More aquatic plants coming soon at Bengaluru's Lalbagh Botanical Garden

Bengaluru: The city’s iconic lung space Lalbagh Botanical Garden, a favourite haunt for morning walkers, joggers and nature lovers, will soon add more aquatic and marshy plants to its collection. A one-and-half acre bowl like sunken space is being built near its west gate to house these plants.

“We are calling this a 'sunken garden'. This space will have paths to walk on, surrounding water level plants, floating on water. We are trying to procure aquatic and marshy area plants,” said Dr M. Jagadeesh, Deputy Director of Horticulture at Lalbagh.

Alocasia, Acorus Calmus (sweet flag), Nympheas (water lilies), Typha grass meant for marshy areas, are some of the species on the long list. While it will take three months to build the structure, six months will be needed to procure the right plants and the space will be open to public in a year, Dr. Jagadeesh added.

He said Lalbagh currently has very few aquatic plants and this new section would add to the biodiversity of existing shrubs, plants, grass, climbers and other ornamental species. The Deputy Director revealed that civil works itself would cost '25-30 lakh and the space will be a natural habitat for aquatic plants.

In addition, the gradient foot path near the lake will have a revetment wall to prevent inundation during rains. “During rainy season water gets collected on the path. Trees or lawn area will be used on half of the remaining slope to beautify it,” he added.

Meanwhile Lalbagh is also getting ready for the upcoming biannual Lalbagh flower show on January 26.