The Hindu : Rain helps in flower show preparations

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 02, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Rain helps in flower show preparations

By D. Radhakrishnan

UDHAGAMANDALAM, APRIL 1 . A good wetting in the wee hours today and overcast conditions have perked up preparations for next month's Annual Flower Show in the Government Botanical Gardens (GBG) here.

Coming at a time when the GBG was wearing a forlorn look, with some of the plants having withered and a few ponds dried up owing to a prolonged dry spell, the pre-dawn showers made the officials and workers address the task at hand with renewed vigour.

Arrangements are apace for the Flower Show, which has over the decades gained the reputation of being the piece de resistance of the summer tourist season in this hill station. The Joint Director of Horticulture In-charge, T.Bellie, accompanied by K. Dhevarajan, Assistant Director of Horticulture and N.Mani, Manager of the GBG today examined the health of flower beds in various sections of the Garden.

Later he told The Hindu that though today morning's rainfall in the GBG was only 10 mm, it had done a world of good to the lawns and the annuals. He pointed out that during last month the garden had not received any rains while during March 2003 it had received 44.5 mm and the 10-year average for the month was 23.25 mm. Though the adverse weather had resulted in sun flowers and pansies in one or two beds blooming earlier than scheduled, the growth of plants in all the other beds was as planned and many were in the budding stage.

The percentage of deceased plants particularly in antirrhinums was about five percent.

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