Srinagar, Oct 23: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said the Chrysanthemum Garden, also known as Bagh-e-Gul-e-Dawood, has been developed to extend Kashmir’s tourism season and provide visitors with a distinctive attraction towards the end of the year.
Spread over 120 kanals, the garden has been expanded for its second edition, with the Floriculture Department planting 3.5 lakh chrysanthemum plants representing 72 varieties. The floral display is expected to feature more than 12 million flowers in an array of colours, shades, shapes and sizes.
Inaugurating the garden for the second consecutive year, Abdullah said the initiative was aimed at celebrating the end of the year with a special floral attraction in Srinagar, complementing the Tulip Garden, which draws visitors at the beginning of the tourism season.
“The purpose of this garden was to celebrate the beginning of our tourism season. In a way, the end of the year should also be celebrated in Srinagar with our special garden,” he said, adding that Kashmir had lacked a comparable attraction during this period, prompting the Department of Floriculture to develop the Chrysanthemum Garden to offer visitors something distinctive beyond the spring tourism season.
“You must have seen that many people come in the name of Tulip Garden in the beginning. But this season we did not have anything special to show them. That is why this Chrysanthemum Garden, Bagh-e-Gul-e-Dawood, has been developed by the Department of Floriculture,” the Chief Minister said.
CM Abdullah added the garden had witnessed considerable improvement since its inauguration last year, adding that the government would continue to develop it and introduce new features in the coming years.
“I myself saw how much difference there was between last year and this year. Those who were with me at the inauguration last year and those who took advantage of this opportunity must have seen that this garden has developed a lot,” he said.
The CM highlighted that the garden was being sustained using locally propagated plant material, reducing dependence on imported planting material.
“The plant material of this garden is our own. We propagate it and multiply it. In the same way, we will try to do something new in this garden every year,” he said.
The Chief Minister also invited residents of Srinagar and adjoining areas to visit the garden and enjoy its floral beauty. “More than the people from all over the country who like to come to Kashmir, I invite our own people from Srinagar and nearby areas to come there. Take advantage of the beauty of this garden. Take some pictures and take them back as a souvenir,” he said.
