Government Botanical Gardens, Udagamandalam
Encyclopedia
Botanical garden
A botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...
in Udagamandalam (Ooty), Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
state, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, were laid out in 1847. The Gardens, divided into several sections, cover an area of around 22 hectares, and lie on the lower slopes of the Doddabetta
Doddabetta
Doddabetta is the highest mountain in the Nilgiri Hills, at 2637 metre . There is a reserved forest area around the peak. It is 9 km from Ooty,on Ooty-Kotagiri Road in the Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu, South India...
peak. The garden has a terraced layout. It is maintained by the Tamil Nadu Horticulture Department.
It ascends the slopes of the hill at an elevation of 2400–2500 metres above Mean Sea Level. The garden enjoys a warm temperate climate, with an average rainfall of 140 cms, the most of which is received during south-west monsoon, with frosty nights from November to February. The maximum and minimum temperatures are 28°C and 0°C respectively.
History
The government botanical garden was started in 1847. Its architect was William Graham McIvor. The Marquis of Tweedale prepared the initial layout during the late 1840s. The gardens were established by a subscription of Rs 3 per month amongst the European residents for the purpose of supplying vegetables at a reasonable cost. During the time that Ootacamund was under British military control, considerable cultivation of vegetable for the market was carried on by the European settlers and others. Captain Molyneux of the 2nd European Regiment managed vegetable cultivation. The site occupied is the present new garden. The subscriber received the vegetables free of cost. But this arrangement did not work out and in early 1847, a fund was raised by means of donations and subscriptions with a view to form a horticultural societyHorticultural society
A horticultural society is an organization devoted to the study and culture of cultivated plants. Such organizations may be local, regional, national, or international...
and a public garden.
There were very few horticulturists at that time. Seeds and saplings were not available locally, but were available in the jungles that surrounded them. Hence, it was proposed to establish a public garden. For this purpose, a wood was selected between Lushington Hall (the Present Hebron School
Hebron School, Ooty
Hebron School is an independent international Christian school in Ootacamund, the hill station formerly known as Ooty, Tamil Nadu, India...
) and General Sewell’s Property (the present Raj Bhavan
Raj Bhavan (Ooty)
Raj Bhavan of Ooty is the Summer residence of the Governor of Tamil Nadu, It is located in the city of Ooty, Tamil Nadu.-History:...
). Shortly after formation of the society, the committee requested for state aid for providing a scientific and practical gardener and granting funds to meet his salary. This suggestion was accepted and Mr.W.G.McIvor from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, usually referred to as Kew Gardens, is 121 hectares of gardens and botanical glasshouses between Richmond and Kew in southwest London, England. "The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew" and the brand name "Kew" are also used as umbrella terms for the institution that runs...
was sent to Ootacamund. He arrived in March 1848, converted the upper portion, which was a forest, and the lower portion, which was a swamp, into a beautiful garden. He took ten years to complete the layout of the Garden.
Collections
The Gardens have around a thousand speciesSpecies
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
, both exotic
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
and indigenous
Native plant
Native plant is a term to describe plants endemic or naturalized to a given area in geologic time.This includes plants that have developed, occur naturally, or existed for many years in an area...
, of plant
Plant
Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...
s, shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
s, fern
Fern
A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
s, tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
s, herbal
Herbal
AThe use of a or an depends on whether or not herbal is pronounced with a silent h. herbal is "a collection of descriptions of plants put together for medicinal purposes." Expressed more elaborately — it is a book containing the names and descriptions of plants, usually with information on their...
and bonsai
Bonsai
is a Japanese art form using miniature trees grown in containers. Similar practices exist in other cultures, including the Chinese tradition of penjing from which the art originated, and the miniature living landscapes of Vietnamese hòn non bộ...
plants. In the centre of the Gardens lie a fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
ized tree trunk estimated to be 20 million years old. The Gardens consist of several lawns with flowering plants, ponds with lilies, beds of flowers and ferns laid out in an Italian style, several plots of flowering plants, a variety of medicinal plants.
