Bangalore has the privilege of being home to two historic gardens, Lalbagh, which dates back to Hyder Ali’s administration and created in the 18th century, and Cubbon Park, formed in the 19th century by the British administration. The diversity of plant species that these parks harbour dates at least as far back as 1891, when a book written by John Cameron, Catalogue of Plants in the Botanical Garden, Bangalore (Second Edition) lists a mind-boggling 3,222 species of plants found in Lalbagh. These include as many as 258 varieties of roses, and 122 varieties of crotons! Lalbagh and Cubbon Park occupy a specific place in the city that is unmatched by other public gardens, because of their size, the age of the trees, and the rich diversity of plant species. What of the city’s other parks, though
