The arrival of spring in Kashmir was marked on Monday as Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah opened the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden for visitors. Located at the foothills of the Zabarwan Mountains in Srinagar, the garden has once again transformed the valley into a vibrant sea of colours as millions of tulips begin to bloom. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah inaugurated the Tulip Show–2026 and toured the sprawling garden, which is known as Asia’s largest tulip garden. The opening of the garden signals the beginning of the tourism season in the Kashmir Valley, drawing visitors from across India and abroad.
Greater Kashmir/X
This year, nearly 18 lakh tulips representing more than 70 varieties have been planted across the garden. In addition, around one lakh other bulbous flowers, including daffodils, hyacinths and narcissus, have also been cultivated, adding more colour to the valley’s spring landscape. Since its inception in 2007, Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden has become one of the major tourist attractions in Kashmir. Every year, during this season, it celebrates this annual Tulip Festival, when thousands of tourists come to witness the beauty of tulips against the picturesque background of Zabarwan mountain ranges and the nearby Dal Lake.Read more: Uttarakhand: Heavy snowfall blankets Badrinath Dham and surrounding peaks in Chamoli; see stunning visuals
Why tulips thrive in Kashmir
Kashmir has favorable conditions for the cultivation of tulips, according to experts in horticulture. Tulips are temperate flowers that grow from bulbs. They require a certain temperature cycle to grow properly. They need to have a period of prolonged cold in winter before they can break their dormancy and develop flowers in the spring. In Kashmir, the natural cold winters provide an environment that can offer a period of prolonged cold necessary for the tulip bulbs. This is then followed by a cool and mild spring, which can provide for the growth of the plants and the development of beautiful flowers. Soil is another important factor for the growth of flowers. Tulips grow best in well-drained, fertile soil. Excessive moisture in the soil results in rotting of the bulbs. The tulip garden in Srinagar is situated on the gentle slopes of the Zabarwan mountain range.Read more: 10 towns in India perfect for peaceful retreats Excess water drains easily from this soil, and the soil is loose and fertile, providing good conditions for plant growth. Another advantage is that the valley is at a higher altitude and has a longer spring season. Unlike the plains of India, where the temperature rises sharply after the winter season, the valley of Kashmir has a relatively cool spring season. This is enough time for the tulip plants to develop and bloom before the advent of summer. Due to these climatic advantages, large-scale cultivation of tulips is not seen in most parts of India. In other places, tulips have to be artificially chilled, but in the valley of Kashmir, they get the climate naturally. Spread across several hectares and featuring more than a million tulip bulbs, the Srinagar garden has become a symbol of Kashmir’s spring season. Each year, the colourful bloom not only enhances the valley’s natural beauty but also highlights the rare combination of climate, soil and altitude that allows one of the world’s most iconic spring flowers to flourish in the Himalayas.
