Early spring advances opening of Tulip garden

THE unusually warm winter and rise in temperatures in February and March have advanced the arrival of spring in Srinagar, leading to the early opening of the famed Tulip Garden in Srinagar.

- FAYAZ WANI @ Srinagar

The Tulip garden, which used to be accessible in the last week of March, would be thrown open to visitors on March 16 this year.

Assistant Floriculture Officer of Tulip Garden Imran Ahmad told this newspaper that an unusually warm winter and rise in the Tulip Garden, which is spread over 450 kanals of land and is situated along the banks of the world-famous Dal Lake and at the foothills of the Zabarwan mountain range, will have 1.8 million tulip bulbs of more than 70 varieties, including some new varieties.