Tulips:- A Bloom or a Ban
Tulips are spring-blooming perennial herbaceous plants that are planted in Delhi for recreational purpose to attract people from different regions. But are these plants really helping us in anyway? That’s the main question.
The amount of money being used for planting tulips can be used for growing native plants of Delhi which will improve the quality of life for Delhiites.
TULIP PLANTATION IN A GARDEN
Mrs Bhavreen Kandhari :- “Importing tulips to Delhi is not a practical choice, especially considering the costs. In 2023-24, the expenditure was approximately ₹85 lakh, and this year, with the number of bulbs increasing to 3 lakh, the costs will likely rise further. Also, tulip bulbs are now available for sale at local nurseries, making importation even less justifiable.
Beyond the financial burden, importing tulips contributes significantly to our carbon footprint. Transporting them by air releases large amounts of carbon dioxide, worsening environmental degradation. By choosing to grow native flowering plants instead, we could drastically reduce emissions and promote a more sustainable ecosystem.
Personally, I believe that spending such a large sum on tulips, which only bloom for a month, is an unnecessary waste. Instead, these funds could be better used to conserve and protect our native flora and fauna, ensuring long-term ecological benefits rather than short-lived aesthetic appeal.”
Dr. Vivek Chaudhary:-“Tulips are not native to India so they don’t provide much ecological value to Delhi environment whereas a native plant can.
Most insects and pollinators don’t use tulips for any purpose such as food. That is why insects and other herbivores are decreasing in number because of the reduction in native plants, which can affect the food cycle.
Tulips can be used for recreational purposes but the area should be limited so that the other diverse variety of plants can be grown to maintain the ecological balance. If you wish to see local fauna you must develop a habitat for them with native species.”
HINDUSTAN TIMES excerpt where an expert is stating about tulip plantation in Delhi.
WAYS TO IMPROVE
Plant native winter flowers instead of tulips, as they produce seeds and regrow naturally. This way, we save money on bulbs and we can use that money to improve biodiversity. Some flowers like dianthus, sweet peas, nasturtium, and calendula are great alternatives that are not native to Delhi but can be grown to regenerate seeds and we can regrow those seeds, so we don’t need to buy bulbs every year and waste money, this way we could make our green spaces more sustainable and vibrant.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
If only the authorities understand this! I just can’t understand why they are so focused on trying to create such an artificial look. We have enough seasonal flowers which can be grown sustainably.
The article makes sense
we should plant our own native flowers
True, we should plant our native plants . They will attract insects which are an important part of ecological balance .