Sections
The present Botanical Garden is divided into 5 sections namely Lower Garden, New Garden, Italian Garden, Conservatory, Fountain Terrace and Nurseries.Lower Garden
The lower garden comprises the entrance and the lower lawns. The entrance of the garden leads into an extensive lush green lawn of Kikiyu grass (Pennisetum Clandestinum) which is known for its springy vigour. A fern house with 127 species of ferns is situated on the left along the road leading to Raj BhavanRaj Bhavan (Ooty)
Raj Bhavan of Ooty is the Summer residence of the Governor of Tamil Nadu, It is located in the city of Ooty, Tamil Nadu.-History:...
amidst another expanse of lawns and historic gatehouse
Gatehouse
A gatehouse, in architectural terminology, is a building enclosing or accompanying a gateway for a castle, manor house, fort, town or similar buildings of importance.-History:...
s. The prime attractions in this section are the carpet-bet design of the map of the Indian Union laid out with selective plants and the fossil trunk of 20 million years old, erected on a pedestal.
Tree species of botanical interest such as Hymnosporum flavum, Cordylline australlis, Cedrus deodara, Cupressus funebrils, Araucaria bidwillii
Araucaria bidwillii
Araucaria bidwillii, the Bunya Pine, is a large evergreen coniferous tree in the genus Araucaria, family Araucariaceae. It is native to south-east Queensland with two small disjunct populations in northern Queensland's World Heritage listed Wet Tropics, and many fine old specimens planted in New...
, Cupressus macrocarpa
Cupressus macrocarpa
Cupressus macrocarpa, commonly known as Monterey Cypress or Macrocarpa, is a species of cypress that is endemic to the Central Coast of California. In the wild, the species is confined to two small populations, near Monterey and Carmel, California. These two small populations represent what was...
, Cryptomeria japonica, Eucalyptus maculate, Eucalyptus citriodora
Eucalyptus citriodora
Corymbia citriodora is a tall tree, to 51 metres in height, from temperate and tropical north eastern Australia. It is also known as lemon-scented gum, blue spotted gum and lemon eucalyptus....
, Salix babylonica, Salix heterophylla, Podocarpus taxifolia
Perenniporia podocarpi
Perenniporia podocarpi is a species of resupinate polypore. It occurs widely but uncommonly on the New Zealand endemic podocarps Dacrydium cupressinum and Prumnopitys taxifolia. Basidiocarps are dimitic and grow up to 9 cm across, thick and cushion-like with a distinctive white or very pale cream...
, Dracena lanuginosa, Pinus patula
Pinus patula
Patula pine, pino patula, pinus patula is a tree native to the highlands of Mexico. It grows from 24° to 18° North latitude and 1800 to 2700 m above sea level. 30 m tall...
, Rhododendron arboreum
Rhododendron arboreum
Rhododendron arboreum is an evergreen shrub or small tree with a showy display of bright red flowers. It is found in Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Rhododendron arboreum is also the national flower of Nepal.-Description:Its name means "tending to be woody or growing in a...
, Quercus Montana, Quercus cerris, Quercus Serrata, Quercus grilffithi, Quercus illex, Magnolia grandiflora etc., can be seen alongside the lawn.
New Garden
The New garden developed recently, comprises the area between the front garden and the crescent-shaped pond at the bandstand. This section consists of:- A rose garden with three hundred varieties of Hybrid Tea RosesHybrid TeaHybrid Tea is a cultivar group of roses, created by cross-breeding two different types of roses, initially by hybridising Hybrid Perpetuals with Tea roses...
, Floribunda and Polyanthas rose varieties. - Large number of flowerbeds designed to match the slopes and contour of this area.
- Carpet-bed emblems of the Government of Tamil Nadu and the Government of India.
- Natural ponds with aquatic plants.
