Despite drought, officials ensure Ooty flower show blooms in time

The event will commence at the Government Botanical Gardens on Friday. Arrangements have been made to display 75 varieties at the show. 

Tulips, which will be displayed in five colours, is set to be one of the major attractions this year. Authorities say there has been an increase in their numbers from 1,000 to 2,400. Cut flowers (more than 90 per cent) imported from seven countries such as Holland, Japan, Netherlands, German, United States of America and Canada will be on display.

Other salient features of the event are three mega models of floral arrangements apart from 15,000 flowerpots. Unlike in the previous years, this season flower pots will be placed in the main lawn and new garden. Arrangement of flowers and pots has been going on in full swing from Monday. The event that attracted around 1.25 lakh visitors last year is expected to draw close to two lakh footfalls this year. 

“As it is vacation time now, even on week days, the show may draw 28,000 to 30,000 visitors every day. We expect twice the numbers on all the three days during the show,” said N Mani, Joint Director (JD) for Horticulture for The Nilgiris. “The 3-day event is the outcome of our tireless efforts in raising these plants despite the drought,” said the horticulture labourers. 

Department sources said that the Botanical Garden, which is spread on 55 acres, has 10 ponds that are the main source of water for the trees and plants. They said that the 170-year-old garden has never gone this dry. “In order to nurture the plants for the annual event we were left with no choice, but to buy two or three tanker loads of water every day or every alternate day. This has been the practice since we started raising the seeds from the first week of January. Thanks to the recent showers that minimised the expenses on buying water,” the JD said. He added that this year the flowers have been in full bloom and would be a cynosure. “May be it is because of the blazing sun,” said a horticulture labourer in a lighter vein.

Field level workers said that every year they used to erect winter shades to protect plants from frost. “This time we removed it a little late due to the drought. This helped in maintaining moisture levels for long and prevented the plants from dying,” said a labourer.

Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisamy will inaugurate the event at 9 am on Friday. He will reach Coimbatore on Thursday afternoon and will head to Udhagamandalam the same day.