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A touch of Holland in Delhi’s Lutyens’ this winter
New Delhi
New Delhi
Some exotic fauna from the colder climes will soon grace the lawns and gardens of Lutyens’ Delhi. Among them will also be tulips, a flower held in awe by visitors to the famed tulip gardens in Amsterdam and closer home in Kashmir.
The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has imported 55,000 bulbs of six exotic flowering plants— tulip, hyacinth, iris, oriental lily, Asiatic lily and calla lily — from Holland .
Holland — known for its tulips and other flowers — is often affectionately called the “flower shop of the world.”
Closer home, they are generally grown in the Kashmir Valley, where the weather is more suitable for their survival.
These bulbs will be sown across six major gardens of the civic body — Lodhi Garden, Nehru Park, Talkatora Garden, Shanti Path, Children’s Park and Sanjay Jheel.
They will also adorn 52 roundabouts under NDMC, including one opposite vice president’s house and at several ‘happiness areas’ developed by the council, where cultural activities like musical and dance performances are held.
The bulbs will flower by mid-January and regale visitors with their colours till about the first week of March.
“Our consignment of the bulbs (onion-shaped tubers) arrived at the airport today and are being quarantined (checked for diseases or pests). It cost us about ₹15 lakh to procure them,” said a senior horticulture department official of NDMC.
“We have several indigenous species of flowering plants here but the exotic ones will lend a European look to Lutyens’ Delhi. We have several embassies and a lot of VVIP dignitaries come here, who like to see a mix of exotic and native plants,” he added.
About 10 varieties of tulips have been imported, which include Purple Prince, Red Impression, Crystal Star, Orange Queen, Ninja, Largo, Mickychic and World’s Favourite. At least two varieties of iris — blue and white — have been brought over, while several types of hyacinth and lilies have also arrived.
These plants grow in cold climes only, due to which the bulbs can only be grown for one season in Delhi, during December-March, when the temperature remains between 5 to 20 degrees Celsius.
“Besides, these, we will be planting other winter varieties like Chrysanthemum, Dianthus, Verbena, Sweet William, Petunia, Salvia and Phlox as well,” the NDMC officer said.
ENDS
