Know more about the award-winning Shaheed Smarak garden

Noida: Floriculture Society Noida (FNS) has recently awarded Shaheed Smarak Memorial Garden the title of Best park in Noida. The garden has been getting the first prize for the last 19 years by FNS.

In the ceremony, the Noida Shaheed Smarak was represented by Col. Mahendra Kumar who has landscaped and designed the garden. The judges remarked this garden was excellent.

The Shaheed Smarak Memorial Garden is well maintained with seasonal and evergreen flora. People are only allowed to meditate here in the morning hours. No one is allowed to walk with shoes on the grass.

Also read | Noida residents celebrate Holi with full enthusiasm

"The Noida Authority has provided this land and the electricity is managed by them. This park is maintained by the donations given by the veterans, and the families of the martyrs," says Col. Mahendra Kumar.

The garden is full of beautiful fauna. There is a huge variety of Chinese Hollyhox, Pitonia, Sweet William, Marigolds, Bougainvillea, Dog flowers, Balsam, Cosmos, Gaillardia, Gomphrena, Portulaca, Nasturtium, Sunflower, Zinnia, Bluebonnet, Fuchsia plant, Passionflower and many more.

He says, “The Gaillardia Flowers blooms for more than 4 months. They come in a variety of colours like yellow and red-brown colour. The flowers grow up to 45 centimetres. If you are looking for flowers that bloom for a considerable time then the gaillardia is the best option.”

The adenium is a special place dedicated to the special kind of two bonsais gardens which is abundant here. Adenium Arabicum is maximum grown here in a dedicated area for the Adeniums. They also have a bonsai mango here, which gives the smallest Baramasi mangoes in the season.

Apart from this, 25 different species of cactus and plants like Christmas cactus, cane cactus, moon cactus, golden barrel cactus, prickly pear cactus, star cactus, bunny bear cactus, old lady cactus, golden lace cactus, White Ghost Candelabra Spurge, Echinopsis Tubiflora, just to name a few.

In September, a fountain was conceptualised by Col. Mahendra Kumar. The work was completed on December 9, 2021, and thereafter inaugurated by Chairman GL Bakshi. This waterfall is an additional value-added to the Smarak. The waterfall is now the home to many birds and small animals.

Col. Mahendra joined to serve in the army in 1968. He served for 30 years Having served as the commander of various staff, he did a course on landscaping from Chennai. He joined the Shaheed Smarak Sanstha in 2010. He developed the garden, landscaped, designed the garden. And established cordial relations with the Noida Authority.

While talking about how he manages the garden, he says, “It is challenging to give time daily to any activity. This garden demands a lot of care per day. I have other duties too as a family man but tending to this garden is like worship to me."