Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today inaugurated the ‘Bagh-e-Gul Dawood’, the Valley’s newest tourist attraction here.

Nestled between the Zabarwan mountains and the shimmering Dal Lake, the terraced Chrysanthemum Garden adds another vibrant bloom to the city’s famed floral landscape, standing beside the iconic Tulip Garden.

Developed at a cost of Rs 1.869 crore, the Chrysanthemum Theme Garden spans over 100 kanals and is envisioned as a major autumn attraction in Kashmir. With its vibrant blooms in shades of yellow, red, pink, and purple, the garden promises to infuse new colour and charm into the Valley’s tourism calendar during the autumn months.

The Chief Minister cut the ceremonial ribbon and declared the garden open to the public, describing it as “a floral celebration that adds a new chapter to Kashmir’s tourism story.”

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister commended the efforts of the Department of Floriculture, Parks and Gardens, and the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology-Kashmir (SKUAST-K) for their collaborative role in establishing the theme garden.

He noted that the initiative would “address the off-season gap in tourism and enhance the autumn experience for visitors.”

Omar Abdullah recalled that he had laid the foundation stone of Bagh-e-Gul-e-Dawood in November last year, drawing parallels with the success of the Tulip Garden.

“Just as the Tulip Garden transformed the spring tourist season, the Chrysanthemum Garden will redefine autumn tourism in Kashmir,” he remarked.

Officials said the garden boasts over 60 varieties of chrysanthemums and 1,00,000 chrysanthemums have been planted. They said around 30 lakh flowers have bloomed in the garden.