“Srinagar has introduced Bagh-e-Gul-e-Dawood, a chrysanthemum garden featuring 12 million blooms, adding a vibrant new attraction to Kashmir’s autumn season alongside its traditional seasonal landscapes.”
Kashmir’s timeless beauty has always been celebrated through its changing seasons, from the vibrant tulips of spring and the lush greenery of summer to the golden Chinar leaves of autumn and the snow-covered landscapes of winter. Now, a magnificent new attraction in Srinagar is adding another dimension to this seasonal charm. Bagh-e-Gul-e-Dawood, the theme-based chrysanthemum garden featuring an impressive 12 million blooms, promises to transform autumn into an even more colourful and memorable experience for residents and tourists alike. Located at the Nehru Memorial Botanical Garden in Srinagar, the garden represents a welcome initiative by the Department of Floriculture to expand Kashmir’s tourism calendar and showcase the Valley’s natural beauty beyond its established spring and summer attractions. With its vibrant floral displays, carefully designed landscapes and visitor-friendly facilities, the garden has the potential to emerge as a major destination during autumn and early winter. The expansion and upgradation of Bagh-e-Gul-e-Dawood this year reflect a commendable vision. The plantation area has been increased, larger flower beds have been developed, and landscaped spaces, a decorative plaza, a water feature and designated selfie points have been added to enhance the visitor experience. With 3.5 lakh chrysanthemum plants expected to produce more than 12 million flowers, the garden offers a spectacular visual treat that can rival many established floral attractions. The initiative also reflects the Department of Floriculture’s commitment to innovation and the promotion of Kashmir’s horticultural heritage. Director of Floriculture Mathoora Masoom has expressed the department’s ambition to make the chrysanthemum garden as popular as Srinagar’s famous Tulip Garden. This is a worthy objective, as Kashmir possesses the natural beauty, climatic diversity and horticultural expertise needed to develop distinctive attractions throughout the year. For decades, the Tulip Garden has been synonymous with the arrival of spring, attracting visitors from across the country and abroad. Bagh-e-Gul-e-Dawood offers an opportunity to create a similar identity for autumn. Just as tulips herald the season of renewal, chrysanthemums can become the defining floral symbol of autumn in Kashmir. Such seasonal branding would strengthen the Valley’s tourism appeal and encourage travellers to plan visits at different times of the year. Another encouraging feature is the garden’s thoughtful integration with the surrounding autumn landscape.
“The launch of Srinagar’s chrysanthemum garden, Bagh-e-Gul-e-Dawood, establishes autumn as a viable floral tourism season, extending economic benefits for local businesses beyond summer. Its long-term viability requires multi-agency collaboration, sustained maintenance, publicity, and eco-friendly infrastructure.”
The changing colours of Chinar, maple and ginkgo trees complement the chrysanthemums, creating a distinctive combination of floral vibrancy and seasonal foliage. Unlike attractions that depend on a variety of unrelated blooms, this theme-based garden offers a coherent visual experience centred on one flower. Its design can appeal to families, nature enthusiasts, photographers and visitors seeking peaceful outdoor experiences. The garden’s expected blooming period until early December is particularly significant. Chrysanthemums are hardy flowers capable of withstanding some adverse weather, allowing the attraction to remain accessible beyond the traditional autumn tourism window. By bridging the gap between the summer travel season and winter tourism, the garden could generate additional opportunities for hotels, transport operators, local guides, restaurants, handicraft sellers and other businesses dependent on tourism. The growing interest in the displays even before their opening is an encouraging sign. However, the garden’s long-term success will depend on sustained maintenance, effective publicity, convenient visitor facilities, environmental responsibility and the development of attractive tourism packages. Collaboration among the Floriculture Department, tourism authorities and local stakeholders can help maximise its economic and cultural benefits. Bagh-e-Gul-e-Dawood is more than a garden filled with millions of flowers; it represents a fresh vision for Kashmir’s tourism future. By celebrating the beauty of autumn, the initiative challenges the notion that the Valley’s floral attractions belong exclusively to spring. With continued investment and thoughtful management, Srinagar’s chrysanthemum garden can become a cherished seasonal landmark, bringing colour, visitors and new economic opportunities to the Valley. Kashmir deserves to be experienced in every season. If spring belongs to tulips, autumn can proudly belong to chrysanthemums, adding another beautiful chapter to the enduring story of the Valley’s natural splendour.
