bandstand was erected in the early 1860's as a focal point of the original landscape design of Singapore Botanic Gardens. The present octagonal structure was built in 1930 and staged early evening performances by military bands for many years. Though no longer used for music the Bandstand continues to be one of the best known features of Singapore Botanic Gardens.
The large trees are Albizia saman (syn. Samanea saman) a yellow form of the Rain Tree which is native to Central America but is commonly planted throughout the tropics. Among the many Raintrees propagated in Singapore, a few were found to have yellow rather than green foliage. It is not known why this yellowing of the foliage occurs but it is assumed to be a result of genetic mutation.