Justifying Chandigarh’s fame as the ‘city of gardens’, is the Chrysanthemum Show at Terraced Garden in Sector 33, which was inaugurated on Friday by Anil Kumar, home secretary, UT.
Amongst 265 varieties of flowers this year, the Chrysanthemum Snow Ball and Chrysanthemum Marigold (yellow and orange) turned out to be the show-stealers.
Chrysanthemums, also referred to as mums or chrysanths, are known to have been first cultivated in China in the 15th century. Later, they even became the official seal of the emperor of Japan. The flowers are now to be found in every garden whose tenders wish to include the big blooms in their bounty. A visit to the show is made all the more congruous with the shining sun and cool weather. Young friends, old couples, foreign tourists and cherubic children made for some ecstatic guests on the first day.
However, there were some visitors who voiced dissatisfaction at the fewer number of varieties this season. A photography corner at the show holds pictures of the pretty flowers, though some argued a variety could have added to the spice of the event.
But the zeal of some avid city gardeners, such as Varinder Sharma, seems to have kept the show’s spirit alive. This Panchkula resident had 43 entries to his credit, out of which he won
11 prizes. Sharma, who is participating for the 17th consecutive year, shares with pride about his flower, Cocasozen, (a Japanese variety) that was titled ‘prince of the show’. The flower lover also voiced concern about the deteriorating number of participants, blaming rising prices of tending to the flowers for the same. “There was a time when high-profile people came; but now you’ll only see gardeners taking interest,” he rues.
But the zeal of some avid city gardeners, such as Varinder Sharma, seems to have kept the show’s spirit alive. This Panchkula resident had 43 entries to his credit, out of which he won
11 prizes. Sharma, who is participating for the 17th consecutive year, shares with pride about his flower, Cocasozen, (a Japanese variety) that was titled ‘prince of the show’. The flower lover also voiced concern about the deteriorating number of participants, blaming rising prices of tending to the flowers for the same. “There was a time when high-profile people came; but now you’ll only see gardeners taking interest,” he rues.
Nevertheless, the blooming mums don’t let you down.
The show is on till December 16.