It’s August and Lalbagh is getting decked to welcome visitors to the annual Independence Day flower show. In its 114th edition, the flower show, which begins on August 9, will be open to the public till August 15.

The flower show attracts not mere visitors, but avid garden enthusiasts, the odd romantic poet who finds inspiration in the flowers and not to forget the bees that will feast on the variety of flowers! Lalbagh is all flower power right now. Just step in and the fragrance of thousands of flowers welcome you.

Bangalore may have changed, but Lalbagh continues to remain the same soothing place to calm tired nerves. The flower show has brought forth a burst of extra colour and is sure to enliven even the most jaded mind.

Among this year’s attractions is a Taj Mahal created with roses, which is sure to see couples queuing up to get photographed in front of it. More than 35,000 roses are said to have been used in this creation! The other star attractions include works of art created out of plants (topiary) and visitors will be able to see giraffes, elephants, tigers and bears created out of plants available in Ramoji Film City.

There are a host of imported flowers on display too. It is said that about 150 new varieties of plants and flowers have been added to the existing 1,854 varieties at Lalbagh garden this year.

The Department of Horticulture and the Mysore Udyana Kalasangha have put up a rare display — a satellite of sorts created out of flowers! This has been placed next to the Lalbagh Glass House itself to enable visitors to the flower show to take a look at this work of art. “This satellite signifies the growth of the Department of Horticulture,” says Assistant Director (horticulture), Lalbagh, M Jagadish.

As you enter Lalbagh near the statues of Marigowda and Kempegowda, you will be welcomed by a sea of dahlias, chryanthemums for as far as your eye can see. Here’s an interesting tidbit about this year’s flower show—if you were to lay all the flowers in one single row, it would measure 10,000 metres!

Once you enter the Glass House, you can see some 35 varieties of flowers on display—pinkplum, cockscomb, lillies, gerbera, lollipop, pansies, German chrysanthemum, heliconia, carnations, gladioli, dahlias... the list goes on. This, apart from the creepers, crotons and leafy plants which are also on display.

Contests

This year’s annual competitions for Ikebana, vegetable carving and bonsai categories received 833 registrations, while the best garden categories (individual and companies) received 725 registrations. Prizes will be announced towards the end of the flower show. Corporate participation too has increased this year.

The Horticulture Department authorities expect an increase in the number of visitors. “Last year we registered three lakh visitors. This year we expect to exceed that number. We also expect to see a greater number of foreigners,” said Jagadish.