My love for flowers became known to my family in my childhood when I forced them to raise a garden in the available space in front of our home.
In times when everyone around wanted to be a doctor or an engineer I opted for agriculture as my subject not only because I love plants, flowers and gardening but also it was among those subjects that were supposed to get you a job, early and easy. But when I finished my degree in Agriculture the condition in our valley was such that posts were advertised just not to be filled, and I joined some private organizations for few years before I finally decided to make my love with flowers more strong and started my post graduation in floriculture and landscaping. I enjoyed the course well as it was my first love - love for flowers. After completing the course, I got appointed for two years as Research Associate in a project in SKUAST-K where I remained associated with my love –flowers- and my association with them got stronger day by day before destiny offered me something really great; I got an appointment letter from Department of Floriculture for the contractual post of Assistant Floriculture Officer – Tulip Garden. I was not much excited to receive it as it was a contractual job with meager salary and it took me few days to decide whether to join or not. Ultimately I joined and gradually came to know that it is the best place to work at for any flower lover, like me. Luckily the then Chief Minister Mr. Azad Sahib, who is also fond of flowers, wanted to develop the tulip garden as the Asia’s biggest one. I got my life time opportunity to work, learn and apply my knowledge and skills along with my senior officers to the biggest project in the department. It was really a  wonderful experience to work with tulips of different shapes and colours, to arrange them in  different designs, to see them smiling and sick, to make them comfortable during storage and even to force them to bloom early so that we can export them to other states when their demand is high.
In the foothills of Zabarwan hills gradually the garden began to take better and better shape and it is highly satisfying to work with hardworking seniors, gardeners with whom I kept on interacting to learn more and more. Our big team of casual laborers was working very hard and they were highly skilled in dealing with flowers especially tulips, the speed with which they used to plant tulip bulbs was worth watching. After continuous hard work the arrival of spring always remains special occasion for us as it is the time to see the tulips blooming in long strips of different shapes and colours. Our hearts used to fill with immense joy and satisfaction to see our hard work making visitors happy.
I remained associated with the garden for about three years and it is now more then two years since I left it but I still do remember that while I was discussing with the gardeners about making alphabetical beds to write Tulip Garden with plants on one of the slope when my phone rang to give me a news that I have to leave the tulip garden to join SKUAST-K where I got appointed as Assistant professor (Floriculture). Though it was great news for me and my family that I got a permanent job in this temporary world but at the same time my heart was gloomy as I had to leave its beautiful tulips, awesome hills, hardworking team and above all the favorite working place -The Tulip Garden- but in life we all often have to make tough decisions, so I submitted my resignation and joined SKUAST-K. Though Tulip Garden is not far away but I still miss the daily association with the garden, hardworking staff and especially casual laborers as without them the beautiful garden would not be there.

Author presently works as Junior Scientist Floriculture, KVK Kupwara, SKUAST-K and can be contacted at raizahmed90@yahoo.com

Lastupdate on : Mon, 30 Apr 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 30 Apr 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 1 May 2012 00:00:00 IST