BHUBANESWAR: Starting them young has often been the mantra of inculcating good practices. In line with the adage, gardens are being set up in schools in 24 states, including Odisha, under the Centre’s Floriculture Mission with the National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), Lucknow, as the nodal agency, to help children learn about flowers.

“We are setting up the gardens with the twin objective of helping children learn about flowers that they study only in books and creating awareness about nature. In the future, this knowledge will help them understand nature and career avenues in floriculture better,” said professor S K Barik, director, NBRI, Lucknow.

The NBRI is implementing the programme in eight schools in Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Other CSIR institutions like IIIM, Jammu, IHBT, Palampur and NEIST, Jorhat, are looking after this programme in other states. In Odisha, the programme has been started at Sainik School, Bhubaneswar, and Kendriya Vidayalaya, Koraput, with the process starting in October last year. The projects are being also implemented in KV, Aliganj, Lucknow, KV, Refinery Nagar, Mathura, KV Gomtinagar, Lucknow, Arogydham Deen Dayal Research Institute, Chitrakoot, Madhya Pradesh, Chandrabhanu Gupt Krishi Mahavidyalaya, Lucknow, Police Modern School, Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh.
Of the 600 cadets in Sainik School, the garden is being maintained by children who have taken up gardening as a hobby. “Both parents and children are appreciative of the programme as it is an innovative way to learn about flowers. Besides, it also enhances the beauty of the school campus,” said commander Pritika Sharma, administrative officer of Sainik School

The CSIR institutions are selecting government schools willing to develop gardens on their premises with a long-term sustainability plan, providing technical support for the programme while the gardens will be maintained by the schools. Around 50 to 100 square metres of land is required for the project but the size may vary based on their adaptability. Flower varieties that can sustain in local climate and soil conditions are being planted. In Odisha we are mostly planting like roses, lantana and ixoras, said programme in-charge for Odisha and principal scientist Chandra Sekhar Mohanty.