Kerala - Kochi   

Cochin Flower Show begins

Staff Reporter

BEAUTIFUL BLOOMS: A wide variety of flowers and plants is on display at the Cochin Flower Show, which began at Marine Drive on Thursday. — Photo: Vipinchandran

KOCHI: The silver jubilee edition of the Cochin Flower Show was kicked off on Thursday evening on the Marine Drive Ground.

The venue has been turned into a floral carpet, with a wide variety of plants displayed by nurseries, individuals and Government agencies. The show, organised by the Ernakulam District Agri-Horticultural Society, will be on till Monday.

A long queue of people was seen waiting to get tickets for the show, just after the inaugural function. Perhaps, a few more ticket counters would have helped. The roof has been covered using light cloth, to keep the scorching sun at bay.

What welcomes visitors is a row full of roses, both big and small. The Cochin Port Trust has displayed coleus, bougainville, bamboo grass and so on. A landscaped garden, complete with lawns, lanterns and the model of a huge toad, is another attraction. Vegetables have been tastefully carved to resemble different objects.

What steals the show is an array of flower arrangement sets, which have borrowed from both ethnic and alien styles. People have used a host of new flowers, leaves and patterns in the arrangements. Winnows, coir ropes, clothes, paper, brooms, carts, boats ... the list of innovative items used is long.

Anthuriums, carnations, gerberas, dahlias, philodendrons, easy-to-maintain ferns, zinnia and so on too are on show. The Kerala Books and Publications Society has picked from its garden sunflowers, balsams, asters, marigolds, celosias, cockscomb and hybrid rose. Potted cabbage and lemon plants are on display.

Moving to the collection of orchids, there are sonias, ceasers and a whole lot of exotic flowers on display. Medicinal plants used in Ayurvedic preparations too have been arranged, with name boards. There is also a good bonsai collection. Another attraction is "Kathirkoodu," set up at the centre of the stalls.

Huge yams, tapioca, banana and coconut bunches have been showcased by the Agricultural Department. The Farm Information Bureau has put up books for sale. The Vegetable and Fruits Promotion Council Keralam has displayed farm-fresh produce.

When leaving, visitors can buy seeds, saplings, sprayers, fertilizers and so on. But for the absence of proper name boards for many plants, the show has been well arranged. A host of competitions and seminars have been arranged in connection with the show.

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