Spread across 40 acres at Choglamsar and Stakna, the gardens house more than 25 lakh high-value flowers,

JAMMU/SRINAGAR: On Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 76th birthday, Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena inaugurated the world’s highest and India’s largest twin flower fields in Leh, at an altitude of 10,600ft, on Thursday as part of the administration’s efforts to diversify agriculture, build skills and create new livelihood opportunities in the Union Territory.Spread across 40 acres at Choglamsar and Stakna, the gardens house more than 25 lakh high-value flowers, including 24 lakh Lilium and 1 lakh Gladiolus. The Choglamsar field was developed in just two months, with plantation beginning on July 16 and the first blooms appearing in the first week of Sept. At Stakna, nearly 1.4 lakh lilies were planted in Aug, with the first blooms expected by Oct-end.Saxena said the initiative was the first experiment of its size and nature at such a high altitude in Leh, adding that its successful execution could pave the way for replication elsewhere in Ladakh. The gardens will open to the public on Sept 18, with an entry fee of Rs 25 for adults and Rs 10 for children, officials said.Floriculture, as a high-value agricultural activity, can complement traditional farming, increase cultivators’ incomes and create opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship, the LG said. The Choglamsar flower park will serve as a training, demonstration and model floriculture centre for farmers and youth, where Lilium, Gladiolus, Tulips and other ornamental flowers will be cultivated for national and international markets.

“The facility will provide exposure to modern cultivation techniques, scientific farming practices and improved post-harvest management, enabling farmers to acquire the knowledge and skills required to take up floriculture at farm and village levels,” Saxena said. “Besides functioning as a recreational and educational space for residents and tourists, it will create an ecosystem where not only flowers, but also knowledge, skills and enterprises can grow,” he added.