Nothing says ‘I love you’ like Ooty carnations

Udhagamandalam: Intrepid lovers across the country will be carrying the carnation flowers that bloomed in balmy Ooty gardens today, the Valentine’s Day.
More than four lakh carnations were transported to major cities including Bengaluru from the 80 floriculture units in the hill district in the last one week, said Shiva Subramaniam Samraj, joint director of the horticulture department.
Floriculturists were putting off harvest for more than a week to encash on the demand.
Red carnations cultivated in the district are in demand next to red roses, said Kishore, a cut flower dealer. “February has always been a month of demand for cut flowers. Red carnations are in great demand to substitute the red roses in bouquets,” he told TOI.
A red carnation fetches farmers Rs 13 to Rs 16, Kishore, who sends cut flowers to Bengaluru, Chennai and Cochin, said. “Over six lakh cut flowers including carnations, gerbera and liliums were sent from the district for export in the last couple of weeks.”
The district does not produce cut rose varieties, said Samraj. “The climatic condition in the Nilgiris favours only roses of hybrid, shrub and climbing varieties. Long-stemmed roses used by florists require humid weather condition such in Krishnagiri and Hosur.”
Cut flowers are mainly procured by flower agents in Bengaluru through local agents and then exported mainly to Egypt, Germany and the United States.
Meanwhile, couples, especially the newly-wed, are flocking to Ooty to celebrate the special day. The weather gods are favouring the love-struck with moderated wintry sun during the day and mildly chilly evenings.
K Kishan and R Manisha, a newly-married couple from Secunderabad, said they came to Ooty just to spend the day in each other's arms.