What to see at Government Rose Garden, Ooty

[Simon Hopes]

Government Rose Garden in Ooty ranks among the popular tourist attractions in this idyllic hill station. It is located in the Elk Hill in Vijayanagaram area of the town. The area is around 30 minutes away from the main center of the town and nearby many hotels to relax. The botanical garden is an ideal place to watch various species of rose and some other varieties of flora.

Also known as Centenary Rose Park, it was made in the British era and is a well-known tropical research station for botanists from all over the world. It is now a part of the Tamil Nadu Horticulture Department. The Rose Garden, Ooty is set amidst the slopes of the Elk Hill at an altitude of 2200 meters. The topography comprises rugged terrain, valleys and sprawling rain forests. The vegetation in the garden consists of rare species of roses, fern collections, floral gardens, and bamboo, palms and conifers collections.

The Government Rose Garden, Ooty initially had 1919 varieties of rose species and more than 17000 plants. Presently, there are more than 20,000 varieties of roses and around 2,800 cultivars. It ranks among the largest rose gardens in the country. Some of the popular species include Miniature Roses, Ramblers, Hybrid Tea Roses, and Floribunda and so on. There are also rose tunnels, pergolas and rose creepers.

The rose Garden consists of a rose seed museum where scientists spend time for development, research and conservation. The various species of seeds are used for seed identification and other research purposes.