In the cradle of Kashmir’s grandeur, under the sloping ridges of the Zabarwan hills and against the backdrop of the serene Dal Lake, a new chapter in the Valley’s floral lore has begun. On October 25, 2025, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah officially opened Bagh-e-Gul-e-Dawood, Srinagar’s first-ever Chrysanthemum Theme Garden, a fragrant jewel nestled within the Nehru Memorial Botanical Garden.
What began as a dream has swiftly taken shape. Developed at a cost of ₹1.869 crore, the garden spans more than 100 kanals. Its inauguration marked not only the birth of a garden but a deliberate push to reimagine autumn tourism in Kashmir. According to officials, this is not just a seasonal attraction, it’s a cornerstone of a longer-term vision to extend the Valley’s tourist calendar into a time when the air turns crisp, leaves fall, and most of the famous spring flowers are long gone.
During the inauguration, CM Abdullah described the opening as “a floral celebration that adds a new chapter to Kashmir’s tourism story.” He recalled laying the foundation stone in November of the previous year, drawing a clear parallel with the success of the tulip garden: “Just as the Tulip Garden transformed the spring tourist season, the Chrysanthemum Garden will redefine autumn tourism in Kashmir.”
Chrysanthemums, or “Gul-e-Dawood” in Kashmiri tradition, naturally thrive in cooler climates and are known for their hardiness. As Director Floriculture Masoom Mathora put it, “Chrysanthemum is an autumn flower … it will last at least till the end of November.”
By cultivating this flower in Kashmir, the floriculture department seeks to leverage that resilience: unlike bulbs that need to be imported year after year, chrysanthemums are perennial plants that return if maintained well. This means the garden has the potential to grow deeper roots (literally) and become a sustainable tourist attraction without the annual import-heavy costs.
When you walk into Bagh-e-Gul-e-Dawood during its peak, the effect is almost theatrical: terraces brimming with chrysanthemums in yellow, red, pink, purple, and white. Reports suggest there are 50 to over 60 varieties planted. According to floriculture officials, nearly 30 lakh (3 million) blooms are expected in the garden.
It’s not only about visual splendor; the choice of chrysanthemums also reflects botanical planning. These flowers are resilient, low-maintenance, and suited to the Valley’s autumn climate making them more than just pretty petals. Their scent, texture, and forms create a layered experience that complements Kashmir’s changing season.
To build a garden of this scale is no small feat and it did not happen overnight. Behind the orderly terraces and the vibrant floral arcs lies a team of dedicated floriculturists, gardeners, and departmental staff who brought this vision to life in record time.
According to the Department of Floriculture, Parks & Gardens, the project was completed despite “multiple challenges.” It also involved collaboration with local growers and the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST-K), whose experts helped select plant breeds, prepare soil, and install necessary infrastructure.
The garden’s design reflects not just horticultural skill but also aesthetic ambition: walkways framed by floral arches, vertical installations that let the immaculately groomed chrysanthemums rise like living sculptures, and vantage points tucked into corners where visitors can pause and absorb the quiet majesty of autumn in Kashmir.
For decades, Kashmir’s tourism calendar has revolved around two seasonal peaks: the tulip explosion in spring and the snow-blanketed charm of winter. But what about autumn?
With Bagh-e-Gul-e-Dawood, the Department of Tourism and Floriculture intends to mend that gap. As Dr. Farooq Ahmad, Director of Floriculture, put it, “Tulips gave us a strong start in spring. Chrysanthemums will now carry that momentum into autumn.”
Officials anticipate the garden will attract millions of visitors over time. Some early estimates suggest it could rival or even exceed its spring counterpart in popularity, offering a sustained but more relaxed tourist flow.
Alongside the blooms, a Chrysanthemum Festival has been planned, combining cultural performances, floral exhibitions, and local artisans’ showcases. October and November, once considered off-season, now hold a new promise for hotel owners, local guides, and transport operators.
More than a tourism strategy, the Chrysanthemum Garden is a project rooted in community. During the inauguration, the CM lauded the gardeners, floriculturists, and field staff who had invested themselves deeply in this floral dream.
The floriculture department has sought to promote local nurseries, train young growers, and ensure that the economic benefits of the garden remain in the Valley.
Moreover, an exhibition of ornamental plants, lavender, and other florals was inaugurated alongside the garden, highlighting the versatility and talent of Kashmir’s horticultural community.
The terraces evoke the valley’s Mughal gardening heritage, and the scent of chrysanthemums mingles with autumn breezes and the distant sweep of Chinar leaves. It is, in its own right, a space of meditation and peace.
While the garden’s launch was smooth, maintaining it will demand sustained effort. Chrysanthemums are hardy, but they still need careful irrigation, pest control, and timely pruning to ensure that blossoms last long into the season.
Infrastructure is another challenge. The botanical garden’s pathways, lighting, and visitor amenities must scale to manage large tourist footfalls without turning the space into a crowded fair. Officials have pledged to continue improving facilities, investing in better walkways, seating areas, and accessible trails.
There is also an ecological dimension: the garden sits in a landscape that must balance tourism with environmental sustainability. Floriculture authorities emphasize that conservation is part of the design not just showy blooms, but responsible gardening that considers water use, soil health, and long-term resilience.
During the opening ceremony, the air was filled with awe and a sense of possibility. MLA Tanveer Sadiq from Zadibal, who attended the event, expressed hope that this garden would become a gathering place for families, poets, and nature lovers.
Gardening staff, some of whom used to work in the Tulip Gardens, expressed a quiet pride as they stood beside rows of chrysanthemums. For them, this project was more than a job; it was legacy-building.
A few tourists, visiting for the first time, said they were struck by how the garden felt both new and deeply rooted in Kashmir’s identity. “It feels like autumn has been reimagined,” remarked one visitor from outside the Valley.
The Chrysanthemum Garden is not just a seasonal attraction, it signals a shift in mindset. Where once Kashmir’s natural beauty was tied closely to its spring and winter peaks, now there is a deliberate push to make beauty year-round.
Officials have said they plan to expand the garden, both in area and variety, in the coming years. With success, Bagh-e-Gul-e-Dawood could become a symbol of floriculture ambition, a place where innovation meets nature, and tourists come not just to look, but to stay, explore, and breathe in Kashmir’s autumn soul.
For now, as chrysanthemums begin to unfurl their petals in early November, Srinagar is slowly awakening to a new floral identity, a testament to how even as some flowers fade, others rise, and in their bloom, the Valley blooms too.