Important tree species such as Taxodium mucronatum
Taxodium mucronatum
Taxodium mucronatum, also known as Montezuma Cypress, Sabino, or Ahuehuete is a species of Taxodium native to much of Mexico , and also the Rio Grande Valley in southernmost Texas, USA as well as Huehuetenango Department in Guatemala...
, Pieris ovalifolia, Juniperus virginiana
Juniperus virginiana
Juniperus virginiana is a species of juniper native to eastern North America, from southeastern Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, east of the Great Plains...
, Eucalyptus eugenoides, Pinus wallichiana, Photinia lindleyana, Pinus canaariensils, Ginkgo biloba, Araucaria cunninghammi and Cupressus lawsoniana are planted all over the section.
Italian Garden
This garden was first laid out by Italian prisoners of World War I, who were shifted to Ooty. They were placed under the control of the Military station in Ootacamund. Asters, ageratum, balsamImpatiens
Impatiens is a genus of about 850–1,000 species of flowering plants, widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere and tropics. Together with the puzzling Hydrocera triflora, this genus makes up the family Balsaminaceae...
, begonia
Begonia
Begonia is a genus in the flowering plant family Begoniaceae and is a perennial. The only other members of the family Begoniaceae are Hillebrandia, a genus with a single species in the Hawaiian Islands, and the genus Symbegonia which more recently was included in Begonia...
, petunia
Petunia
Petunia is a widely cultivated genus of flowering plants of South American origin, closely related with tobacco, cape gooseberries, tomatoes, deadly nightshades, potatoes and chili peppers; in the family Solanaceae. The popular flower derived its name from French, which took the word petun, meaning...
, pansy
Pansy
The Pansy is a large group of hybrid plants cultivated as garden flowers. Pansies are derived from Viola species Viola tricolor hybridized with other viola species, these hybrids are referred to as Viola × wittrockiana or less commonly Viola tricolor hortensis...
, phlox
Phlox
Phlox is a genus of 67 species of perennial and annual plants found mostly in North America in diverse habitats from alpine tundra to open woodland and prairie. Some flower in spring, others in summer and autumn....
, cosmos, zinnia
Zinnia
Zinnia is a genus of 20 species of annual and perennial plants of family Asteraceae, originally from scrub and dry grassland in an area stretching from the American Southwest to South America, but primarily Mexico, and notable for their solitary long-stemmed flowers that come in a variety of bright...
and perennial flowers like salvia
Salvia
Salvia is the largest genus of plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae, with approximately 700-900 species of shrubs, herbaceous perennials, and annuals. It is one of several genera commonly referred to as sage. When used without modifiers, sage generally refers to Salvia officinalis ; however, it is...
, delphinium
Delphinium
Delphinium is a genus of about 300 species of perennial flowering plants in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae, native throughout the Northern Hemisphere and also on the high mountains of tropical Africa. The common name, larkspur, is shared with the closely related genus Consolida...
, larkspur
Larkspur
Larkspur may refer to:* Larkspur, California* Larkspur, Colorado* Larkspur radio system, used by the British Army* Delphinium, a genus of 300 flowers with widespread nativity* Consolida, a genus of 40 flowers native to central and western Eurasia...
, and dahlia
Dahlia
Dahlia is a genus of bushy, tuberous, perennial plants native to Mexico, Central America, and Colombia. There are at least 36 species of dahlia, some like D. imperialis up to 10 metres tall. Dahlia hybrids are commonly grown as garden plants...
are the main attraction in this garden.
The informal landscape of the garden from the entrance, merge into the formal fashioned beds laid out in an Italian pattern, surrounding the centrally situated octagonal bandstand. This part of the garden looks attractive with several varieties of colourful annuals. In the foreground, is a crescent-shaped lily pond for growing several varieties of aquatic plant species. The tree species grown in this part of the garden are Prunus cerasoides
Prunus cerasoides
Prunus cerasoides is a deciduous cherry tree found in East Asia. It is of the family Rosaceae and the genus Prunus. Its range extends in the Himalayas from Himachal Pradesh in India to southwest China and Burma. It grows in the forests from 1200 to 2400 metres above sea level.-Description:P...
