Friday, January 22, 2010

About Ooty

Udhagamandalam, which is the Head Quarters of the district, is the largest and most important hill station in south India. This principle station on the Nilgiris is at an elevation of 2286 meters and situated at the center of the district. It is an extensive valley enclosed on all sides but the west by a lofty range of hills. The name of the ooty or Ootacamand was first mentioned in about 1821 in the Madras Gazette which was then spelt as "Wotokymund" by an anonymous correspondent who was one among the Europeans to set an eye on Ootacamand. It is also fondly called the Queen of Hill Stations.

BOTANICAL GARDEN:

This garden was laid out in 1847 by the Marquis of Tweedale, then the Governor of Madras and is spread over 22 hectares ascending the slopes on the hill at an elevation of 2,400 - 2,500 mts. above MSL. Lush green well maintained lawns, rare trees species (like the cork tree which is probably the only such tree in India, the paper bark tree and the monkey puzzle tree-monkey cannot climb this tree.), a 20 million year old fossilized tree, an Italian - style garden bordering, a clear pool, a vast variety of flowering bushes and plants , fern house with a vast range ferns and orchids are some of the highlights of this garden.A flower show along with an exhibition of rare plant species is held very year in the month of May at this garden.

The garden is divided into six different sections:

1. Lower Garden
2. New Garden
3. Italian Garden
4. Conservatory
5. Fountain Terrace
6. Nurseries

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