Planting for the second tourist season in the Nilgiris began with the Horticulture Department working at full pace to get the Government Botanical Garden ready to welcome visitors in just a few months time.
Officials from the department said that the second season, which usually attracts fewer tourists than during the summer festival season, was expected to draw a record number of visitors to the garden compared to last year, when the numbers fell due to the floods in Kerala.
“More than 2.5 lakh plants, including 10,000 potted plants of 125 different varieties will be on display,” said an official, who added that the plants had been prepared in special greenhouses being run by the department.
The officials said that the plants would be in full bloom by the second week of September, while the season itself would continue till October.
“The planting was started on Sunday, and the plants, which were grown inside the greenhouses, are being transplanted to the garden beds and pots by workers,” said an official.
Inca and French marigolds, salvias, dianthuses, begonia, calendulas, zinnias, celosias, dahlias and petunias are to be some of major floral attractions at the garden.