, Saurauja nepaulensis, Grevillea hilliana
Grevillea hilliana
Grevillea hilliana , is a tree which is endemic to New South Wales and Queensland in Australia. Other common names include Grey Oak, Silky Oak, Yiel Yiel, Yill Gill and Hill's Silky Oak. The species grows to between 8 and 30 metres in height...
, Aesculus punduana, Pinus sabineana, Cupressus torulosa
Cupressus torulosa
Cupressus torulosa, known as the Himalayan cypress, is a species of cypress in southern Asia.-Distribution:The Himalayan cypress is an evergreen conifer tree species is found in the Himalaya from . It is also found on limestone terrain in Sichuan China and in Vietnam.-See also:*Cupressus*Index:...
, Syncarpia glomulifera
Syncarpia glomulifera
Syncarpia glomulifera is a tree native to New South Wales and Queensland in Australia, which can grow to more than 30 metres in height...
, Pinus roxburghii, Albizzia julibrissin etc.
The Conservatory
The public conservatory was constructed in 1912 with the objective of grouping various flowering plants. Colourful annuals and perennials like CinerariaCineraria
Cineraria is now generally treated as a genus of about 50 species of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, native to southern Africa...
, Schizanthus
Schizanthus
Schizanthus ,—common names butterfly flower, fringeflower, poor-man's-orchid—is a genus of plants in the Solanaceae family....
, Calceolaria
Calceolaria
Calceolaria L. , also called Lady's purse, Slipper flower and Pocketbook flower, or Slipperwort, is a genus of plants in the Calceolariaceae family, sometimes classified in Scrophulariaceae by some authors...
, Balsam
Impatiens
Impatiens is a genus of about 850–1,000 species of flowering plants, widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere and tropics. Together with the puzzling Hydrocera triflora, this genus makes up the family Balsaminaceae...
, Cyclamen
Cyclamen
Cyclamen is a genus of 23 species of perennials growing from tubers, valued for their flowers with upswept petals and variably patterned leaves...
, Gloxinia
Gloxinia
Gloxinia can refer to:*The genus Gloxinia of flowering plants in the family Gesneriaceae*The plant species Sinningia speciosa, formerly classified in the genus Gloxinia and still commonly known by that name, in the family Gesneriaceae...
, Tuberous begonia, Coleus
Coleus
Solenostemon is a genus of perennial plants, native to tropical Africa, Asia, Australia, the East Indies, the Malay Archipelago, and the Philippines...
, Geranium, Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemums, often called mums or chrysanths, are of the genus constituting approximately 30 species of perennial flowering plants in the family Asteraceae which is native to Asia and northeastern Europe.-Etymology:...
, Primulas, Tydea, Achemenes etc., find a place in this conservatory.
The bog garden lies towards the east of this conservatory and forms an adjunct to provide a good site for marsh loving plants such as the Weeping willow, Hedychium
Hedychium
Hedychium is a genus of perennial plants native to tropical Asia and the Himalayas, commonly growing to between 120 and 180 cm tall. Common names include garland flower, ginger lily, and kahili ginger...
, Arum
Arum
Arum is a genus of about 25 species of flowering plants in the family Araceae, native to Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean region....
, Hydrangea
Hydrangea
Hydrangea is a genus of about 70 to 75 species of flowering plants native to southern and eastern Asia and North and South America. By far the greatest species diversity is in eastern Asia, notably China, Japan, and Korea...
etc.
The Nurseries
The nurseries which are about 300 feet above the lower lawns, consist of eight glass-houses and a series of terraces for introduction and breeding of exotic plants. The glass-houses are utilized for growing Begonias, FernFern
A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
s, Cacti
Cacti
-See also:* RRDtool The underlying software upon which Cacti is built* MRTG The original Multi Router Traffic Grapher from which RRDtool was "extracted".* Munin -External links:******...
