Botanical Garden, Ooty

The Botanical Garden or the Government Botanical Garden are located in Ooty and are spread over an area of 22 hectares. The Gardens, which are built on the slopes of Doddabetta Peak, have a terraced look of lush green carpets. The Tamil Nadu Horticulture Department is responsible for the maintenance of the Gardens.

The Gardens were laid out in the year 1847 and were designed by the English architect William Graham McIvor. During the pre-Independence era, one required membership of the Gardens, which was open to only Europeans and they were charged a fee of Rs. 3 per month.

The Gardens are visited by lakhs of tourists each year because of the innumerable plants of different species that are found here. These plants are both exotic as well as indigenous. There are herbs, shrubs, trees, bonsai plants and ferns. Within the premises of the Gardens is a fossilized tree trunk as well, that is believed to be at least 20 million years old!