Nepal’s amazing variation in climate within relatively small distances translates into a diverse ecosystem, giving rise to 7183 species of plants including 380 species of ferns and 361 species of orchids. It is natural for people living in such a floriculture paradise to have a love of flowers. Therefore, it is no surprise that Kathmandu has quite a large number of nurseries, 50 and counting. The popular flowers cultivated include Gloriosa, Amaryllis, Peach Blossom, Bird of Paradise, Arthuriam, Caladium, Zephyranthes Sulphuria, Eucharis Amazonica, Hemanthus, Curcuma Cultivar, Double “First Love”, Lilium, Globba Winitii, Sprekella, Zephyranthes, Ornithogalum, and so on. Some of the nurseries also grow bulbs, tubers and rhizomes for export to countries like Taiwan, Germany, Denmark, Korea, Czechoslovakia, Indonesia and the United States.
The local demand continues to grow. Taking a bouquet along has become a part of socially expected behaviour for guests during occasions like marriages, birthdays and anniversaries. Good hotels and fine restaurants too are now not deemed chic without elaborate floral arrangements around their premises. Bigger hotels have standing arrangements with nurseries for flower supply and floral decorations. This can only be a growing trend that is sure to affect the more flashy corporate offices in the near future as well. Schools are another source of good business for nurseries, what with the cutthroat competition to lure in students with ‘fantastic’ facilities and ‘fabulous’ environment. Obviously, the exteriors (tangibles) have become as important as the interiors (intangibles) and what could be a better way to show-off than by showing off meticulous grounds with well manicured gardens?To conclude, business looks set to flower all the more for nurseries here.
