The Botanic Gardens was originally established as a leisure and ornamental park in 1859 on land given by the Chinese pioneer Hoo Ah Kay, also known as Whampoa. The Gardens had always been a major tourist attraction and it was here that Singapore's national flower, the Vanda Miss Joaquim, was bred. An Armenian lady, Agnes Joaquim, successfully crossed vanda hookerina and vanda teres, and the resulting hybrid was promptly confirmed as the Vanda Miss Joaquim.
