30 lakh blooming chrysanthemums to fill grey tourism period of Kashmir with colours

Believed to have been brought to Kashmir from China centuries ago, chrysanthemum flowers or Gul-e-Dawood are set to replicate the success story of the tulip garden in the Valley, but unlike tulips, the enchanting blooms of 30 lakh flowers will spread till the harsh winters come.

“Tulip Garden has attracted tourists from across the country to Kashmir during the spring months. Bagh-e-Gul-e-Dawood or the Chrysanthemum Garden theme park will offer bright colors to tourists at the peak of autumn, when flowers start to fade in Kashmir and tourists have very few options,” Mathoora Masoom, director of the Kashmir Floriculture department, told The Hindu.

Located at the foothills of the Zabarwan forest range, the well-landscaped garden is spread over five hectares of land. It will host more than 50 exquisite varieties of chrysanthemums and over 30 lakh are expected to bloom this season. The garden, which also has Quick Response (QR) codes hung on the trees for interpretation, will be inaugurated by J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on October 25.

Tourists enjoy near Chrysanthemum Autumn Blossom at the newly opened Theme Park Zabarwan hills in Srinagar on October 23, 2025. | Photo Credit: IMRAN NISSAR

“With the onset of autumn, we expect a magnificent riot of colors by the third week of November. We plan to expand the garden next year,” said Ms Masooma.

Curated by the Jammu and Kashmir Department of Floriculture, Gardens and Parks, the garden is set to offer visitors one more reason to experience the natural beauty of Kashmir beyond the traditional spring and summer seasons.

The first major theme park, Tulip Garden, was founded in 2007 by former prime minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. A record number of 8.55 lakh tourists visited the garden in March-April this year. Bagh-e-Gul-e-Dawood is the second largest theme park in Kashmir.

Among the many native varieties that will be exhibited are the Aubisque Mountain Apricot,

Tourists enjoy near Chrysanthemum Autumn Blossom at the newly opened Theme Park Zabarwan hills in Srinagar on October 23, 2025. | Photo Credit: IMRAN NISSAR

Mount Aubsique Salmon, Aristic Dark Pink, Mount Pleasant, Anansi Pink, Nova Yellow, Flavio, Manga Red, Cesar, Ibra White, Aristic Armin etc.

Apart from the blazing leaves of the plane trees, autumn in Kashmir has traditionally been a poor period for tourism. According to official figures, Kashmir hosted only 1.8 lakh to 1.9 lakh tourists in October-November, three lakh to 4.36 lakh tourists in May-June 2023 and 1.8 lakh to 1.5 lakh tourists in October-November and 3.75 lakh to 3.33 lakh tourists in May-June 2022.

“The garden adds a new dimension to the floral landscape of Srinagar. We could already see tourists taking selfies and soaking in the colors of the garden like a tulip garden,” said Ms. Masooma.

The flower varieties, which have impressed even local craftsmen and papier-mâché artists for centuries, can withstand temperature drops of up to 10 degrees Celsius and even the first snowfall of winter.

Chrysanthemum flower, once a culinary herb brewed into teas, is likely to be the flavor of the autumn season in Kashmir.