Lalbagh to Get 2.5-Acre Mist Garden Modelled on Singapore's Gardens by the Bay
Karnataka is developing a 2.5-acre mist-fed garden at Lalbagh Botanical Garden, inspired by Singapore's Gardens by the Bay, with 50 rare shade-loving species and 15 check dams.
Bengaluru's Lalbagh Botanical Garden is set to gain a 2.5-acre landscaped garden modelled on Singapore's Gardens by the Bay, with the Karnataka State Department of Horticulture (KSDH) rolling out fog-and-mist technology in the city for the first time.
The plot lies in front of the department's office, in a valley-like depression created a few years ago so that rainwater from the surrounding area, particularly from Lalbagh Rock, drains into it. Because the site already holds old, shade-giving trees, officials decided to plant rare and exclusive varieties not currently found in the garden.
M. Jagadeesh, Joint Director (Parks and Gardens), said the ultra-fine nozzles used in the system were procured from Germany, with stainless steel pipes carrying water to them. A dedicated reverse osmosis facility at the office purifies normal and borewell water, stripping dissolved salts and heavy metals before it reaches the nozzles and is released as fog. The setup runs automatically, spraying for ten minutes and pausing for ten minutes.
Local natural stones have been used to build a revetment for the valley. To secure water through summer, about 15 check dams, each 60 metres wide and 5 metres high, have been constructed. Rainwater flowing through the valley collects in these structures; officials estimate at least 20 crore litres will be stored, helping irrigate hundreds of plants and trees beyond the 2.5-acre patch while recharging rainwater-harvesting pits and raising the underground water table.
Around 50 shade- and mist-loving species are being planted, sourced from Karnataka, Kerala, Odisha, Himachal Pradesh and other states. The list includes Bird's Nest Anthurium, native to the rainforests of Central and South America and being procured from Indian vendors, Matchstick Bromeliad from Tamil Nadu, Yucca gloriosa from Himachal Pradesh and Elephant Ear varieties, which act as natural air purifiers. Pearl Grass from Kerala is being introduced at Lalbagh for the first time. Though most of these are typically grown indoors, they will be planted outdoors here.
Officials noted that fog-and-mist technology is already used in hill stations such as Kodagu and Ooty to cultivate climate-sensitive crops including coffee, tea, exotic fruits, spices and floriculture. The species chosen for Lalbagh are known to absorb water delivered as mist, and the department expects a microclimate to develop within the garden over time.