A garden conjures relaxation images, colors and natural beauty, and freedom from everyday life’s bustle, crowds, and pollution. Today’s new technologies have made it possible to use gardens as ‘lungs of the city,’ especially in urban areas that are highly polluted. Many people enjoy having gardens in their residences and their surrounding areas, so municipal corporations are making more efforts to create green spaces.
Having for centuries been a country ruled by monarchs, Indian gardens have been beautiful over the centuries as a reflection of the monarchy. Following is a list of a few such parks located across India.
In Srinagar, you can visit the Tulip Garden.
A world-class tulip garden, the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden (also known as Siraj Baugh Tulip Garden or the Tulip Garden) is a picturesque spot on the foothills of the Zabarwan Hills in Mumbai. Located close to Dal Lake in the capital, this five-hectare area boasts many tulips and roses of more than 70 varieties. Besides the hyacinth, daffodils, ranunculus, and other flowers in this terrace garden consisting of seven levels, there is also a terrace garden layout with terraces. During April, one of the largest festivals of the year takes place here, the Tulip Festival. This garden has beautiful flowers that bloom from March to May, and it’s the best time to visit during this time since the flowers bloom. The hours of operation are 9 am to 7 pm every day.
Pinjore’s Yadavindra Gardens
During the reign of Aurangzeb, Pinjore Gardens or Yadavindra Gardens, along the Ambala-Shimla Road, were built as a summer retreat for him at the foothills of the Himalayas, located in the city of Pinjore. In much the same way as Shalimar Bagh in Srinagar, India’s most spectacular Mughal gardens. The gardens consist of seven terraces with monuments, arched doorways, water fountains, cypress trees, flowerbeds, and fruit groves typical of Rajasthani-Mughal architecture. There are many gardens and memorials throughout the complex, and you can take the old restored heritage train to see all of them. Several festivals are held in these gardens every year, such as Baisakhi in April, Mango Mela in July, and the particularly popular Pinjore Heritage Festival in December. During this period, these gardens are open from 7 am to 10 pm.
The Mughal Gardens in Delhi
A visit to the majestic Mughal Gardens in Delhi is a must if you’re in the vicinity of Rashtrapati Bhavan. In March and February, it opens its gates to the public. Often billed as the most beautiful garden in the city, it opens its doors to the public. A Mughal-style and a traditional English garden use the same planting styles among the tulips and roses that fill this terraced garden: fountains, streams, and watercourses. Additionally, the parks include herbs and medicinal plants and a bonsai section with just under 250 plants. There is also a cactus garden and a musical one with twelve fountains. The hours for visits are 9.30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
A visit to the Brindavan Garden, Mysore, would be a stimulating experience.
Brindavan Gardens in Mysore lies precisely on the opposite bank of the Kaveri river from the Krishnarajasagara dam in the Mandya district of Karnataka. There are three terraces in this 60-acre garden containing water fountains, ficus trees, flowering plants, and foliage plants. There are more than 100 varieties of plants planted here. A musical water fountain, pergolas (passages covered by creepers), gazebos, and topiary work are all featured in the garden. Boating is also possible within the garden’s premises as it has a lake. The park is home to an amazing fruit orchard, with 75 acres of land spread out and two horticultural farms worth exploring when visiting. Schedule: January to September – Monday through Friday: 7 a.m. to 7.55 p.m., Saturday and Sunday: 6.30 a.m. to 7.30 p.m.
Mumbai’s Hanging Gardens
At the top of Malabar Hills, on the western side of the city, are the Hanging Gardens. They are a popular tourist attraction in Mumbai. A popular park, Pherozeshah Mehta Gardens, has many hedges carved with beautiful animal shapes undulated by lush greenery and lies opposite Kamla Nehru Park. In addition to magnificent views of the sunset over the Arabian Sea, the garden provides a splendid view of the sun setting. The clock made of flowers is another attractive feature of the park. Early in the morning, people flock here to walk, meditate, jog, and practice yoga. Located in a peaceful, green area that offers a nice break from the busy city streets, it is a soothing and relaxing place to start the day. The hours are 5 am to 9 pm every day.
