ROSE GARDEN

Zakir Hussain Rose Garden, is a botanical garden in sector 16 Chandigarh
which is spread over 30 acres of land, with 50,000 rose-bushes of 1600 
different species. Named after former president of India, Zakir Hussain and 
created in 1967 under the guidance of Dr M.S.Randhawa, first chief 
commissioner of Chandigarh, the garden has the privilege of being Asia's 
largest. The garden has not only roses, but also a lot of trees of medicinal 
value. Some of the medicinal plants that can be spotted in Rose Garden are 
bel, bahera, harar, camphor and yellow gulmohar. The roses have been 
planted in carved-out lawns and flower beds.

The Zakir Rose Garden hosts an annual festival called Rose Festival, a major
cultural event in Chandigarh during February. It is celebrated mainly as a  
tribute to the magnificence of the rose itself, the attractions also include food, 
drinks, joyrides, and contests of varying nature, such as photography, 
gardening, landscaping, bonsai, and Rose Prince and Princess. The contests
are open to all the residents or institutions from nearby places.

The Zakir Rose Garden is one of the treasured gardens in Asia. The Rose
Garden is a suitable place for nature lovers on a trip across the country. It is  
also suitable for the residents of Chandigarh to spend their free time in the  
morning or evening. The Rose Garden follows strict rules to maintain order like
banning of foods and fines for the sabotage of roses. It is worthwhile to stroll in
this lovely garden to see some of the best rose specimens of the world.