciate trees especially our jungle species and this park could act as an educational place for all,” said Fuzi.

He said MPJBT planned to hire park rangers to oversee the security aspect at the area and probably extend the opening hours from 7am until 10pm daily instead of 7pm now.

  • E-mail this story
  • Print this story
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter Star Metro on Facebook Star Metro on Twitter