Spring floral exhibition opens at Jilani Park

LAHORE: A spring floral exhibition organised by the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) at Jilani Park (formerly Racecourse Park) opened here on Saturday with a wide array of several colourful blooms on display.

The two-week-long event was billed as the city's premier outdoor garden show. It showcased over fifty vibrant varieties of spring flowers, including Azaleas, Cyclamens, Petunias, and Tulips.

The star attractions were the meticulously crafted topiaries of beloved animals such as peacocks and giraffes, lovingly cultivated by Parks and Horticulture Authority horticulturists.

With more than 60,000 flowers on display, the annual floral extravaganza aimed to celebrate the harmonious relationship between horticulture and water and this tribute coincided with International Water Day, observed on Mar 22 (Friday).

The show commenced as temperatures dipped following an unseasonably balmy March. On Saturday, crews were adding final touches to the displays.

As they did so, Jilani Park saw a steady flow of visitors arriving to explore an alternative world filled with colorful and unique blooms. Men, women, and children crowded the site, snapping selfies and photos with the flowers.

Additionally, the minister inaugurated a new state-of-the-art running track designed for fitness enthusiasts, along with a decorated flower shop near the garden entrance.

The 550-meter-long track is bright and made of a special rubbery material called Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM), chosen because its strong, bouncy, and lasts a long time.

The flower shop aimed to change the local flower business as the shop offered not just bright bouquets and boxed flowers but also a variety of related gift products.