KARACHI, Feb 24: The flower quality, variety and display is exemplary, observed Nawab Shah Alam Khan, an octogenarian horticulturist from Hyderbad, Deccan.

He was invited as one of the judges this year for gardens that competed in the 54th flower show competition on Thursday.

The layout was magnificent and the quality of lawns classic, continued the horticulturist who hails from one of the most floral cities of the subcontinent. The quality of geraniums is exceptionally good, said Mr N R Siddiqui, another septuagenarian, giving the credit to the recent rains that brought dissolved nitrogen from the atmosphere.

The dahlias, the pansies, calendulas, anti rrhinums, carnations and other winter annuals were bright, golden and the ruby pink to selective hybrids that different gardens cultivated. The nicotinias that had disappeared in the last decades have staged a comeback and are on the exhibition.

Various nurseries from the city and from Lahore have amassed a great. Floriculture treasure, an unprecedented precedent of an overall improvement in cultivars, hybridisation, selection of graded seeds and floriculture are that vies well with any of the best shows in the world.

Ladies horticultural club, Floral Art Society, Amateur Gardner's Club, Ikebana International Karachi chapter, Ikenobo study group, Orchid Society of Pakistan, Pakistan Bonsai society, Cactus and Succulent Society of Pakistan have added quality and lustre by their professional acumen.

Pakistan Defence Housing Society Authority was declared the champion of the flower show and was awarded Abdul Sattar Pirzada Trophy. State Bank Governor Dr Ishrat Hussain who was the chief guest lauded the efforts of the Horticultural Society of Pakistan for its awareness campaign and for making Karachi greener and floral. The Floral show will continue till Sunday.