• 3.5 lakh plants planted; blooms expected until 1st week of Dec
• Deptt expands garden with colourful plaza, water features, pergolas and visitor amenities
Srinagar | October, 22: In a bid to extend Kashmir’s tourism season beyond the spring tulip bloom, the Floriculture Department has developed the Chrysanthemum Garden as a major autumn attraction, planting around 3.5 lakh flowers this year, with the display expected to continue until December 5 or 6, depending on weather conditions.
Director Floriculture, Gardens and Parks, Kashmir, Mathoora Masoom, said the garden had been upgraded with expanded flower beds, a decorated plaza, water features, pergolas, selfie points and improved pathways to enhance the visitor experience.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function, Masoom described the garden as a dream project aimed at giving autumn tourism the prominence traditionally associated with Kashmir’s spring tulip season.
“We want the importance and popularity of our Chrysanthemum Garden to be exactly the same as our Tulip Garden. We don’t want any season of our Kashmir to be bad. So your Spring is with Tulip and your Autumn will be with Chrysanthemum,” she said.
The department has increased the flower-bed area and planted approximately 3.5 lakh chrysanthemums this year, while redesigning parts of the garden and adding facilities for visitors.
Masoom said the garden had been developed around a specific floral theme, with chrysanthemums forming the principal attraction and the surrounding landscape complementing the autumn display.
“It is a theme garden. You will see only autumn flowers. And in autumn flowers, you see only one flower, Chrysanthemum,” she said.
The surrounding plantation includes chinar, maple and ginkgo trees, whose changing colours are intended to complement the flowers and create a distinctive autumn landscape.
The Director said the flowers could remain in bloom for at least one-and-a-half months after the garden’s opening, with the display expected to last until December 5 or 6, subject to weather conditions.
She said chrysanthemums were more resilient than tulips and could withstand slight snowfall, potentially extending the period during which visitors could enjoy the garden.
The extended flowering period is expected to provide another attraction for tourists visiting Kashmir in autumn, traditionally drawn to the Valley by the changing colours of chinar trees.
Masoom said the department had already received queries from visitors, including people from outside the country, about the garden’s opening. She also noted increased footfall at the Botanical Garden from people seeking to experience Kashmir’s autumn colours.
“Now they will come because they want to see the Chrysanthemum,” she said.
The initiative seeks to address a seasonal gap in Kashmir’s tourism calendar by creating a dedicated floral attraction after the spring tulip season ends. The department hopes the garden will encourage visitors to explore the Valley during autumn and strengthen its appeal beyond the traditional spring tourism period.
Masoom acknowledged that changing weather conditions had posed challenges during the garden’s preparation, but credited departmental officers, gardeners and other staff for completing the arrangements through coordinated efforts.
“There were a lot of difficulties because of the weather, but our people worked very hard. And by staying together, we made that difficulty easier,” she said.
With expanded floral displays and additional visitor facilities, the Chrysanthemum Garden is being positioned as a complementary attraction to Kashmir’s renowned Tulip Garden, with the broader objective of promoting tourism across more seasons of the year.
