In Pics: Tourists enjoy at Asia's largest Tulip Garden in Srinagar

Srinagar, April 9: The splendid aura of thousands of tulips in one of the Asia's largest Tulip Garden located in Srinagar is attracting hundreds of tourists.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on Monday, April 6 inaugurated Asia's largest Tulip garden situated on the banks of Dal Lake here for public viewing.

This year around ten lakh tulips have been planted in the garden, spread over an area of 15 hectares.

"This year around ten lakh tulip flowers will be in bloom comprising of 53 varieties in total," an official of the Floriculture Department said.

He said the department has planted the tulip bulbs in a phased manner so that the flowers remain in the garden for a month or more.

Girls in traditional Kashmiri attire enjoy full blooms

Girls in traditional Kashmiri attire enjoy full blooms at Asia's largest Tulip garden after it was opened for public viewing in Srinagar

A gardener working in the Asia's largest Tulip garden

A gardener working in the Asia's largest Tulip garden on the foot hills of Zabarwan in Srinagar on Saturday. The garden will be thrown open to people and tourists

Girls click pictures in the Asia's largest Tulip garden

Girls click pictures in the Asia's largest Tulip garden on the foot hills of Zabarwan in Srinagar on Saturday. The garden will be thrown open to people and tourists

In Srinagar

Gardeners work in the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden in Srinagar

Tourists enjoy at Asia's largest Tulip Garden

Tourists enjoy at Asia's largest Tulip Garden on the foothhills of the Zabarwan hills in Srinagar

A view of fully bloomed Tulips

A view of fully bloomed Tulips at Asia's largest Tulip Garden on the foothills of the Zabarwan hills in Srinagar

School girls at Asia's Largest Tulip Garden

School girls at Asia's Largest Tulip Garden on the eve of its closure in Srinagar

Flowers in full bloom at Asia's largest Tulip garden

Flowers in full bloom at Asia's largest Tulip garden on the foothills of Zabarwan range overlooking Dal Lake in Srinagar

"The average life span of the tulip flower is three to four weeks but heavy rains or too much of heat can destroy them. This year, we have planted the bulbs in a phased manner to increase their longevity. That way there will be tulips in the garden for the whole month or even more," he said.

The official said the department has imported three lakh fresh bulbs from Holland this season.

"Some 3.3 lakh bulbs and more than 36 quintals of seeds have been grown from the previous stock. In addition to tulips, more than 70,000 bulbs will be in bloom during this season," he said.

In addition to the tulips, the other flowers grown in the garden include Hyacinths, Narcissus, Daffodils, Muscuria and Iris.

The opening of the garden, in the foothills of Zabarwan Range, marks the beginning of a new tourism season in Kashmir Valley.

Formerly known as Siraj Bagh, the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip garden was opened in 2008 by the then Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.

The idea of the garden was conceived to advance the tourism season in the Valley by two months. Last year the garden was thrown open to public on April 5.

OneIndia News

(With PTI inputs)