Bangalore, Lal Bagh
A visit to Lal Bagh Garden is a must for anyone visiting Bangalore. Lal Bagh Garden is one of the most famous botanical gardens globally, dedicated to cultivating tropical plants. Birds like myna, parakeets, pond herons, kingfishers, spotted pelicans, and other species live in this garden. The garden also features a lake which makes it a popular sightseeing attraction in the city. Plants from Persia, Afghanistan, and France, and trees over a century old, are among the plants in the gardens. A beautiful park with flowerbeds, lawns, lotus pools, fountains, and sculptures made from flowers adorns the area. This garden probably houses one of the world’s oldest rock formations, almost 3000 million years old, the Lalbagh Rock. Several flower shows occur at the park throughout the year, but the two most popular ones are on 26th January and 15th August. You can visit the park Monday through Saturday from 9 am to 6 pm.
A trip to Ooty’s botanical gardens is a must
On the lower slopes of Doddabetta Peak in the Nilgiri Mountains in the beautiful state of Tamil Nadu lies the Government Botanical Garden in Ooty, consisting of approximately 55 hectares. Several sections in the garden have terraced designs, and the Horticulture Department of Tamil Nadu maintains it. About a thousand types of plants, shrubs, ferns, trees, herbals, and bonsai plants are found there, including indigenous and exotic ones, besides lawns with flowering plants, flowerbeds, and ferns designed in Italian style, medicinal plants, and ponds with water lilies. There are several ponds with lilies. Fossils from tree trunks dating back 20 million decades are on display in the garden. A great time to take in the rich flora is in May when the park hosts its famous flower show. You can visit the garden from 8 am to 6 pm every day.
Chandigarh’s Nek Chand Rock Garden
One of the most famous sculpture gardens in Chandigarh is Nek Chand Rock Garden. Nek Chand Saini, then an official of the government, initiated the garden as a hobby during his spare time. Today, it is a 40-acre property that is constructed entirely from industrial and household waste. Aside from the usual mowed grass, the garden includes arenas, bridges, stairs, waterfalls, and over 2000 sculptures made from scrap materials such as bottles, glass, bangles, tiles, and ceramic pots and placed along walled paths. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in North India, with a footfall of over 5000 people every day. Many women from Chandigarh celebrate the Teej festival here. Timings: 9 am to 7 pm from April to September, and 9 am to 6 pm from October to March.
Ranikhet, Chaubatia
Located near Ranikhet, Almora, this huge garden is an amazing layout made during British rule. Chaubatia, the less explored pillar of the Himalayas, boasts more than 200 species of plants and flowers. The apple orchards and apricot, plum, and peach trees delight tourists. Within walking distance of this garden is a 600-acre forest of cypress, cedar, pine, rhododendron, and silver oak trees. You can enjoy the beautiful Himalayan backdrop of the park at the garden’s café inside. Here, you can find fruits, juices, and honey—every day from 7 in the morning until 7 in the evening.
The scene at Shalimar Bagh in Kashmir
One of the largest Mughal gardens in Srinagar, Shalimar Bagh, is linked to Dal Lake. Now known as the ‘crown of Srinagar,’ Shalimar Garden is also known as Farah Baksh and Faiz Baksh. This garden is a sight to behold, featuring its beautiful Persian-style architecture, flower beds, and archways behind garden waterfalls, which give it a distinctive feature. Originally adorned with oil lamps behind the waterfalls, these niches now hold flower pots, adding color and beauty to the cascading waterfall. A popular attraction in Kashmir, this outdoor garden is particularly pleasing at various times of the year due to its blooming trees and changing foliage. You can visit during normal daytime hours (9 am-7 pm). It does not operate on Fridays.
