Club Mahindra

The sight of exotic trees and plants in gardens that are absolutely breathtaking! At the Botanical Gardens in Puducherry, you’ll agree this is an apt description of the place.

Even as you enter the gates, you’re overawed and why not! Reminiscent of French architecture, it sits smack in the middle of the old Tamil town.probably why it stands out so much. Laid out in 1826, the ornate-style gardens with pruned trees, beautiful flower beds and gravel-lined paths and fountains are a joy to behold.

Both educational and recreational in value, these Gardens make you wonder at the effort that have gone into the details and execution. Trust the French to introduce so many exotic plants from around the world, many of which have found a new home here. 22 acres of green, 28 plots that divide the garden by theme and over 1500 species of plants that grow here. All marked neatly with placards, indicating the species, common name and interesting information like, say, the various uses of the tree, the amount of oxygen it generates and the medicinal value it has. With such detail and class, obviously it classifies as one of the best botanical gardens in India!

Started by French colonists on an experimental basis to analyse the crops that could be cultivated in this region, trees were later planted here. Perrottet, the French botanist, was instrumental in transforming this into a botanical garden in 1831. His memorial can be seen within the premises.

Today, these gardens offer much more than just flora. You can enjoy toy train rides here, six fountains (one of which is a musical and dancing one), a Japanese rock structure and an aquarium. So, when you come in here, it’s like you’ve entered a secret magical place – a garden of paradise. One where you can get lost and yet, find the highest levels of natural plant beauty. Come in and lose yourself!