- Location
- Elk Hill, Vijayanagaram, Ooty
- Area
- About 4 hectares
- Varieties
- Around 20,000 (as commonly cited)
- Best time
- April to June
- Main event
- Rose show in May
- Ideal time needed
- 1 to 2 hours
What to see
The garden is laid out in terraces across roughly four hectares, so you walk down through bed after bed of hybrid teas, miniatures, climbers and ramblers. Many beds are labelled, and arches, tunnels and rose-covered pergolas break up the layout.
Climb the viewing platform known as Nila Maadam for a view over the whole garden and across Ooty town. The collection started with far fewer varieties and has grown steadily since the garden was laid out in the mid-1990s.
The rose show
Each May, as part of Ooty's summer festival, the garden hosts a rose show with elaborate displays and shapes made from thousands of blooms. It draws very large crowds, so expect queues and heavy traffic if you visit then. Book Ooty hotels well ahead for May, as the summer festival coincides with school holidays across South India.
Best time to visit
Roses are at their best from about April to June, and again after the monsoon. Mornings are cooler and less crowded, with softer light for photographs. In the rainy months the paths can be slippery, so wear shoes with a good grip.
Tips for your visit
There is a modest entry fee and an extra charge for cameras; check at the gate. Please do not pick the flowers, and keep to the paths so the beds are not trampled. Snack stalls and the town's chocolate shops are close to the gate if you need a break afterwards. The garden is on a slope, so those with limited mobility may find the lower terraces tiring. It is close to Charing Cross in the town centre, so it is easy to combine with the Government Botanical Garden and Ooty Lake on the same day. We can arrange an Ooty sightseeing day with a car and driver.
Also nearby
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