SINGAPORE - Four years after Singapore opened its first inland ash-scattering garden, more people are choosing it as their loved ones’ final resting place.

The number of individuals’ ashes scattered on land has risen from about 900 in 2021 to more than 2,300 in 2024, according to the National Environment Agency (NEA).

There were 26,442 deaths in total in Singapore in 2024.

The Garden of Peace at Choa Chu Kang Cemetery has been the scattering site for about 7,600 sets of ashes since its opening in May 2021. NEA provided these numbers in response to queries from The Straits Times.

A second facility, called Garden of Serenity, is set to open at the new Mandai Crematorium Complex in the third quarter of 2025, said NEA.

These gardens provide another option for managing cremated human remains in land-scarce Singapore. Families can also keep ashes in a niche at a columbarium or at home, or scatter them at sea.

The fee for inland ash scattering is $320. Ash scattering at sea can cost between $200 and $1,000 depending on rituals, based on prices found online.

Direct Funeral Services told ST it has seen an increase in the proportion of requests for inland ash scattering since the Garden of Peace opened.

In 2021, inland ash scattering accounted for 6.5 per cent of all requests. This has risen to 16.4 per cent in 2025.

Direct Funeral Services founder Roland Tay told ST that the increasing popularity of ash scattering may be partly because the Garden of Peace has been thoughtfully designed.

The garden has designated lanes for the scattering of ashes, with trees and hedges between lanes to give families privacy. It is also designed such that those using wheelchairs can take part in the ceremony, he said.

When the second garden opens in 2025, Mr Tay expects to see a further increase in demand for inland ash scattering.

“With the opening of the second inland ash-scattering facility in Mandai Crematorium, bringing the crematorium, ash collection centre and inland ash-scattering site together in one location – this offers greater convenience for many,” he said.