Seven thousand one hundred and eighty three—that is number of plant species found in Nepal. Three hundred and eighty—that is the number of fern species that can be found growing in this small country. Three hundred and sixty one—that is number of orchids registered as growing in the country. For a country that is quite small width-wise, it is an amazing eco-diversity indeed. Nepal has six phyto-geographical regions and 10 bio-climatic zones, and as contrasting a climate as one will find anywhere within a distance of just 200 km—from the hot sweltering heat of the Terai to the freezing arctic cold of the high Himalayas.
No wonder Nepal is such a popular tourist destination. Who wouldn’t want to see and experience the many different cultures, ethnicities and ecosystems within such short distances? For nature lovers, this Himalayan country has such fascinating scenery as to make one stop and wonder at nature’s glory. It is no exaggeration to say that some are literally breathtaking, such as the beautiful sunrise over the majestic Himalayan peaks. Actually, it is when one is on the trail trekking through the mountains, that one will really appreciate the rich bounty that the country has been blessed with. And, none among this bounty, is as lovely as the flowers. Of course one needn’t always have to go trekking to see Nepal’s wealth of flower power.
There are many nurseries here, most of them in and around Kathmandu city. At a rough estimate, there are more than 50 nurseries currently, and at least three specialize only in orchids—Orchid Land in Tripureswar, Greenview Orchid Nursery in Godavari and Orchid World in Kusunti. The rest have a wide variety of floriculture products with Standard Nursery in Bansbari having one of the largest varieties in the valley. Establishments like Bharat Gurung of Primula Nursery in Bansbari specialize in landscapes. One name that stands out particularly in relation to garden implements (mostly ceramic pots and hangings) is Siam Floratech of Pulchowk. It also has established a series of outlets at all Bhatbhateni Department Store outlets where they go by the name of Blooms & Blossoms.
Bodhi Brikchya at Harisiddhi, Lalitpur, managed by Basanti Pradhan, is another large nursery and it is only one of the branches of a larger organization, Rudyn Agriflora Nepal, that was established in 1990. Winner of many prizes at flower shows and exhibitions, they deal in every aspect of floriculture: ornamental plants, cut flowers and landscapes. Rudyn’s has two production centers in Godavari and one in Bhadrapur where exotic flowers like Gloriosa Rothschilidiana, Achimenes Peach Blossom, Zephyranthes Sulphuria, Eucharis Amazonica, Hemanthus Multiflorus, Curcuma Cultivar, Double “First Love”, Lilium Nepalenese, Globba Winitii, Sprekella Formosissma and Zephyranthes Candida, among many others, are cultivated.
Most of the nurseries state that flowers like Gladioli, Bird of Paradise and Arthuriam are especially popular with clients. Some of the larger nurseries grow flowers like Caladium, Gloriosa, Zephyranthes, Amaryllis, Ornithogalum, Canna, Curcuma, Helicionia, Haemanthus etc… as well as bulbs, tubers and rhizomes for export purposes. The United States, Germany, Denmark, Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia and Czechoslovakia are some countries importing flowers from Nepal on a regular basis.
