Srinagar, Oct 22: Kashmir’s autumn tourism is set to get a new attraction with the opening of Bagh-e-Gul-e-Dawood, a chrysanthemum-themed garden at the Nehru Memorial Botanical Garden in Srinagar, featuring around 3.5 lakh flowering plants.
Director Floriculture, Gardens and Parks, Kashmir, Mathoora Masoom, said the garden had been developed at a cost of ₹1.869 crore, with the flowers expected to remain in bloom until December 5 or 6, depending on weather conditions.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function in Srinagar on Thursday, Masoom said the garden was designed to establish chrysanthemums as the defining attraction of autumn, much like tulips draw visitors to Kashmir in spring.
“This is our dream project, and we want the importance and popularity of our Chrysanthemum Garden to be exactly the same as our Tulip Garden. We do not want any season of Kashmir to be dull. Spring will be associated with tulips and autumn with chrysanthemums,” she said.
The garden features expanded flower beds, colourful floral displays, water features, pergolas and selfie points, along with improved facilities for visitors. Chinar, maple and ginkgo trees have also been incorporated into the landscape to complement the autumn colours.
Masoom said the department had worked collectively to complete the project despite weather-related challenges during preparations.
She said the flowering season could last around one-and-a-half months, giving tourists and local visitors an opportunity to experience the garden well beyond its opening.
The garden is expected to strengthen Kashmir’s tourism appeal during autumn, a season that has traditionally received less attention than the spring tulip season.
Masoom expressed hope that the new attraction would draw a large number of visitors and help expand tourism opportunities beyond the Valley’s established seasonal destinations.
