Delhi CM inaugurates 20th Garden Tourism Festival in Delhi

New Delhi, Feb 16 (UNI) The annual garden Festival kicked off in the capital today with an attempt to revive the forgotten skill of "Topiary in garden Designing", the art of training and clipping shrubs into ornamented figures.

A display of more than 15,000 plants of several varieties, apart from the topiary formations, including potted plants, foliage, cut flowers, medicinal plants, hanging baskets, garden equipments and accessories mark the 20th Garden Tourism Festival, which was inaugurated by Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit at the Garden of Five Senses in South Delhi.

Gracing the inauguration of the three-day festival, to be held till February 18, were Delhi Minister of Tourism Arvinder Singh Lovely, CMD of DTTTDC Sanat Kaul and thousands of flowers lovers.

A pleasant mix of ecology, flora, fauna, fun and a lot of insight into the world of greens, the Garden Tourism Festival is described by connoisseurs in the world of nature as a natural delight.

Garden of Five Senses, spread over a sprawling area of 20 acres, is the venue of this annual festival for the last five years.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said,''Garden of Five Senses is conceived as a public leisure space that evokes a sensory response. It has thematic gardens with a mix of original and introduced vegetation.'' Ms Dikshit said the Garden Tourism Festival's main attraction every year was a theme based garden planned "Colours in Landscaping", Gardens of the Orient" Gardens with Arbour, Terrace Gardens, Decorative Accents in Landscaping, Indian Gardens and Colours of Spring" are some of the earlier themes.

Addressing the gathering, Mr Arvinder Singh Lovely said the 20th Garden Tourism Festival has an attractive display of plants.

''The festival has more than 15,000 plants in different categories including potted plants, Foliage, Medicinal Plants, consisting of over 293 categories of flowers participation from NDMC, MCD, CPWD, DJB, All India Kitchen Garden Association, Delhi Dahlia Society, Noida and Greater Noida Industrial Development Authorities etc,''he said.

The Garden Tourism Festival has a special display by Horticulture department and various corporate houses.

There is participation from NDMC, MCD, CPWD, DJB, All India Kitchen Garden Association, Delhi Dahlia Society, Noida and Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority.

UNI