A 23-foot tall 'Taj Mahal' made of about one lakh carnation and rose flowers was among highlights of the 119th annual flower show, a major tourist attraction during summer, opened here today.
The three-day show was inaugurated by Tamil Nadu Governor K Rosaiah.
The 40-foot long flower model of the seventh wonder of the world decorated by the Horticulture Department caught the eyes of the tourists at the picturesque Government Botanical Garden.
All available flowers in the country were displayed in 27,000 different sizes of pots and National Flowers of 119 countries gave a visual treat.
Another centre of attraction at the show was a eight-foot tall mother elephant and its calf, made of spagnum mass.
In his address, Rosaiah said there were about 15,000 species of flower plants in the country and more than 3,000 plant species in Tamil Nadu.
The country was known for its rich flora and fauna and is a home to 7.6 per cent mammalian and six per cent of all flowering plants, he added.
He exhorted the tourists to not only carry the pleasant memories with them but also take a vow to grow gardens in their places and pledge to live in consonance with nature.
District Collector P Shankar and senior officials from various departments were present at the inauguration.
