The 21st Rose Show started at the Government Rose Garden in Udhagamandalam on Thursday. This year’s theme is birds and the main attraction is two swans made of 70,000 flowers. | Photo credit: SATHYAMOORTHY M.
The summer festival season in The Nilgiris kicked off on Thursday the 21st with the Rose Show organized at the Government Botanical Gardens in Udhagamandalam.
The show is jointly organized by the Nilgiris district administration and the horticulture department and was inaugurated by Nilgiris collector Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneeru. The Rose Show, one of three summer festival events taking place this year, will run until May 18.
Different kinds of bird decorations with flowers at Rose Show in Udhagamandalam. | Photo credit: SATHYAMOORTHY M.
After the inauguration, Ms Tanneeru told reporters that the district, known as the “Queen of Hill Stations”, attracts tourists from all over the country and the world every year. This year the Rose Show was organized on the theme – Bird of Paradise and nearly 2 million flowers were used to create the exhibits displayed at the show.
In order to increase visitors’ awareness of bird diversity in the district, displays of hornbills, raptors, ducks, bulbuls, sunbirds, Indian rollers and sparrows were created as flower exhibits. “Furthermore, attractions inspired by ‘Angry Birds’ and ‘Tweety Bird’ have been prepared to entertain children along with selfie spots for visitors,” said a press release from the district administration.
A novelty introduced this year is the installation of QR codes at each bird enclosure. Visitors can scan codes to hear sounds and learn more about the birds on display at the Rose Show. The Rose Garden currently hosts 4,301 varieties of roses, of which more than 3,300 are in full bloom in the current season.
Nilgiris District Collector Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneeru visited the floral display after inaugurating the rose exhibition at Udhagamandalam on Thursday. | Photo credit: SATHYAMOORTHY M.
“Several competitions for rose growers have been organized and the prizes will be given to the winners during the closing ceremony of the exhibition. Last year the Rose Show was held for 3 days. This year it will be held for 5 days till May 18. More tourists are expected to visit this year. The District Collector further appealed to the tourists visiting the Nilgiris not to use or bring banned plastic items into the press environment.
Published – 14 May 2026 20:26 IST
