From tulips to chrysanthemums, Kashmir’s floral story finds a new season

As autumn paints the Kashmir Valley in shades of gold and crimson, Srinagar is preparing to add another splash of colour to its seasonal canvas. The Chrysanthemum Garden, returning for its second season with a grander floral display, promises to turn the city into a vibrant tapestry of blooms, offering visitors a fresh reason to fall in love with Kashmir beyond the celebrated beauty of spring.

With thousands of flowers bringing life to the autumn landscape, the garden is fast emerging as a distinctive attraction on the Valley’s evolving tourism map.

Introduced last year by the Department of Floriculture, the garden received an encouraging response during its inaugural autumn season, drawing tourists and local residents keen to experience a different dimension of Kashmir’s floral beauty. Building on that success, the department has expanded the garden this year, transforming it into a larger seasonal attraction.

Director Floriculture Mathoora Masoom said the garden had become a priority project for the department, with the aim of developing it into an attraction comparable to Srinagar’s renowned Tulip Garden.

“Following the encouraging public response last year, the Chrysanthemum Garden has become a dream project for the Department of Floriculture. Our aim is to make it as globally renowned as Srinagar’s Tulip Garden,” Masoom said.

She said the plantation area had been expanded to around 120 kanals, with approximately 3.5 lakh chrysanthemum plants and a significantly wider selection of varieties introduced for the current season. The department has also upgraded the garden’s fountains, plaza and other facilities while retaining its natural contours and ensuring that the development blends with the surrounding landscape.

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According to Masoom, the department has been receiving calls, emails and messages from across the country for nearly six weeks, with visitors eager to know when the garden would open.

“The response has been very encouraging, and we hope the garden will attract visitors on a scale comparable to the Tulip Garden, helping bridge the tourism gap in autumn when visitor numbers are traditionally lower,” she said.

Located in Srinagar, the Chrysanthemum Garden is emerging as an important addition to the Valley’s tourism offerings. While the Tulip Garden signals the arrival of spring and draws visitors during the early tourism season, the chrysanthemum blooms provide a distinct floral experience in autumn, creating another reason for tourists to visit Kashmir later in the year.

Set against Srinagar’s scenic surroundings, with the Zabarwan hills and Dal Lake adding to the city’s natural appeal, the garden offers visitors an opportunity to experience the colours and diversity of chrysanthemums. The flowers, known for their varied shades, shapes and sizes, bring a distinctive character to the autumn landscape.

The garden’s growing popularity is also reflected in the interest shown by local residents, many of whom visit for leisurely walks, family outings and a chance to enjoy the changing colours of the season.