Botanical Garden in Chandigarh
The Botanical Garden is the perfect place for people looking to explore nature’s beauty, this location don’t just offer a brilliant view of plant species but also contributes in plant conservation. Chandigarh is located in the foothills of Shivaliks and is blessed with a suitable climate to house vast species of flora. The major purpose of setting up the Botanical Garden was to practice and encourage the conservation of the exotic and extinct species of the region. The Botanical Garden is spread in a vast area of around 176 acres. This huge area is not just filled with plant species but you will find lakes, water bodies, meditation huts, rain shelters, nursery, research blocks, cafeteria, public utility service, and Nature Park.The foundation of the beautiful Botanical garden was laid on 30th May 2002 by Lt (Retd.) J.F.R. Jacob, but the inauguration was held in 2nd January 2007. There are over 15 Botanical sections in this garden and each set up with a future vision in mind. Here are some important information to know:
Highlights
Visiting hours - 4 am- 7.30 pm (all days)
Address - Sarangpur, Chandigarh, 160014, India
Entry - Free
Nearby attraction - Golden Temple, the Rock Garden of Chandigarh, Sukha Lake, Capitol Complex, etc
The Botanical Garden is the most preferred and interesting place to spend time around nature. If you are planning for a family holiday, then selecting this spectacular location will be perfect. There are countless varieties in this area, and every botanical section offers some or the other benefits. People will not require any other attraction outside of Botanical Garden, because this place itself has enough to offer.
Interesting facts about Botanical Garden
• You will come across enough attraction to educate and entertain yourself. The office building near gate no.1 is specially constructed as the nature interpretation center.
• The place offer various exhibitions to create awareness about conserving plants and other information related to nature.
• The conference hall offers workshops and other activities related to environmental education.
• The conference hall can accommodate around 100 people.
• You will find a 5 km (3 mi) cycle track, and a 6 km (3.7 mi) pathway to make the journey easy. The length of the pathways are designed to crisscross the entire length and breadth of the garden, giving the tourist an easy access to explore the place.
• The administration took a smart move of creating five more water bodies inside Botanical Garden to promote rainwater harvesting. This step of creating the water bodies has another purpose; it helps to recharge the underwater aquifers.
• The Botanical Garden also has an exclusive nursery built in 2 acres of land. There are many things added in the nursery like net-house, poly-house, saplings of medicinal plants, etc.
There are astonishing species of plant to explore in this area. The Botanical Garden is filled with a vast variety of flora aiming at a particular future vision. Here are a few species of plant you will get to explore.
Species Available in the Botanical Garden
1. Ornamental/ Flowering Tree Section
This section of the Botanical Garden has a beautiful sight with over 35 species of ornamental trees. Each one different yet equally stunning, you will be able to find Lagerstroemia, Acacias, Cassias, and Bauhinias, etc. There are many other additions and the administration tries to add new species every now and then.2. Sacred Grove
This section is the most interesting one, and spiritual people love visiting this place. The section has a cosmic tree, which is also known as the Sarva Dharma Vriksha. This tree has 11 branches and the best part is that each branch represents a specific religion.3. Medicinal Plants Garden
This section is typically the biggest of all the Botanical Sections, and it’s developed in 40 acres of land. You will find some of the most astonishing numbers of medicinal plant species, there are more than 55 species of medicinal shrubs and 75 species of medicinal trees. Apart from these amazing trees and shrubs, you will also find several herbs and climbers.4. Cactus & Succulent Section
There are no plant species that haven’t been planted without a vision; the focus has been on maximizing the species to promote conservation. You will find around 100 varieties of cactus & Succulent plants collected from many different sources. You will also find an additional poly-house, Polycarb house, and a glass-house.5. Rare Plants Section
The collection of rare plants includes national and international species of flora, this section is spread over 3 acres of land and it attracts a lot of tourists.6. Nutrition garden
This section in the Botanical Garden also includes fruit species that are suitable for tropical and sub-tropical regions. You will find over 15 species of fruit in the nutrition garden. However, the administration is working on introducing more species of fruits.Other Sections of the Botanical Garden
You must have figured out by now that this Botanical Garden has a brilliant collection of plant species. The vastness of this garden allows it to keep some of the other features other than plants, here are other interesting things you will come across in the Garden.• Office and nature interpretation center
• Roads and pathways
• Lakes
• Water bodies
• Meditation Hut
• Research Blocks
• Nature Park
• Cafeteria
• Public Utility service
These other attractions can add up further to your memories. The authorities responsible for maintaining the Botanical Garden have made sure that the visitors are engaged and entertained. This place is also suitable for bird watching due to the natural surroundings. One of the interesting facts about the Nature Park in the Botanical Garden is the Patiala-ki-Rao forest; it’s connected with Botanical Garden with a nature trail of 3km (1.9 mi) long. Due to the nature reserve and brilliant species of plants in the garden, the place highly promotes eco-tourism. You will not have to worry about any need while you are strolling in the garden; there are toilets and water posts available on every stop in the pathways.
Tourists love exploring pleasant surroundings, and this place will offer some of the best locations due to plants, and many other interesting features.