As part of its support for the Singapore Botanic Gardens’ Herbarium digitalisation initiative, Hong Leong Asia Ltd (HLA) contributed the S$5 notes featured in the limited-edition “Herbarium in Your Pocket” fundraising collectable.

The Gardens’ initiative aims to digitalise over 800,000 plant and fungi specimens housed in the Herbarium, a botanical research facility established in 1875. By making high-resolution images and specimen data accessible online, the project will enable researchers and the global community to benefit from enhanced knowledge sharing and collaboration. The effort commemorates the Herbarium’s 150th anniversary and the 10th anniversary of the Gardens’ inscription as Singapore’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site.

When completed in 2027, the Herbarium is expected to house Southeast Asia’s largest online database of botanical specimens.

The collectable, created for donors who contribute S$1,000 and above, features a preserved specimen from the iconic Tembusu (Cyrtophyllum fragrans) Tree depicted on Singapore’s S$5 note. Each specimen is carefully collected and hand-mounted by the Gardens’ staff, accompanied by a plant label and a serialised collection number. The ink used for the serial numbers was specially crafted from the same Tembusu tree by local botanical ink-making studio Wild Dot, adding a distinctive and meaningful touch.

Through the donation of the S$5 notes, HLA seeks to connect Singapore’s natural heritage with community giving, while supporting long-term preservation through innovation.