This Independence Day, people will have more than one venue to choose to attend a flower show. Taking a cue from the Lalbagh Botanical Gardens, Cubbon Park authorities plan to host their first flower show this month.
Deputy Director (Cubbon Park) Mahantesh Murgod said the park authorities were planning to organise a mini-flower show tentatively between August 15 and 17.
The proposal was mooted by the park authorities after the number of people visiting the park increased following traffic ban on Sundays.
Over the past two-and-a-half months, the park also introduced a series of activities such as music concerts, health camps and also created a bazaar where fresh vegetables are sold on Sundays. “Earlier, around 5,000 people used to visit the park on Sundays, now it is around 15,000. The mini-flower show will be a treat to these visitors,” he said.
Mr. Murgod said they were in the process of deciding the theme and flowers as well as plants that would be put on display at two strategic locations in the park. “We have grown some flowers and we will get some from outside as well,” he said.
Plans to hold a flower show in Cubbon Park were proposed a few years ago to decongest Lalbagh, which sees a footfall of over 4 lakh during the Independence Day and Republic Day flower shows. Mr. Murgod said although this year the flower-show-cum sale would take place on a small scale, they plan to scale it up and introduce flower shows on Children’s Day and other important days.
What you are likely to see in Cubbon Park mini-flower show
Flowers grown in the park and those procured from outside
One of the major attractions would be the red jade vine, a tropical climber brought from Thailand about two-and-a-half years ago.
The 205-acre park currently has 7,426 plants of 400 species.
The theme of the show is yet to be finalised and officials are now considering decking flowers in the form of musical instruments or birds and animals.
Besides the flower show, visitors can also see century-old trees, including a silver oak tree.
Mysuru heritage to be theme of Lalbagh show
The heritage and the history of the erstwhile Mysuru kingdom will come alive along with flowers as the theme of the 202nd flower show at the Lalbagh Botanical Gardens.
Five plaster of Paris statues of Wadiyar kings will be displayed at the park along with information on their contributions. A replica of Bangalore Palace will also be on display.
Lalbagh authorities said they had invited Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar and Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, wife of the late Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar. A photo gallery of rare photos of Mysuru would also be put up.
Flower shows at Lalbagh were started in 1912 by the Mysore Horticultural Society. The flower show would be held between August 7 and 16. Entry fee will be Rs. 40 on regular days and Rs. 50 on holidays for adults; for children, it will be Rs. 10.
