Name: Lal Bagh

Location: Main attraction: Based on the design of the Mughal Gardens

The Garden City, Bangalore offers wonderful sightseeing options to tourists and the Lal Bagh Gardens is one such spot that should not be missed during your Bangalore travel.
Lal Bagh Botanical Garden is a well known botanical garden in Bangalore, India The garden was commissioned by the ruler of Mysore, Hyder Ali. It has a famous glass house which hosts yearly flower show. It also has an aquarium and a lake, and one of the tourist attractions in Bangalore.

Hyder Ali commissioned the building of this garden in 1760 but his son, Tipu Sultan, completed it. Lalbagh is a 240 acre (971,000 sq.m. - almost 1 km².) garden and is located on the southern part of Bangalore. It holds a number of flower shows, especially on the Republic Day (26th January). The garden has over 1,000 species of flora. The Glass House, modeled on London's Crystal Palace (now re-modelled with a different layout), is the center of attraction. Hyder Ali laid out these famous botanical gardens and his son added horticultural wealth to them by importing trees and plants from several countries. The Lalbagh Gardens were commissioned by the 18th century and over the years it acquired India's first lawn-clock and the subcontinent's largest collection of rare plants. The garden also has trees that are over 100 years old. 
The Glass House at Lal BaghThe garden surrounds one of the towers erected by the founder of Bangalore, Kempe Gowda. Hyder Ali decided to create this garden on the lines of the Mughal Gardens that were gaining popularity during his time. The park has some rare species of plants brought from Persia, Afghanistan and France. With an intricate watering system for irrigation, this garden is aesthetically designed, with lawns, flowerbeds, lotus pools and fountains. Most of the centuries old trees are labeled for easy identification. The Lal Bagh Rock, one of the oldest rock formations on earth, dating back to 3000 million years, is another attraction that brings the crowds.

Basis for modeling of Lal Bagh Gardens
The Lal Bagh Gardens are based on the design of the Mughal Gardens that once stood at Sira, at a distance of 120 km from Bangalore on the main NH4 at Tumkur District in Karnataka. This is amply supported by ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) and other historical records. At that time, Sira was the head-quarters / capital of the strategically important southernmost Mughal "suba" (province) of the Deccan before the British Raj.

The artistic landscape is a good delight for the eyes and that makes this Botanical Garden in Bangalore a wonderful place for admiring nature,s beauty. The decorations of Lalbagh Botanical Garden also include lush green lawns, lotus pools and fountains.

The Lalbagh Botanical Garden is one of the most beautiful gardens in India.

• Some important things to see in Lalbagh are,
• The Glass House
• Kempegowda Tower
• Bandstand
• Lecture Hall
• Lalbagh House
• Pigeon House
• Statue of Sri Chamaraja Wodeyar
• The Directorate Building
• Lalbagh West Gate Guard Room
• The Museum
• Deer Paddock
• Aquarium building
• Aviary
• Lalbagh lake
• Location And Access
  The garden is accessible through four gates. Vehicles are allowed only through the East gate towards the Double Road. There is ample parking space on entering through this gate. Vehicular movement inside the garden is restricted. Access to the Directorate of Horticulture and related offices is through the main gate. HOPCOMS, MHS and BNCS offices are easily accessible through the Double Road gate.

Biannual flower shows are organized every year in January and August on the occasion of the Republic Day and Independence Day celebrations respectively. Training in Horticulture, Post Harvest Technology and Mushroom cultivation, Classes in Ikebana and Bonsai are also conducted.

Facilities

All major buildings and important locations in the garden are accessible through well laid out roads and pathways.

Plant wealth

The botanical garden is enriched with numerous native and exotic flora of wide ranging diversity, use and interest. This has been achieved by way of introduction; acclimatization and multiplication of plants obtained from various parts of the world since its inception in 1760. Today, nearly 673 genera and 1,854 species of plants are found in Lalbagh. The collection of the plants has made it a veritable treasure house of plants.