, Succulents, Orchids and Bulbous plants for providing a continuous supply of potted plants to be grouped periodically in the conservatories. The terraces are utilised for growing plants for cut flowers, seed and also for trial purposes.
The Flower Show
The first Flower Show was organised in the year 1896 by the Chairman of Nilgiris Agri-Horticultural Society, Mr.J.H.Tremenhere, the then Collector of Nilgiris. The Government has taken over the flower show from the Nilgiris Agri-horticultural society in 1980 by forming a committee called the Nilgiris Flower and Fruit Show Committee. The flower show attracts about 150,000 tourists each year from all over the world.The flower show is held for two days. The inauguration of the show is held on the first day and on the second day, prizes are distributed to winners of various competitions held in connection with flower show. About 250 exhibitors participate in different categories on the day of flower show. Several government departments and voluntary agencies also display their activities for the benefits of the flower lovers and tourists.
More than 50 varieties of potted plants, 150 varieties of cut flowers, various kinds of tropical and temperate vegetables and tropical and temperate fruits are exhibited by the competitors. The Floral decorations, Indian and Japanese flower arrangements
Ikebana
is the Japanese art of flower arrangement, also known as .-Etymology:"Ikebana" is from the Japanese and . Possible translations include "giving life to flowers" and "arranging flowers".- Approach :...
, Vegetable carving
Vegetable carving
Vegetable carving is the art of carving vegetables to form beautiful objects, such as flowers or birds.-The origins of vegetable carving:The origins of vegetable carving are disputed: many people believe it to have begun in Sukothai, Thailand 700 years ago, while others believe that vegetable...
, Flower Rangoli
Rangoli
Rangoli is a traditional decorative folk art from India. These are decorative designs made on floors of living rooms and courtyards during Hindu festivals and are meant as sacred welcoming areas for the Hindu deities. The ancient symbols have been passed on through the ages, from each generation to...
, Bonsai
Bonsai
is a Japanese art form using miniature trees grown in containers. Similar practices exist in other cultures, including the Chinese tradition of penjing from which the art originated, and the miniature living landscapes of Vietnamese hòn non bộ...
etc., are the major attractions during the show days. The exclusive cut flower stalls from large private and public gardens are also an attraction during the show days. 59 rolling cups, 250 cups and cash prizes are awarded to the best competitors and exhibitors.
A garden competition is also held involving Estate Gardens, Private Cottage Gardens, Public Gardens and various other categories of gardens, to create greater awareness among flower growers. On an average, about 200 gardens compete in the event. Garden competition is held prior to the flower show and best gardens are awarded prizes and cups.
The Fossil Tree Trunk
The fossil tree trunk displayed in the garden is from 20 million years old. Trees carried by rivers and deposited in inland lakes were transformed with replacement of the woody matter by silica give rise to fossil tree trunks (see Polystrate fossilPolystrate fossil
A Polystrate fossil is a fossil of a single organism that extends through more than one geological stratum. Entire "fossil forests" of such upright fossil tree trunks and stumps have been found worldwide, i.e. in the Eastern United States, Eastern Canada, England, France, Germany, and Australia,...
). The fossil tree was presented by the Geological Survey of India, from the National Fossil Park, Tiruvakkarai, South Arcot district, Tamil Nadu.
The Toda Mund
The Garden is also famous for the Toda hill called the Toda mund. This place gives the visitors an insight into the lives of the original tribes of Ooty called the TodasToda people
The Toda people are a small pastoral community who live on the isolated Nilgiri plateau of Southern India. Before the late 18th century, the Toda coexisted locally with other communities, including the Badaga, Kota, and Kuruba, in a loose caste-like community organization in which the Toda were...
.
External links
- Ooty/Udhagai/Udhagamandalam/Ootacamund Official history and tourism page on www.nilgiris.tn.gov.in. (This site is maintained by the District Administration of the Nilgiris)