BENGALURU: Nearly `20 lakh has been spent to import flowers from different parts of south India and Holland for Lalbagh’s 208th flower show. The central installation in the glass house represents the Himalayas, Indian ocean in the south and desert land, showcasing the different terrains of India. “We have not imported flowers from foreign countries at this scale before.
Holland has the best climate for flowers and certain exotic varieties only grow there,” says M Jagadeesh, joint director of Horticulture Department, adding, “Pink and white Caranation flowers are from the Dutch regions, along with orchids, Alstroemeria Lily, Lilium, Dracaena, Leather leaf, Chrysanthemum and Dahlia,” Jagadeesh says.
Of the `1.75 to `2 crores spent on the flower show overall, `20 lakh was for flowers only.
MR Chandrashekar, deputy director, says the department has procured 15 variegated flower species in advance. He says, “We wanted to expose the public to different kinds of flowers this time. We usually have 30 species in our shows, but this time, it is around 45. Renowned florist TS Jagadish coordinated this for us.”
A team of 15 expert arrangers took three days to make the flower arrangements, utilising 1,20,000 flowers for this purpose. To keep the stock fresh for the 12 day period until August 15, the flora will be changed three times. Local flowers have been sourced from Bengaluru, other parts of Karnataka, Ooty, other parts of Tamil Nadu and Pune. This show is dedicated to the Indian Defence forces. Models of warships, jet fighters, war aeroplanes, tankers and bomber planes have been designed using fibre, wood and metal. At the entrance of the glasshouse, a model of the war memorial Amar Jawan Jyothi, in Delhi, has been created.
Tickets will be sold from 9.30 am to 6 pm. Entry to the Glass House closes at 7 pm.