KARACHI, March 1: The Defence Housing Authority and the Pakistan Horticultural Society (PHS) will work together on a 42-acre area near the Karachi Race Course Ground that has been earmarked for a botanical garden, said Lt-Gen Tariq Wasim, the Corps Commander Karachi, in his inaugural speech at the 51st flower show, organized by the PHS.

“The Pakistan Army has taken the old Subzimandi site under its control, and they are developing it into a park. The project is in the planning stage,” he added.

The decision to build a botanical garden was taken in response to the demand made by a delegation of the PHS which had urged him to settle the issue once and for all, as the old site reserved for a botanical garden along Shaheed-i- Millat Road was subjudice.

The entrance to the site along Shaheed-Millat Road is blocked by a strip of land. There is a dispute between the PHS and a builder over the land earmarked for a botanical garden and the matter has been subjudice for the past two decades. So the PHS was in need of an alternative piece of land that was made available by the intervention of the corps commander on Thursday.

It is the 51st flower show organized by the PHS and it will run for three days. There are more than 1,200 colourful pots of at least 60 different species of flowers such as ageratum, aster, begonia, clianthus, geranium, linum, nemesis, pansy, phlox, verbena, carnations and others.

The Pakistan Cactus and Succulent Society has displayed a rich collection of cacti, not displayed at any flower show in the city. There are more than 500 varieties.

The Pakistan Bonsai Society has also exhibited plants as old as 40 years, none taller than a foot and a half and grown in pots 2-3 inches deep and no bigger than a foot and a half in width. All bonsai are of professional quality and they were also appreciated by Susumu Nakamura, a bonsai maestro, who has been sent to conduct an advanced bonsai course in collaboration with the Pakistan Bonsai Society. Mr Susumu will conduct a two-day workshop at the Defence Horticultural Centre from Saturday.

There are excellent display of Ikebana, Ikenobo, orchids, fancy items made of bamboo. Artificial and organic manure, flowers seeds, hormones and the like, apart from a very interesting stall of growing plants by tissue culture introduced and promoted by the HEJ Institute of Chemistry at the University of Karachi.—Dr A. A. Quraishy