Open air orchidarium at Lalbagh soon

Open air orchidarium at Lalbagh soon
Vijay TImes

THE number of reasons for one to visit Lalbagh Garden seems to be increasing by the day .

The latest being a special enclosure for orchids called Orchidarium, which will soon be added to the list of 18 other places of attraction within the garden.

"In another six months time, the Orchidarium will be ready . Orchid expert Anand Rao is looking into the construction of the Orchidarium, which will be spread over an acre at the centre of the island at the west side of the garden," Lalbagh Deputy Director M J agdish informed.

Bangalore is an ideal home for orchids, as they grow well in a hot and humid climate. They store a lot of energy in the form of carbohydrates during the day , when the temperature is high. This stored energy is used at night, when the temperature dips. This temperature fluctuation helps orchids to bloom.

"The estimated cost is Rs 2 lakh. Of this, we have spent Rs 1.2 lakh on the construction of the orchidarium. This is an ideal season to plant epiphytes (natural creepers) as they require humidity . W e have around 100 such plants and another 200 plants will come in a month’s time," he added.

The plants are being brought from the W estern Ghats and the Himalayas.

Light plays a key role in the growth of orchids. While direct sunlight may cause the plants to burn, light less than what is required will prevent plants from flowering.

Therefore, the authorities are making sure that orchids in the Orchidarium, which is an open air facility , get the necessary shade from the adjacent tree canopy .

Also , an artificial sprinkler has been installed in the middle of the island for a constant supply of fine water droplets to increase humidity .

The Orchidarium, authorities believe, will become one of the most preferred destinations of the garden soon.