[1] Whampoa frequently invited guests into his home, including Admiral Henry Keppel.
[2] The garden included an orange plantation, fruit orchards, rockeries, artificial ponds, aquariums, and plants trimmed to look like animals.
[3][4] The gardens were maintained by horticulturists and also included a small zoo and an aviary.
[1][2] The gardens served as a public gathering place for the Chinese community in the Colony of Singapore.
[1][5] In 1964, the government purchased the estate for $3.8 million and demolished it to make way for urban developments.