| Planning a trip to India? Welcome to the city of | | | | The gardens boasts of flagged pathways running to |
| gardens - Chandigarh - states capital and a Union | | | | the outer reaches of the creeper covered wall and |
| Territory*. Chandigarh, designed by the famous | | | | various trees like Palm, mango, shapely cypresses, and |
| architect Le Corbusier, is a rare example of a | | | | dense groves of trees give a mysterious look to the |
| seamless blend of modernisation and the nature's | | | | garden. The garden was designed by Nawab Fadia |
| preservation. Apparently it is the only city where the | | | | Khan - foster brother of Aurangazeb the Mughal |
| two entirely opposite concepts - serenity and city - | | | | emperor - and kept the design on the classic |
| come together to add to the beauty of the city. | | | | Charbagh pattern with a water body in the centre. |
| Trees and plants are an equal part of the construction | | | | After the death of Fadia Khan the garden was |
| plans as the buildings and roads. Keeping up to its | | | | neglected until the Maharaja of Patiala (Punjab) |
| name of 'The City Beautiful' country's first planned city, | | | | Yadavindra Singh restored the gardens to its present |
| built in 1953, is a rich, prosperous, spic and span, green | | | | glory hence the name Yadavindra gardens. |
| city which boasts of various gardens and parks that | | | | 3. Garden of fragrance |
| not only add to the greens of the city but also helps in | | | | Chandigarh's garden of fragrance is a must visit |
| keeping the pollution levels in check. | | | | garden of the city and is located at the southern side |
| Some of the best and famous gardens in Chandigarh | | | | of Hibiscus garden in sector 36. Famous for its |
| are as follows. These gardens are a must visit for | | | | distinctive aromatic and fragrant plants, the garden |
| anyone and everyone. | | | | boasts of plants like damask rose, Queen of the night, |
| 1. Rose Garden | | | | Motia, Champa, Haar Shingar, Hennaand varieties of |
| Zakir Rose Garden, Asia's largest rose garden, is | | | | Jasmine. Owing to its fragrant plants and green |
| spread across area of 30 acres and boasts of 50,000 | | | | manicured lawns the garden of fragrance is a fabulous |
| rose-bushes with 1600 varieties of roses planted in a | | | | picnic spot. There are tracks for the fitness freaks to |
| beautifully carved out lawns and flower beds. 'Smell | | | | enjoy their walks or daily workouts. |
| the roses' is an apt description of what you can do | | | | 4. Chandigarh Bougainvillea Park |
| here. In fact the collection includes not only natural | | | | Chandigarh Bougainvillea Park, celebrated for its colour |
| varieties but also many hybrid varieties cultivated | | | | and beauty, the variety of bougainvillea, attracts |
| through tissue culture. And some of them are rare | | | | tourists from all over the country and world. The |
| varieties of rose. Beautifully manicured lawns with the | | | | garden brags about 65 different types of bougainvillea |
| heady fragrance of roses make it an ideal spot for | | | | in various hues and colours which is a mesmerising |
| picnic or romantic getaway for the couples. The | | | | sight. Situated in sector 3 Chandigarh, the park was |
| garden was planned and conceived in 1967 under the | | | | first opened to the public in 1976 and has been |
| expert guidance of Dr M S Randhawa because of his | | | | captivating the tourists' attention since then. Beautifully |
| prolific interest in horticulture and fondness for flowers | | | | enshrouding the bowers, arches, pavilions, and arcades |
| and is named after India's president Zakir Hussain. The | | | | are creepers comprehensive area in the park. The |
| best time to visit this garden is between February and | | | | celebrated bougainvillea show is organised here to |
| March. The famous Rose festival is celebrated here | | | | celebrate the beauty and variety of bougainvillea. |
| with a great pomp and show either in February end or | | | | Enthralling the visitors since it was first opened to the |
| beginning of March. It is touted as one of the biggest | | | | public the park is a pride of Chandigarh. |
| celebrations in the city and more than 20,000 people | | | | 5. Terraced flower gardens |
| visit this festival. | | | | Located in the sector 33, Chandigarh -- the terrace |
| 2. Pinjore gardens | | | | garden was set up in 1979 covering the area of 10 |
| Also known as Yadavindra gardens, Pinjore gardens | | | | acres. Lighted musical fountain is the main attraction of |
| lies on the foothills of lower Shivalik ranges and is 20 | | | | this garden. The popular annual Chrysanthemum show |
| kilometres from Chandigarh and 15 kilometres from | | | | is held here. With some exquisite varieties of flowering |
| Panchkula. One of the most popular and fascinating | | | | plants the atmosphere is tranquil and residents are |
| Mughal gardens makes for a perfect picnic spot with | | | | often come here to enjoy the cool breeze and to |
| manicured lawns and the weekends are the best time | | | | feast their eyes on the surrounding beauty. |
| to visit these gardens as the fountains are switched | | | | * A Union Territory is a sub-national administrative |
| on and the lights reflecting on the palaces makes a | | | | division of India, in the federal framework of |
| beautiful picture. | | | | governance. |