'Garden Festival': Highlighting the importance of gardening

The 31st Garden Tourism Festival, which was inaugrated by Deputy Chief Minister, Manish Sisodia, Govt. of Delhi, con cluded on February 18. The festival succeeded in attracting around 50,000 visitors to the venue of Garden of Five Senses. People not only bought numerous varieties of plants but also were spell bounded by the beauty of Garden of Five Senses as they spent quality time with their friends and family in the lush green gardens. The three-day extravaganza, which was themed 'Grow Garden: Save Delhi', enlightened the visitors on the importance of gardening and how small efforts can make a difference towards a greener Delhi.

A visitor from South California, United Stated of America, who was the Mayor of the state for four years, stated, "This is a wonderful initiative by the Delhi Tourism department to raise awareness about greener cities. Everything from the decorations to the plantations has been a refreshing experience. There were many concerns about Delhi pollution but looking at this show I have a lot of hope of the direction that this garden shows; i.e. grow more flowers and greener for a healthy city."

Various nurseries showcasing plants for kitchen gardens, home gardens and indoor areas had put up exclusive stalls. Different theme gardens at the venue captivated large number of nature lovers. Floral animals, medicinal and herbal plants, organic items, medicinal plants, gardening accessories, were available for sale. All three days were brimming with the energy of cultural activities and performances which entertained people right from the start.All the participants were awarded with trophies for their unique displays under various categories.