Some of the exotic species introduced from different parts of the world include Agathis sp., Amherstia nobilis, Araucaria sp., Averrhoa bilimbi, Bambusa sp., Bixa orellana, Brownea grandiceps, Castanospermum australe, Cola acuminata, Corypha umbraculifera, Couroupita guianensis, Cupressus sp., Eriobotrya japonica, Magnolia sp., Swietenia mahagoni etc. Indigeneous species such as Artocarpus heterophyllus, Bombax ceiba, Butea monosperma, Cassia fistula , Dillenia indica, Ficus sp., Lagerstromia speciosa, Michelia champaca, Mesua ferrea etc., can be seen. In addition, a number of ornamental and economic plant species both of exotic and indigenous origin can be found in Lalbagh.

Training

Scheduled courses on Horticulture, Post Harvest Technology and Mushroom cultivation are offered to the public by the Department of Horticulture at Lalbagh. Besides these a 10 month Horticulture training programme is organized every year for the rural youth. The Mysore Horticultural Society too organizes courses on Ikebana and Bonsai. All programmes are publicized well in advance in newspapers/respective offices.

Education

Lalbagh is an important centre of dissemination of knowledge of plants having ornamental, environmental and economic value. Regular training courses on fruit and vegetable processing, mushroom cultivation and ornamental gardening and horticulture are offered to the public by the Department of Horticulture. The Dr. M.H. Marigowda National Horticulture Library is a reference library with a good collection of books on horticulture and allied subjects.
 
In July, 2003 it was decided that the Department of Horticulture and Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) would jointly take up the development of Lal Bagh Botanical Gardens.

The structure was completely renovated and inaugurated by SM Krishna on Jan 15, 2004. Renovation details:

Cost Rs 5 crore
Renovation time 3 months
Glass: 60,000 tonnes, 3505 unbreakable panes
1,000 sq mtrs of galvanised steel
The 2.75 sq mts Glass House sandblasted using 75 microns of Zinc Chromide to prevent rusting.
325 gutters constructed along the eduges to drain out water.
Silicon gel 1,577 litres
Foundation stone laid by Diwan of Mysore Sir Mirza Ismail restored
75 lunx of illumination work done and special lighting that saves 40% energy put up inside
New benches made of cast iron with wooden frames constructed
Lalbagh Flower Show
Here begins the Annual flower show at Glass House, Lalbagh entertaining Bangaloreans and its neighbours with a range of local and international floricultural presentations. In 2008 to facilitate our flower loving, net savvy Bangaloreans, horticulture department has introduced online ticketing system which may be bought at www.lalbagh.org

For Independence day in 2008 the theme was Hampi, once the glory of Vijayanagar Empire. This year visitors will get to experience the Heritage of Hampi at the Garden City through the blossoms. The world famous stone chariot resurrected in flowers will showcase the history of Hampi and landscapes are made showing the Tungabhadra river.Our musical instruments in the form of Veena, tabla and violin etc are arranged in more than 500 species of flowers. Flowers are the most important part of puja/worship depicts the traditional “Kalasha” and an Ugra Narasimha Statue. Our horticulturists from the Lalbagh HOPCOMS have made a Rainbow using the vibrant colours. Hundreds of orchids, zinnia, nastardium, crysantamums, daisies, marigold, cacti, fuchsia, jasmine, geranium single roses, dahlias, etc species of flowers are to be viewed. Not to mention the floating vegetable gardens are recreated at the Lalbagh Lake, resembling the Dal Lake, Kashmir.

Lalbagh has 4 gates.  East gate towards Double Road is open for visitors with vehicles.  Northern gate is facing towards Subbaiah circle, the West gate is facing Basavanagudi, and South gate is towards Jayanagar.
Lalbagh Botanical Garden is located in the heart of the city, about 4 km from the State Legislature – the Vidhana Soudha. Most parts of the garden is surrounded by different blocks of the beautiful residential layout – Jayanagar. The city buses plying to Jayanagar and localities beyond Jayanagar stop at one or other approach gates of Lalbagh. The garden is accessible through four gates. Vehicles are allowed only through the East gate towards the Double Road. There is ample parking space on entering through this gate. Vehicular movement inside the garden is restricted. Access to the Directorate of Horticulture and related offices is through the main gate. HOPCOMS, MHS and BNCS offices are easily accessible through the Double Road gate.

Timings:
Lalbagh remains open daily from 6.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. throughout the year.

Entry fee
Adults:  Rs.30 on weekdays, Rs.40 on holidays
Children (6-12years):    Rs.10
Parking: Rs.150 on weekdays, Rs.200 on holidays
Video Camera: Rs.50
Still Camera: Rs. 20