An erstwhile jail in Assam’s Guwahati has been converted into a botanical garden. The Guwahati Central Jail which housed dreaded militants and hardcore criminals is now home to 85,000 plants of over 230 indigenous species. The 12-acre garden at Fancy Bazar, Guwahati’s trade hub, features various water bodies, a dedicated walking zone and a play area for children.
Fortunately, India is home to some of the most magical and wonderfully designed botanical gardens, perfect for a quick escape into nature. These treasure troves of natural beauty and wonder also double up as educational excursions.
Looking for one in your city? Here are the top 10 botanical gardens of India for nature enthusiasts to escape to:
Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden, Kolkata
How about starting with India’s first and oldest botanical garden! Commonly known as Calcutta Botanical Garden, the park started off as a place to grow commercial plants in 1786. Today it holds more than 12,000 varieties of native as well as exotic plants along with rare and endangered species. The collection of palm trees alone is incredible. It also holds the world’s largest Banyan tree. Beautifully landscaped with numerous artificial lakes, Calcutta Botanical Garden makes for a tranquil respite from the chaos of the city.
Note: Time your visit in the winter months when you can see various migratory birds along with the flora and fauna.
Lalbagh Botanical Garden, Bengaluru
Those searching for a little peace and quiet from the hustle and bustle of Bengaluru would do well to spend a few hours at this verdant oasis. Lalbagh houses India’s largest collection of tropical and sub-tropical plants, including trees that are several centuries old. A beautiful glasshouse modelled around the Crystal Palace in London is the main attraction here along with a beautiful lake fringed with walking trails, bridge and a waterfall. There’s also a topiary park and a watchtower perched on a 3000 million years old rocky outcrop (a geological monument).
Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Botanical Garden, Srinagar
A beautiful garden with a dense forest of oak trees and a stunning lake flowing through it sums up this botanical garden located on the foothills of the Zabarwan mountain range overlooking the Dal Lake. There are various mini gardens within the botanical garden and a greenhouse with different types of orchids. Lots to do here – go for a paddle-boat ride on the lake, take a walk on the hidden sidewalks or simply enjoy the magnificent view of the Zabarwan ranges, the mesmerizing Dal Lake, the historic Hari Parbat Fort and the Shiva Temple perched on the Shankaracharya hill. Compared to Mughal Garden, this one is quiet and peaceful.
Lloyd Botanic Garden, Darjeeling
This ‘one of its kinds’ botanical garden is a joy to wander. There are ferns and conifers from Europe, hawthorn, blackberry, broom, horse, chestnut, birch and lilac from China and Japan and plums, cherries, magnolias, deodars from Africa and Bulbon plants and cypress from America. But the main attractions here is a pair of living fossils, which has been preserved with utmost care. There’s also a cactus patch with 150 varieties, a rock garden and an orchid garden with over 2500 of the bloom. Don’t miss the weeping willow. It is named after the leaves that give a ‘falling’ or ‘weeping’ impression.
Note: The garden is located on a hill slope and can be quite steep for some people. Wear comfortable walking shoes and avoid heavy bags.
Empress Garden, Pune
This 39-acre lush wonder is a great place to be one with nature. Located near the Pune Race Course at Wanawadi it is home to a variety of breath taking flowers and trees, some even more than 100 years old! But equally impressive are serene spots like a beautiful lotus pond and plenty of open and wide space to play cricket and football. There’s also a kids play area with fountains, rides and various play equipments. Yes the garden is named after Queen Victoria who visited it when she held the royal mace. Time your visit during winters when the garden is in bloom and the temperature hovers around 25 degrees Celsius. It’s also the time for the annual show ‘Buds and Bloom’. You can take a sapling or two to create your small garden at home.
Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanical Garden, Palode, Trivandrum
This green hideout spread over 300 acres makes for a perfect escape from the heat and dust of Trivandrum. The campus houses over 35,000 trees, a ginger germplasm, a massive collection of rare medicinal plants, over 150 palm species and bamboo varieties from various parts of the world. But the best feature of this place is the peace and the bird song that fills the air. Listen and learn while wandering this peaceful, beautiful place, with the crumpling leaves and seeds, releasing their scents and guessing the spices.
Government Botanical Garden, Ooty
You can’t leave Ooty without a visit to this beautiful garden located in the picturesque Nilgiri Hills 2500 meters above sea level. The garden is divided into five sections - the Lower Garden that harbours many species of ferns; the New Garden which contains the rose garden and natural ponds; the Italian Garden, laid down by Italian Prisoners of War from the First World War; the Conservatory filled with flowering plants; and the nurseries, which contains a series of glass houses with innumerable varieties of exotic plants. But the main attraction here is a fossilized tree trunk which is almost 20 million years old!
National Botanical Garden, Lucknow
It’s easy to spend hours roaming around in this green oasis founded by Nawab Sadat Ali Khan in 1789. It also happens to be a favourite among evening walkers and picnic spot seekers in Lucknow. Apart from its charming rose gardens, lush green lawns, lily pools, a cactus house and a conservatory the garden is also known for developing a technique called dry flower arrangement, which has earned acclaim across the world.
Botanical Garden of Forest Research Institute (FRI), Dehradun
This educational centre with the Himalayas as its backdrop is also one of the best tourist attractions in Dehradun. The institute's Greco-Roman style main building is larger than the Buckingham Palace. The botanical garden here is breath taking and houses a diverse collection of trees from around the world. There are several museums too - the Social Forestry Museum, the Timber Museum and the Silviculture Museum. Go with time, a book or a picnic basket.
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