Spherical, muted green and thorny — the new entrants at the Botanical Garden coming up near the Anna Flyover look fascinating.
The rare variety of cacti has just arrived at their new home, travelling by sea, all the way from China.
About two years after the Horticulture Department started work, the garden, which is likely to be inaugurated soon, has received nearly Rs.8 lakh worth plants from China.
Varieties
These include flowering cacti that have a velvety, light pink at the top, non-flowering cacti with diameters upto about 45 cm, ‘lucky' bamboo, ficus and bonsai varieties. According to a spokesperson of the contractor for the project, Sri Green Makers, a company that specialises in landscaping, the ficus that have arrived are two to 60 years old.
“All these plants will grow well in Chennai. We would just have to take care and drain excess water,” he said. The cacti will all make it to the cacti garden, which is set to be decorated with white marble chips, pebbles and rocks from Porbandar, sources said.
While water lilies from Thailand have arrived in the city, they are yet to be brought to the garden. Ahead of the inauguration, 12 varieties of orchids would be brought to adorn the venue, sources added.
