Gol Gumbaz in roses to draw crowds at this year's Republic Day Flower Show

The 205th flower show at Lalbagh will be a tribute to M H Marigowda, known as ‘Father of Horticulture’ in Karnataka, on the occasion of his birth centenary year. The show will begin on January 20 and will continue till January 29.

The main attraction this year will be a replica of Vijayapura’s Gol Gumbaz in roses. The flower model will be 30 feet high and will be made of over four lakh roses in red, white, yellow and pink. The monument will be complete with a replica of a park in front of it.
A bust of Marigowda, details of contributions made by him and his famous quotes on agriculture will be showcased in the Glass House.

Evergreen Cymbidium orchids, usually grown at altitudes of 5,000 ft, will be seen in Lalbagh for the first time. Over 250 of these ‘boat orchids’ have been brought from Sikkim. As an initiative of the Central Silk Board, replicas of butterflies created using rose, chrysanthemum, orchids and carnation will be displayed inside the Glass House.
Bhagyalakshmi Farm and Nursery, a floral company from the city, will present a first-of-its-kind vertical garden created at a cost of Rs 45 lakh. The garden, created using over 35,000 flowers, will be 37 feet long and 12 feet high.

A scene from tribal village from Biligiri Rangana Hills will be recreated near the Glass House. Places of worship and small huts will be built on the ground and on a tree. Visitors can interact with the members of the tribe.

Nine point of sale (PoS) machines will be available at the ticket counters to help visitors swipe cards to buy tickets.

Besides CCTV cameras at the entrances and Glass House, 100 Home Guards, 315 head constables, 30 assistant sub-inspectors, 20 police Sub-inspectors, six inspectors and one Assistant Commissioner of Police will ensure security at the venue. With five lakh visitors expected, extra precautions are being taken to ensure that the flower show goes off smoothly. Nine teams constituting Horticulture Department officials, police and Home Guards have been formed to look after each of the nine divisions of Lalbagh.

Safety audit
Following the death of 6-year-old Vikram Kumar at the Bonsai Park in Lalbagh recently, an extensive safety audit was undertaken. Based on the audit reports, 67 ‘very dangerous’ structures were removed. Of the 15 ‘unstable structures’, four were fixed and the others were removed. Of the 151 structures which needed repair, 108 have been repaired and 43 will be repaired soon. Around 150 caution signs will warn visitors against climbing trees, venturing into certain areas etc. Within the premises, 15 spots have been identified as prohibited areas. At certain spots like slopes, signs will warn people against taking selfies. A team of bee experts assessed the park to determine precautionary measures.

Based on their recommendations, 20 beehives were removed from five trees. Signs have been put up near the trees where beehives are usually formed, to caution people. During the flower show, temporary barricades will be erected around the trees and a security guard will be stationed to ensure that visitors do not throw stones and disturb the bees.