Botanical Gardens - History, Timings & Entry Fee

About Botanical Gardens

At a distance of 3 km from Ooty Bus Station & Railway Station and 4 km from Ooty Lake, Ooty Botanical Garden is a beautiful garden situated on the foothills of Dodabetta Peak in Ooty. Maintained by Tamil Nadu Horticulture Department, it is one of the best botanical gardens in India, and among the top places to visit in Ooty.

History of Botanical Gardens

The Botanical Gardens in Udhagamandalam was laid out in 1847 AD. It was designed by the architect William Graham McIvor under the supervision of George Hay, the then Governor of Madras. The original purpose of the Botanical Gardens was to promote and study the various flora in and around Nilgiris. Now, it is open to the public as a park that can be enjoyed by visitors as part of Ooty Packages.

Layout of Botanical Gardens

The Gardens spreads over an area of 22 hectares with more than 650 species of flowers and trees. The Garden has a terraced layout and is divided into 5 sections, namely Lower Gardens, New Gardens, Italian Gardens, the Conservatory, and the Nursery. The lower garden has a fern house that harbors 127 species of ferns, and many trees. The main attractions here are the carpet-bet design of the Indian map laid out with assorted plants and the fossil trunk which is a whopping 20 million years old. The New Garden is a newer section of the garden that has a beautiful rose garden with many hybrid roses, Floribunda, and Polyanthas rose varieties. Flower beds and carpet bed emblems of the Government of Tamil Nadu and the Government of India are present here as well. The Italian Garden contains lots of groups of flowering plants, and the Nurseries house a series of glass houses having innumerable varieties of exotic plants.

Flower Show at Botanical Gardens

Every year in May, a Flower Show is organized at the Ooty Botanical Gardens for two days. Indian and Japanese flower arrangements, vegetable carvings, flower rangoli, Bonsai, and floral decorations are the major attractions at the festival. As many as 250 exhibitors including several government departments and voluntary agencies presenting 50 varieties of potted plants, 150 varieties of cut flowers, and various kinds of tropical and temperate vegetables and fruits can be seen during the Flower Show. Momentos and cash prizes are distributed among the best performers, which adds an edge to the events held here.

Best Time to Visit Botanical Gardens

The summer months of April and May are the ideal time to visit Ooty Botanical Garden when it is in full bloom and in natural glory. Every year, the government organizes a three-day Flower Show & Plant Exhibition in May which draws many tourists to the venue.

Botanical Gardens Timings

Monday: 7 AM to 6.30 PM
Tuesday: 7 AM to 6.30 PM
Wednesday: 7 AM to 6.30 PM
Thursday: 7 AM to 6.30 PM
Friday: 7 AM to 6.30 PM
Saturday: 7 AM to 6.30 PM
Sunday: 7 AM to 6.30 PM

Botanical Gardens Entry Fee

Entry: Rs. 30 for Adults, Rs. 15 for Children, Rs. 50 for Camera & Rs. 100 for the Video

How to Reach Botanical Gardens

Botanical Garden is just 3 km away from the Ooty Railway Station and can be reached by walking/ auto rickshaw. One can also take the bus or hire a cab to reach the garden.