NILGIRIS: Chief Minister M K Stalin inaugurated the 127th annual Flower Show at the Government Botanical Garden (GBG) in Ooty on Thursday.
The displays here include 40,000 different flowers kept in pots and a 25-foot-tall and 75-foot-long massive royal castle designed with two lakh flowers, including carnations, roses and chrysanthemums (samanthi).
An eight-foot tall divine swan (annapakshi) made of 50,400 chrysanthemums and a ‘kallanai’ dam structure formed of 35,000 roses and chrysanthemums are other highlights.
The main attraction of the event are arresting floral designs themed on the lifestyle of ancient Tamil royalty. As many as 1,30,000 flowers have been used to make the 70-foot-long and 20-foot-tall entrance of a palace model.
After the inauguration, Stalin viewed the floral displays and then sat on a throne made of roses. The CM later visited stalls set up by the government departments of horticulture, agriculture, forest, tourism, tribal welfare as well as the Tamil Nadu Urban Livelihoods Mission.
The CM also opened a renovated fern house. According to sources, the 125-square-foot facility has been restored after a gap of 100 years.