Flower show at Semmozhi Poonga from January 2

Chennai's second flower show at Semmozhi Poonga featuring 30 lakh potted flowers, intricate arrangements, and diverse plant varieties.

A transformation is happening at the Semmozhi Poonga with pots after pots of colourful flowering plants being tastefully arranged. Work is underway for Chennai’s second flower show at the park on Cathedral Road that will be open to the public from January 2, 2025. The Chief Minister M. K. Stalin is likely to inaugurate the event. Carpets of pink and red petunias, yellow marigolds, purple, white and cream delphiniums, are getting ready to welcome the visitors from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily till January 18. About 30 lakh potted flowers are being brought in from the Department of Agriculture’s Horticulture gardens in Udhagamandalam, Kodaikanal and roses from Krishnagiri and Hosur.  The plants are being arranged inside iron trellis’ along pathways, inside a clock, a train, a heritage car, a butterfly and even the steps leading to an open auditorium. Roses- red, pink, white and multi -coloured- will be ready and blooming on time for the show. “At Ooty, the flower show is made of cut flowers where they are arranged in structures of different shapes. This is a live plant show where the plants are specially grown at our nurseries to coincide with the show in Chennai. We start from the scratch with planting the seeds in the right season so that the plants flower during this month. We use organic manure and fertilizes and neem based pesticides,” explained an official. The begonias are 2-3 months old and the delphiniums about six months old.  A lot of care has been taken while transporting the plants that come in different sized pots. “We ensured enough watering was done to keep them well during the journey. As soon as they arrive, we water them again. The plants are being arranged in the shade of trees. Loads of soil and manure too have been brought in for plants that need them,” said another source. Plants are still coming in, which is why the Semmozhi Poonga will remain off-limits for the public for the next few days.  More than 50 varieties of flowers from Ooty and Kodaikanal’s Botanical Gardens and the respective Rose gardens will be exhibited at the show for which entry will be ticketed. The public can buy tickets at the venue as well as online.