5 Most Famous Botanical Gardens To Visit In India

A botanical garden is a place where a variety of plants, especially conifers, ferns, and other flowering plants are grown and displayed for a show as well as for education purposes. However, in today’s world, most of the botanical gardens are concerned with exhibiting ornamental plants that are eye appealing and taxonomic order. India is a host of numerous botanical gardens, most of which have been created to preserve the endangered species and develop seeds to replenish the reducing forests. Check out the best botanical gardens here.With the rapid urbanization, the concrete jungles are taking the place of natural forests. Such jungles can be perilous questioning the very existence of humans and hence comes the role of Botanical gardens in India.

* Assam State Zoo-cum-Botanical Garden

Spread over an area of 432 acres, the Assam State Zoo-cum-Botanical Garden is the largest of its kind in the Northeastern region of India. Though the zoo was opened in 1957, the botanical garden was added to it only in the year 1982, which was further expanded in the year 2002 by adding 45 hectares of the Hengrabari Reserve Forest to it. The total area covered by the botanical garden is 82 hectares and comprises of a unique diversity of flora and fauna preserved in it.

* Sanjay Gandhi Jaivik Udyan

Also known as the Sanjay Gandhi Botanical and Zoological Garden, The Sanjay Gandhi Jaivik Udyan is located in the Patna city of Bihar. In the year 1969, the park was first established as a botanical garden and houses more than 300 species of herbs, shrubs, and trees. It also features a nursery for medicinal plants, a fern house, an orchid house, a glass house, and a rose garden.

* Hyderabad Botanical Garden

Hyderabad botanical garden is the botanical garden located in the Kondapur district, HITEC City of Hyderabad. Situated near the HITEC city this garden is 16km away from the Hyderabad railway station. The aim is to develop and preserve the germ plasm and to educate the people, all the modern facilities have been installed in this garden. Spread over an area of 274 acres, the garden is divided into 19 sectors. As of now, only the first phase is open to the public and contains five sectors. These sectors include medicinal plants, fruit trees, timber trees, ornamental plants, aquatic plants, bamboos and much more. You will also be able to find a variety of plants such as yellow and purple cosmos, red Brasilia, blue salvia, etc.

* NTR Garden, Hyderabad

Spread across an area of 36 acres, the NTR Garden is a small urban park open for public. It is located adjacent to the Hussain Sagar Lake of Hyderabad. The Government of Hyderabad wanted to develop this area for the beautification and development of the Hussain Sagar Lake. However, the construction had to be stopped after a stay order had been brought by two NPO’s stating that no commercial activity should be carried out around the lake and it should be kept for recreational purpose only. This garden currently has a variety of plants, a visitor train, a waterfall, and a few restaurants.

* Government Botanical Gardens, Ooty

Located in Udhagamandalam near Ooty in Tamil Nadu, the Government Botanical Gardens are one of the best botanical gardens in India. It is spread over an area of 55 hectares. Lying on the lower slope of the Doddabetta peak, this garden has a terraced layout. The garden today has a collection of more than 1000 exotic, as well as indigenous species of plants, shrubs, herbs, ferns, trees and bonsai plants. In the center of the garden is its center of attraction – a fossilized tree trunk which is estimated to be over 20 million years old. The garden has several lawns that feature numerous plants, ponds with lilies, a variety of medicinal plants, a bed of flowers and ferns, etc. For convenience, the garden has been divided into six sections namely – Lower Garden, Italian Garden, New Garden, Conservatory, Nurseries and Fountain Terrace.