Golden autumn blooms: Kashmir's Chrysanthemum Garden opens for second season

Srinagar's Nehru Memorial Botanical Garden, nestled at the foothills of the Zabarwan range near Dal Lake, has turned into a vibrant display of autumn colours with the blooming of thousands of chrysanthemums.

On Friday, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah formally inaugurated Bagh-e-Gul-e-Dawood, Kashmir's Chrysanthemum Garden, for its second season. The initiative aims to establish a major autumn floral attraction in the Valley, complementing the popularity of its renowned spring tulip garden.

The garden has expanded significantly this year, with nearly 3.5 lakh chrysanthemum plants spread across around 120 kanals, equivalent to approximately five hectares. The plants have been propagated and multiplied locally by the Department of Floriculture, Gardens and Parks.

Officials expect the garden to produce more than 1.2 crore flowers in shades of yellow, crimson, pink, purple, white and other pastel colours. More than 70 varieties of chrysanthemums now adorn the expanded flower beds, nearly doubling last year's collection. The blooms stand out against the golden and russet foliage of the surrounding chinar, maple and ginkgo trees.

Kashmir Aims To Match Tulip Garden's Popularity

Director of Floriculture Mathoora Masoom has described the Chrysanthemum Garden as a dream project for the department, with the aim of making it as popular as Kashmir's famous Tulip Garden.

“We want the importance and popularity of our Chrysanthemum Garden to be exactly the same as our Tulip Garden,” she said. “We don't want any season of our Kashmir to be dull. Spring is with tulips; autumn will be with chrysanthemums.”

Unlike tulips, which require imported bulbs, the chrysanthemums are grown using locally propagated plant material, a feature highlighted by the Chief Minister.

The flowers are also more resilient and can withstand light snowfall. They are expected to remain in bloom for at least six weeks, potentially until December 5 or 6, giving visitors a longer period to enjoy the garden compared with the relatively short spring tulip season.

Upgraded Garden Offers More For Visitors

The garden has undergone several improvements to enhance the visitor experience. Larger flower beds lead into a decorative plaza, while water features and wooden pergolas provide places to relax. Designated selfie points allow visitors to capture photographs amid the colourful blooms.

Improved pathways and visitor amenities have also been added, making the garden more accessible and creating a setting for visitors to experience Kashmir's autumn landscape.

Omar Abdullah Invites Tourists To Visit

After inaugurating the garden, Omar Abdullah invited tourists from across the country, along with residents of Srinagar and neighbouring areas, to visit the attraction and enjoy its flowers.

“Today marks the second inauguration of Bagh-e-Gole Dawood (Chrysanthemum Garden), initially started last year, with the objective of having both the beginning and end of the tourism season in Srinagar feature a unique garden unlike any other found elsewhere,” Omar said.

He explained that the Department of Floriculture had developed the garden to boost tourism and offer visitors a distinctive attraction outside the tulip season, when options for floral tourism were more limited.

Highlighting the difference between the two gardens, he said Bagh-e-Gole Dawood uses plant material that is propagated and multiplied locally, unlike the Tulip Garden, which requires bulbs to be imported from abroad.

Expressing pride in the garden's progress since its launch last year, the Chief Minister encouraged tourists and local residents to visit, take photographs and enjoy the floral display.

With its colourful chrysanthemums and autumn foliage, Bagh-e-Gul-e-Dawood offers Kashmir a dedicated seasonal attraction beyond its celebrated spring tulips and the fiery hues of falling chinar leaves. The garden aims to fill the gap between the Valley's major tourist seasons and strengthen its appeal as a year-round destination.

Despite weather-related challenges during preparations, the efforts of the gardening teams have brought the expanded garden to life, with its golden and jewel-toned blooms ready to welcome visitors.